Nigeria’s influence in global basketball continued to grow as six players of Nigerian heritage were selected during the 2026 NBA Draft held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The players—Ebuka Okorie, Zuby Ejiofor, Otega Oweh, Felix Okpara, Tobi Lawal, and Ugonna Onyenso—were drafted by six NBA franchises, although some are expected to join different teams through draft-night trades.
Ebuka Okorie and Zuby Ejiofor earned first-round selections, while Otega Oweh, Felix Okpara, Tobi Lawal, and Ugonna Onyenso were picked in the second round.
Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie was selected 17th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder but is expected to join the Detroit Pistons following a pre-arranged trade.
Zuby Ejiofor, who starred at St. John’s University, was chosen 23rd overall by the Atlanta Hawks.
Kentucky standout Otega Oweh went 41st overall to the Miami Heat, with his draft rights expected to be transferred to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Oweh impressed during his final college season, averaging 18.6 points and 1.8 steals per game while earning All-SEC Second Team honours for the second straight year. He also delivered a memorable 35-point performance in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Oweh comes from a sporting family, as his elder brother, Odafe Oweh, currently plays in the NFL after being selected in the first round of the 2021 draft.
Former Ohio State and Tennessee centre Felix Okpara was picked 46th overall by the Orlando Magic, while Virginia Tech forward Tobi Lawal was selected 48th overall by the Dallas Mavericks.
Lawal, who was raised in London, only began playing basketball at age 16 before moving to the United States, where he developed into one of the country’s top high school prospects.
The Houston Rockets completed the Nigerian contingent by selecting Ugonna Onyenso with the 53rd overall pick.
Born in Imo State, Onyenso initially pursued football before switching to basketball after relocating to the United States in 2018. He later joined the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal, becoming only the third graduate of the programme to be drafted into the NBA. He also made history as the youngest player to represent Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team at just 17 years old.