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Ugonna Onyenso enters transfer portal: 3 best destinations for Kentucky big man

By Cody Williams

Nov 23, 2022; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Ugonna Onyenso (33) handles the ball during the second half against the North Florida Ospreys at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 23, 2022; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Ugonna Onyenso (33) handles the ball during the second half against the North Florida Ospreys at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ugonna Onyenso transfer rumors
Ugonna Onyenso, Kentucky Wildcats. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /

Ugonna Onyenso has been celebrated by John Calipari at Kentucky but the big man is now transferring. Where could he end up next in the portal?

Though there has long been an outside chance of Oscar Tshiebwe returning to the Kentucky Wildcats for another year, head coach John Calipari has touted 2022 recruit Ugonna Onyenso as the next great big man for Big Blue Nation. That, however, will no longer be the case as the 7-foot center has entered the transfer portal.

Onyenso played sparingly for Kentucky in his freshman season but flashed incredible potential when you extrapolate his stats over a full game. In the 2022-23 campaign, the big averaged 14.4 points, 15.1 rebounds, and 5.8 blocks per 40 minutes. That’s potentially elite production for a skilled big man with versatility and elite two-way value for any program.

He won’t be giving that Kentucky anymore, though, as Calipari and the Wildcats welcome the top-ranked recruiting class and potentially will have some veterans lingering. So with Ugonna Onyenso in the transfer portal, where could he land? Let’s take a look at three of the best possible destinations.

Ugonna Onyenso transfer rumors: 3 best destinations for Kentucky big man in the portal

Oklahoma needs a true big that can dominate like Ugonna Onyenso

Undoubtedly worsened by the top-to-bottom strength of the Big 12 this past season, it was a lackluster campaign for the Oklahoma Sooners. They finished ninth in the conference with a 5-13 record in league play and a 15-17 record overall.

The Sooners roster for the 2023-24 season could be lacking for proven production from their bigs with the Groves twins just wrapping their fifth season in college basketball. They need a true big on the roster and perhaps no one that they could bring in would offer the upside of Ugonna Onyenso if they were able to land him in the portal.

Oklahoma is really only lacking that frontcourt presence when you look at the outlook for the program in the immediate future and, while there are some other options that will be on the roster, landing the transfer from Kentucky would be the best possible option.

For a program that should have the resources and talent to be respectable in the Big 12 and make the NCAA Tournament consistently, the Sooners need to think long and hard about Onyenson, a player who they were heavily interested in as a recruit and who had one of the last official visits with him before he committed to the Wildcats as well.