When the 2026 NBA draft ended on Thursday, there were six players of Nigerian descent whose names were called out on the big stage. They may have been picked by different teams, but all six share a common heritage, tying them to Africa’s most populous nation.
For Ebuka Okorie and Zuby Ejiofor, the celebrations began earlier in the first round, while the rest had to wait anxiously until the last seconds to know their fate.
A look through the roster showed that Felix Okpara, Otega Oweh, Tobi Lawal, and Ugonna Onyenso were among the six players of Nigerian descent selected into different clubs in the 2026 NBA draft, which was held over Wednesday and Thursday at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, New York.
Okpara was picked 46th overall by the Orlando Magic, while Onyenso got selected as 53rd overall by the Houston Rockets.
He grew up in Nigeria playing football, but fell in love with basketball shortly after moving to the US in August 2018. He spent three years at the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal, meaning he is the third alumnus from that academy and the 15th NBA Academy alumnus overall to be drafted into the NBA.
At 17, he played for Nigeria, becoming the youngest ever to suit up for the country’s senior national team. The Imo-born player picked up an interest in basketball after a local coach dissuaded him from playing football. From the NBA Academy Africa, he thereafter relocated to Connecticut—Putnam Science Academy, to be specific.
Stanford University’s Ebuka Okorie was the 17th overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was part of a planned trade. With this arrangement, the Thunder will send the draft rights to Okorie straight to the Detroit Pistons.
Zuby Ejiofor was drafted from St John’s University as the 23rd overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks. Otega Oweh of the University of Kentucky was the 41st overall pick by the Miami Heat. Oweh was part of a planned trade, and this will see the Heat sending the draft rights to Oweh to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The league’s coaches named Oweh to the All-SEC Second Team in both seasons at Kentucky (2024-25, 2025-26). He led the Wildcats in getting 18.6 ppg and 1.8 spg as a senior in 2025-2026.
He also got 35 points vs Santa Clara in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Oweh is the brother of Washington Commanders defensive end Odafe Oweh, who was a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Virginia Tech’s Tobi Lawal was selected 48th overall by the Dallas Mavericks. Although he did not pick up basketball until he was 16 years old, he grew up in London and played for the City of London Academy before moving to the USA.
When he got to Lee Academy Prep, Lawal was great, averaging 14.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, and 2.0 steals. He shot 67 per cent from the floor.
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