Six players of Nigerian heritage were selected at the 2026 NBA Draft held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
American basketballer, AJ Dybantsa, was selected first overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The players — Ebuka Okorie, Zuby Ejiofor, Otega Oweh, Felix Okpara, Tobi Lawal and Ugonna Onyenso — were picked by six NBA franchises, although some are expected to join different teams through pre-arranged draft-night trades.
Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie was the highest-selected player of Nigerian heritage, taken 17th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. However, he is expected to join the Detroit Pistons following the completion of a previously agreed trade.
St. John’s Zuby Ejiofor secured a first-round selection after the Atlanta Hawks picked him with the 23rd overall pick.
Kentucky guard Otega Oweh was selected 41st overall by the Miami Heat, although his draft rights are expected to be transferred to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Oweh averaged 18.6 points and 1.8 steals per game during his final college season and earned All-SEC Second Team honours for a second consecutive year. He also delivered a 35-point performance against Santa Clara in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Basketball runs in the Oweh family. His older brother, Odafe Oweh, plays in the NFL after being selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Former Ohio State and Tennessee center Felix Okpara was taken 46th overall by the Orlando Magic, while the Dallas Mavericks selected Virginia Tech forward Tobi Lawal with the 48th pick.
Raised in London, Lawal only began playing basketball at 16 before moving to the United States, where he developed into one of the top prospects at Lee Academy Prep. There, he averaged 14.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, three blocks and two steals per game while shooting 67 per cent from the field.
The Houston Rockets rounded out the six 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.
