< Previous40 @KentuckyMBB KENTUCKY High School Reclassified to the 2022 class … Ranked as a top-25 prospect in the 2023 class by all of the major scouting services … Spent his senior season at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut, the same program that for- mer Wildcat Hamidou Diallo hailed from … Joined Putnam in January and the squad was a perfect 20-0 with Onyenso on the roster, including winning a national championship … Averaged 11.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.7 blocks per game … Also shot 64.4% from the floor and had five games with at least 10 blocked shots … Had a 24-point, 11-re- bound and 11-block triple-double … Playing at the NBA Academy Games in the summer of 2022, he scored in double figures in each of the six games he appeared … Averaged 13.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, while also connecting on 64.4% of his field-goal attempts … Registered 32 total boards (5.3 per game) on the offensive end … Prior to enrolling at Putnam, he attend- ed NBA Academy Africa for more than two years … During his time with the academy, he participated in a number of high-profile international competitions in Europe, Mexi- co and the United States, including the Tar- kanian Classic and NBA Academy exhibition games … He helped NBA Academy Africa win the European Youth Basketball League Tournament in Hungary … In February of 2020, he became one of the youngest play- ers ever to make the senior men’s Nigerian National Team … Made his debut with the team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers in November of 2021 … Scored 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting and had four rebounds and two blocks in 16 minutes in a 96-69 win over Uganda. Personal Born Sept. 25 in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria … Parents are Martins and Lilian Chinyere … Has four siblings, Ikenna, Chiwendu, Chidin- ma and Queen … His mom is his life’s great- est influence … Major is marketing ... Enjoys listening to music and playing video games away from the court … His pregame playlist consists of Lil Durk and Lil Baby … Super- power he most wishes he had is the ability to teleport … Giannis Antetokounmpo is his fa- vorite basketball player and Anthony Davis is his favorite former UK player … Lists his most memorable moment as a basketball player as helping his high school win a national cham- pionship … Chose Kentucky over Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Kansas. UGONNA ONYENSO 6-11 n 225 n Fr. n Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria #33 n F Follow Ugonna on Social Media n @onyensokingsle3 on Twitter n @kingsugo_ on Instagram Click Here for More Information on Ugonna@UKSportsNetwork 41 KENTUCKY 2021-22 (at Illinois State) Started all 33 games … Averaged 20.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game … Had 662 points in 33 games which was the fourth- most in Redbirds’ history … He was the first Il- linois State player to average at least 20 points per game in a season since 2001 … Named to the Missouri Valley Conference Second Team and was a team captain on the ALL-MVC Most Improved Team. 2020-21 (at Illinois State) Played in 25 games during the season with 24 starts … Averaged 12.4 points per game, sec- ond-most on the team and 13th-most in the Missouri Valley Conference, and ninth-most among returnees for the 2021-22 season … Scored in double-figures 19 times during the year. 2019-20 (at Illinois State) Was named to the MVC All-Bench Team … Averaged 7.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game during the season … Played in 31 games with a trio of starts … Scored in double-fig- ures 10 times during the season, including a season-high 17 points against Missouri State … Had 16 points against Missouri State and against Drake … Pulled down a season-high seven rebounds against Drake … Had two as- sists in seven games … Made 81-of-211 shots from the field during the season, and 33 of 105 from beyond the arc. High School Was a three-star prospect out of Simeon High School in Chicago … Averaged 21.7 points, six boards and three assists per game … Was an All-City Second-Team selection … Began his high school career at Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix … Played for Mike Bibby at Shadow Mountain and the squad went 25-2 overall and captured a state title … Averaged 14.