Kentucky basketball has announced the departure of three players
Another John Calipari player is leaving Kentucky. This one plans to stay in the NBA draft.
Another John Calipari player is leaving Kentucky. This one plans to stay in the NBA draft.
Another College of Kentucky men’s ball player made an declaration with respect to his future Monday night.
Ugonna Onyenso — a 7-foot sophomore on this past season’s UK group — will announce for the NBA draft. Onyenso plans to enlist an operator and do without his remaining two a long time of NCAA qualification, agreeing to ESPN.
He said that he made his choice some time recently assembly in individual with modern Kentucky coach Stamp Pope.
“As of nowadays, I do not arrange on entering the exchange portal,” Onyenso told ESPN. “I feel like I am prepared for the NBA. I haven’t met with Stamp Pope. I as it were talked on the phone with him three days back. I’m prepared to go to the another level and appear what I can do, but I’m not closing any doors.”
Onyenso, a 19-year-old post player from Nigeria, had a more conclusive articulation within the same meet with ESPN, who positions him as the No. 47 in general prospect within the 2024 draft.
“I’m not considering almost coming back to play college basketball,” he said. “I’m 100% centered on the NBA.”
The exchange entrance closes on May 1, and any players who have not entered their names by that point would stay with their current schools in the event that they returned to college ball. The ultimate NBA draft due date is May 29.
Onyenso played sparingly as a first year recruit — arriving on campus fair some time recently the begin of the 2022-23 scholarly calendar — some time recently rising as the Wildcats’ beginning center in year two in spite of lost the whole preseason and the primary month of recreations with a foot harm endured over the summer.
He found the middle value of 3.6 focuses, 4.8 bounce back and 2.8 blocked shots in 18.6 minutes per amusement, making 14 begins in 24 appearances as a sophomore. He made his make a big appearance within the Cats’ win over North Carolina on Dec. 16 and blocked 10 shots in a victory over Ole Miss two months afterward, setting a modern UK record for most squares in a amusement in Rupp Field and tying the by and large stamp held by Navy’s David Robinson, who swatted 10 Kentucky shots in a misfortune in Lexington in 1987.
Onyenso is the latest Kentucky player to leave the program in the wake of John Calipari’s departure. The longtime UK coach stepped down last week after 15 years with the Wildcats to take over the Arkansas Razorbacks’ program.