Six players of Nigerian heritage were picked during the 2026 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center, underscoring Nigeria’s expanding footprint on the global basketball stage as franchises across the league moved to secure emerging talent with ties to the country.
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Ebuka Okorie, Zuby Ejiofor, Felix Okpara, Otega Oweh, Tobi Lawal and Ugonna Onyenso all heard their names called across the two-day event.
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Okorie, a Stanford University product, was the highest-drafted of the group, going 17th overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder before his rights were included in a planned trade to the Detroit Pistons. Ejiofor followed at 23rd overall, selected by the Atlanta Hawks after a standout collegiate career at St. John’s University.
Kentucky’s Oweh was taken 41st overall by the Miami Heat, with his draft rights also set to be traded to Oklahoma City. A two-time All-SEC Second Team honouree, Oweh averaged 18.6 points and 1.8 steals per game in his senior season and lit up Santa Clara for 35 points in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. He is the younger brother of Odafe Oweh, defensive end for the Washington Commanders.
The Orlando Magic selected Okpara 46th overall, while the Dallas Mavericks took Lawal with the 48th pick. Lawal’s path to the NBA is among the more remarkable in this year’s class — the London-raised forward did not pick up a basketball until the age of 16, later relocating to the United States where he excelled at Lee Academy Prep and Virginia Tech, averaging 14.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 67 per cent from the field during his prep career.
Onyenso rounded out the Nigerian contingent, selected 53rd overall by the Houston Rockets after a journey that began in Imo State, where he initially played football before a local coach pointed him towards basketball. He joined the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal, later attended Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut and became the third NBA Academy Africa graduate and the 15th NBA Academy alumnus to be drafted. At 17, he is also the youngest player ever to represent the Nigeria men’s national basketball team.
The selection of six players of Nigerian descent continues a growing trend of Nigerian-born and Nigerian-heritage athletes making their mark at the highest level of professional basketball.
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