BROOKLYN — The 2026 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center marked a watershed moment for Nigerian basketball, as a record-breaking six players of Nigerian heritage were selected by professional franchises. The historic class highlights the rapidly expanding footprint of Nigerian talent within the global basketball pipeline.
Full List: 6 Nigerians Drafted in 2026 NBA
Then bullet with teams:
• 17th - Ebuka Okorie, Stanford → Detroit Pistons
• 23rd - Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s → Atlanta Hawks
• 41st - Otega Oweh, Kentucky → Oklahoma City Thunder
• 46th - Felix Okpara, Nigeria → Washington Wizards
• 48th - Tobi Lawal, Virginia Tech → Dallas Mavericks
• 53rd - Ugonna Onyenso, Owerri → Detroit Pistons
First-Round Impact
The night began with two standout selections in the first round:
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Ebuka Okorie (17th overall): The Stanford product was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder before being traded to the Detroit Pistons.
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Zuby Ejiofor (23rd overall): The St. John’s University standout was selected by the Atlanta Hawks, capping off a strong opening round for the Nigerian contingent.
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Second-Round Talent
The momentum continued into the second round with four additional selections:
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Otega Oweh (41st overall): Drafted by the Miami Heat (rights traded to Oklahoma City Thunder). The Kentucky star is notably the brother of NFL defensive end Odafe Oweh.
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Felix Okpara (46th overall): Chosen by the Orlando Magic (rights traded to Washington Wizards). A native of Nigeria, Okpara established himself as one of the SEC’s most elite shot-blockers.
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Tobi Lawal (48th overall): Selected by the Dallas Mavericks. The London-born forward of Nigerian descent developed rapidly at Virginia Tech, leading the team in rebounding for two consecutive seasons.
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Ugonna Onyenso (53rd overall): Drafted by the Houston Rockets (rights traded to Detroit Pistons).
Continental Milestones
The selection of Felix Okpara and Ugonna Onyenso is particularly significant, as they became only the second pair of Nigeria-born players ever selected in the same draft class. Furthermore, Onyenso’s journey from Owerri to NBA Academy Africa and eventually to the NBA serves as a testament to the success of continental development programs. He is the third alumnus of NBA Academy Africa to be drafted, reinforcing the importance of localized elite training pipelines.
With over 10 players of African descent selected in this year’s draft, the 2026 class underscores the continent’s evolving and deepening influence on the professional basketball landscape.