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game during the state title season … Had a 3.0 grade-point average. Personal Born Nov. 20 in Chicago … Parents are Dawn Coulter and Anthony Reeves … Has four sib- lings, Anthony Marshall, Alexis, Malik and An- gelic … Major is communication … He chose No. 12 because he’s been wearing it since his freshman season … Father is his life’s great- est influence … Lists Bad Boys as his favorite movie … Pregame playlist consists of hip hop music … Favorite former UK player is Tyler Herro … Off the court talent is drawing. ANTONIO REEVES 6-5 n 205 n Sr. n Chicago #12 n G Follow ANTONIO on Social Media n @ToniooReeves on Twitter n @tonioreeves on Instagram Click Here for More Information on Antonio42 @KentuckyMBB KENTUCKY High School A combo guard … Averaged 23.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 3.9 steals and 2.3 blocks per game and directed Quaker Valley to a 27-1 record and a 14-0 mark in league play … Scored 18 points in the 2022 PIAA Boys’ Basketball Championships in the team’s only loss of the season against Neu- mann-Goretti … Finished his career with 1,624 career points which ranked as the third most in team history … Named the 4A Play- er of the Year, the WPIAL Player of the Year and the 2022 TribLive HSSN Boys Basketball Player of the Year … Had a 44-point perfor- mance against Hopewell which snapped the school’s single-game scoring record … Also scored 40 points against Highlands in the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Showcase … Had 21 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds and seven blocks in a state tournament second-round victory against Belle Vernon … Logged 31 points, 17 rebounds and seven swats in the WPIAL Class 4A championship … Led Quaker Valley in scoring as a sophomore with 17.7 points per game … As a junior, he tallied 21.8 points per game while also aver- aging team-highs in assists (5.1), steals (2.2) and blocks (1.2) … Also competed in soccer and lacrosse … Worked with the Gear Up Ségou community service project. Personal Born May 8 in Utah … Parents are Mariam Sy and Almamy Thiero … Has three sib- lings, Oumou, Yassa, Nudiya … Major is communication ... Away from the court he enjoys playing video games … Chose No. 3 because it was the same number his father wore … Most prized possession is his shoe collection … Favorite food is chicken and shrimp alfredo … Favorite TV show is Power … Chose Kentucky over Xavier, Duquesne, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Maryland. Follow ADOU on Social Media n @Adou_Thiero on Twitter n @adou_thiero on Instagram ADOU THIERO 6-6 n 200 n Fr. n Leetsdale, Pa. #3 n G Click Here for More Information on Adou@UKSportsNetwork 43 KENTUCKY 2021-22 Saw action in 29 games and made four starts in his second season with the Wildcats … Averaged 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in 17.7 minutes … Missed five games due to injury … Scored in double figures in seven games … Had career highs in scor- ing, blocks, assists, field-goal percentage and 3-point field-goal percentage … Averaged 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game over his final seven games of the regular season … Tal- lied nine points with a trio of dunks and three points from the charity stripe against Saint Peter’s in the NCAA Tournament … Logged 10 points and three blocks in the SEC Tourna- ment quarterfinals against Vanderbilt … Con- tributed eight points and six rebounds in 39 minutes of the win over LSU at home … Had 13 points, six boards and three assists in a ca- reer-high 40 minutes in the home victory over Alabama … Tallied 11 points and contributed six rebounds at Tennessee … Scored 10 points and had three rebounds in just six minutes at South Carolina before injuring an ankle … Logged 11 points and three rebounds in the win at Kansas … Contributed nine points, six boards, two assists, a block and a steal in the come-from-behind win at Texas A&M … Had season highs with 14 points and eight rebounds at LSU … Notched 12 points and a career-high six assists in the win over Western Kentucky … Had seven points, five rebounds and three assists in a win against North Car- olina … Had seven points in the win over Central Michigan … Made his season debut after missing much of the preseason with a shoulder injury against Duke in the Champi- ons Classic with four points and six rebounds. 2020-21 Southeastern Conference First-Year Academ- ic Honor Roll member … Appeared in 24 of 25 games with two starts … Originally slated to redshirt in 2020-21, became a key player off the bench for the Wildcats, impacting the game in key spurts in the scoring column and on the boards … Averaged 5.2 points and 3.5 rebounds on the season … Four games in double-figure scoring … Made a greater impact as the season progressed, averaging 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 23.0 minutes over the final seven regular-season games … Came up with a career-high three steals in ad- dition to five boards at Ole Miss … Scored 11 points in 21 minutes in the home loss to Florida … Recorded a career-high 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting in 