Head Coach John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats have landed the commitment of 2022 top 40 recruit and top ten center Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso. The Wildcats are used to having talented recruiting classes and 2022 will be no different if the current trend continues. While the team is used to “one and done” talent, they also need to fill in talent with guys that aren’t necessarily sure-fire “one and done” guys. He committed to the Kentucky Wildcats over the Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Kingsley Onyenso is a prospect from NBA Academy Africa.
Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso, 7-footer and five-star 2023 recruit who has moved up to 2022, commits to Kentucky. He’ll be with the team this fall (not in Bahamas next week) and it is TBA whether he’ll play this season, but it’s not off the table.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) August 1, 2022
Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso was originally a five-star recruit in the 2023 class, but moved to the 2022 class and will play with the team this season. This gives him another year to prepare for the NBA and a chance to play under star college basketball center Oscar Tshiebwe. The likely plan will be for him to play rotational minutes this year and then compete for the starting job in 2023. He will likely want to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft barring in positive or negative developments.
BREAKING: 4?? center Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso has committed to Coach Calipari and @KentuckyMBB ?
“They know how to develop their bigs for the next level.” @onyensokingsle3 @AdamFinkelstein x @TheCatsPause247 pic.twitter.com/BnDwYcSjvq
— 247Sports (@247Sports) August 1, 2022
The two freshmen heading into the program along with their new reclassified center are five-star combo guard Cason Wallace and five-star small forward Chris Livingston. Kentucky also has Illinois State Redbirds transfer small forward Antonio Reeves heading into the program this season. While the role this season for Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso is currently unknown, this gives him a chance to get ready for the NBA faster and learn from some of the best college basketball has to offer. Head Coach John Calipari knows how to get guys through college and into the NBA.
