Ugonna Onyenso already preparing for larger role in 2023-24 season

Barring the unexpected, Kentucky is likely to lose the bulk of its frontcourt production from this past season. Oscar Tshiebwe and Jacob Toppin are almost certain to have played their final games as Wildcats after falling to Kansas State over the weekend in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Head coach John Calipari said in the press conference following the loss he expects all six seniors — which includes Tshiebwe and Toppin — to head elsewhere in the offseason. In the case of Tshiebwe and Toppin, that’ll likely mean trying to make it to the NBA.

If both were to leave, that’s over 28 points, 20 rebounds, and 55 minutes per game just wiped off the board. There are pieces on the current roster that could make up for that lost production, with eyes concentrating on Chris Livingston‘s decision to come back for a sophomore season in Lexington or not. Junior Lance Ware and sophomore Daimion Collins could also return to round out the frontcourt, as could the addition of five-star freshman center Aaron Bradshaw this summer. But Ware and Collins haven’t shown enough to think they could step into larger roles, while Bradshaw is an unknown at the college level.

The most likely candidate to step in and control the frontcourt is the one Calipari has heralded as a future star: 6-foot-11 big man Ugonna Onyenso.

“At the end of the day, my gut is he’ll be the best big guy, if not one of the best big guys in the country next year,” Calipari said of Onyenso during his radio call-in show last week.

Onyenso, who joined the program over the summer as a late addition after reclassifying from the class of 2023 to 2022, was never expected to come right in and make an immediate impact. The plan from the jump was to play behind Tshiebwe and learn as much as he can in order to make a leap so he can follow in Tshiebwe’s footsteps. This was never going to be a Shaedon Sharpe situation — Onyenso is here for the long haul.

Powerful moment in the Kentucky locker room.

Freshman Ugonna Onyenso talking up friend and mentor Oscar Tshiebwe as he soaks in the heartbreaking loss. pic.twitter.com/GYEHLzrk2a

— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) March 19, 2023

Onyenso showed spurts of brilliance in limited minutes this season, albeit with most of it coming against non-conference opponents. He went for six points, four rebounds, and four blocks in 20 minutes during the season-opener against Howard, then followed that up with nine points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks in 19 minutes against Duquesne. Tshiebwe missed both games due to a minor preseason knee surgery.

A week later against South Carolina State, he added six points, four rebounds, and three blocks in just 13 minutes. Another week after that against North Florida, Onyenso recorded seven points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks in 18 minutes. While he admittedly looked out of place whenever Kentucky took on the likes of Gonzaga, Michigan, and SEC programs (he averaged just 3.4 MPG against intraconference opponents), there was no denying he has the capabilities to be an elite shot blocker and an overall dangerous defender.

But can he do it at the same rate with starter minutes as soon as next season? If you ask him, he’s already working for that opportunity.

“I gotta go back and start getting ready for next season because I won’t have Oscar, probably won’t have Jacob around,” Onyenso said after Sunday’s loss, according to Tristan Pharis of KY Insider. “I need to let myself know that that’s a position I need to fill in and the things they didn’t achieve, I’m working on achieving it for them. Doing it for them. I’m just gonna work.“

Tshiebwe came to Kentucky with dreams of winning a national championship. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way, despite his historic efforts, but Onyenso is determined to help fulfill that lost dream in honor of his soon-to-be former teammate.