Kansas State basketball continues to reload after its disappointing 19-15, 8-10 (Big 12) finish last season. Wildcats head coach Jerome Tang will now have an upgraded roster as the program chases its first-ever national title.
Kansas State landed Kentucky basketball center Ugonna Onyenso through the transfer portal on Tuesday, via On3's Joe Tipton.
“BREAKING: 7-foot Kentucky transfer big man Ugonna Onyenso has committed to Kansas State, sources tell
@On3sports,” Tipton tweeted. “Was the top available center in the portal.”
Onyenso joins a stacked transfer class, via Tipton.
“The 7-foot sophomore averaged 3.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in only 18.6 minutes per game this season,” Tipton said. “Onyenso is the seventh addition for Kansas State out of the transfer portal this offseason. He joins Dug McDaniel (16.3 PPG at Michigan), Baye Fall (0.8 PPG at Arkansas), Brendan Hausen (6.2 PPG at Villanova), Max Jones (15.3 PPG at Cal State Fullerton), CJ Jones (11.4 PPG at UIC), and Achor Achor (16.1 PPG at Samford).”
Onyenso is a four-star transfer that ranks Kansas State's transfer class 22nd in the nation via 247 Sports. The Nigerian international previously dipped his toe into the NBA Draft waters but withdrew his name after not getting much momentum. He was also rumored to have scheduled visits with North Carolina, Mississippi State, and Oregon, but Tang and company were able to sell him on the program's vision before he left the building.
How will Onyenso fit into the Wildcats' frontcourt?
Onyenso has potential but will need to improve with Kansas State basketball
Onyenso is one of many players who left Kentucky after John Calipari's departure. While he showed flashes, especially defensively, he wasn't able to stack up with the country's elite centers.
Going into his junior year, the 250-pounder will need to step up to compete for a starting role. While Fall had an uneventful season for Arkansas last season, he will still provide fierce competition for minutes. The 6-foot-11, 200-pounder was a 2023 McDonalds All-American and considered a four-star recruit by all of the major outlets. Fall is also considered a four-star transfer, per 247.
Once Onyenso gets his offensive game to where his defensive game already is, he'll be a force to be reckoned with, via 247.
“Considered by many national pundits to be an ‘elite-level shot blocker' after tying for third among Division I players in blocks per game last year (fifth in Kentucky history for a single season), the 7-foot junior-to-be also showed signs of improvement on offense by improving his percentage to 55.0% from the field,” the outlet wrote.
Kansas State could use the offensive help, too. The Wildcats ranked just 181st in the nation with 72.2 points per game last season, as well as 218th with a 43.6% shooting percentage. However, the squad ranked 26th in opponent shooting percentage, holding teams to a 41.1% clip.
Don't expect Kansas State to hit the ground running, as it will take time for the new-look squad to mesh. However, once that does happen, there's no reason why the squad can't replicate its 2023 Elite Eight run. Tang won't be satisfied, though, until he brings the program its first-ever championship.
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