23 minutes at Vanderbilt … Totaled five points and a season-high seven rebounds in the home victory vs. Auburn … Solid game vs. Arkansas with nine points and six rebounds … Provided a spark in the loss at Auburn with 10 points and six rebounds … JACOB TOPPIN 6-9 n 205 n Sr. n Brooklyn, N.Y. #0 n F Follow JACOB on Social Media n @jtoppin0 on Twitter n @jtoppin_0 on Instagram n @jtopppin_21 on TikTok n @jtopppin_21 on SnapChat n jtoppin9 on Twitch Click Here for More Information on Jacob44 @KentuckyMBB KENTUCKY 2021-22 Unanimous National Player of the Year (Sporting News, Associated Press, United States Basketball Writer’s Association, Na- tional Association of Basketball Coaches, Na- ismith Trophy, Wooden Award) … First player in program history to win all six NCAA-rec- ognized awards … First player in SEC history to win all six in the same season … Unani- mous All-America First-Team honoree by the AP, Sporting News, USBWA and NABC … Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award winner for the nation’s best center … NABC’s Pete Newell Big Man of the Year … SEC Player of the Year … First-Team All-SEC by both the league’s coaches and media … Naismith Defensive Player of the Year finalist … All-SEC Defen- sive Team as selected by the league’s coach- es … Led the country in rebounding (15.1), offensive rebounds per game (5.3) and de- fensive rebounding percentage (34.6%), also ranked second in offensive rebounding percentage (19.4%) … Snared 515 rebounds on the season, topping any other Division I collegiate player … The mark ranks as the third-most in program history and is one of just three players to tally 500 or more … Be- came a 1,000-point collegiate scorer in the final game of the season … Set a UK sin- gle-season record with 28 double-doubles … Was the first player to average at least 15 points and at least 15 rebounds per game since Drake’s Lewis Lloyd and Alcorn State’s Larry Smith did so in 1979-80 … First ma- jor-conference player to average 15-15 since UCLA’s Bill Walton in 1972-73 … First UK player to tally those numbers since Bob Bur- row in 1954-55 … Finished the season as the only major-conference player averaging at least 1.6 blocks and 1.6 steals per game … Corralled 10 or more rebounds in all but two games … Finished the season with program records of 21 straight double-figure rebound- ing efforts and 16 straight double-doubles … One of only two players (Anthony Davis) in program history since 1978-79 to lead the team in points per game (17.4), rebounds per game (15.1), steals per game (1.8), blocks per game (1.6) and field-goal percentage (60.6%) with a minimum of 130 attempts … Set a Rupp Arena record with 28 rebounds against Western Kentucky … Had more rebounds than the Hilltoppers entire team … It tied for the sixth-most rebounds in UK history and the most for a Wildcat in a regulation-length game in more than 52 years … It was the most in Division I basketball since Kendall Gray from Delaware State had 30 in 2015 … Finished the season responsible for 37.8% of the team’s total rebounds, taking away team rebounds that number jumped to 41.2% … Had 80 rebounds through the first five games OSCAR TSHIEBWE 6-9 n 260 n Sr. n Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic #34 n F Follow OSCAR on Social Media n @Oscartshiebwe34 on Twitter n @oscar_tshiebwe on Instagram of the Congo Click Here for More Information on Oscar@UKSportsNetwork 45 KENTUCKY High School A consensus five-star prospect … Ranked as the No. 7 overall player by Rivals … Ranked No. 8 overall by 247Sports and 20th by ESPN … Averaged 19.9 points, 7.4 boards and 6.1 assists per game as a senior at Richardson … 2022 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year and The Dallas Morning News’ Player of the Year … Repeated as the District’s MVP … Was a McDonald’s All American and a selection to the Jordan Brand Classic … Averaged 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals in the 2021 Nike EYBL … Shot 51.2% from the field and 37% from 3-point range and was tabbed the Circuit’s Most Valuable Player of Nike EYBL Session I … Also earned All-Peach Jam honors … Led the NBPA Top 100 Camp in assists (5.0) and steals (3.0) per game while posting 10.3 points and 4.3 rebounds … Topped 1,000 career points during his junior season … Earned District Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore … Tabbed the Newcomer of the Year as a freshman … Graduated with honors … Was a member of the Student-Athlete Leadership Team … Volunteered locally as a youth tutor and basketball coach … Also competed in football, soccer, basketball and track. Personal Born Nov. 7 … Parents are Kimberly and Mike Wallace … Has a brother, Keaton who played college basketball at UT Arlington … He lists his brother as his life’s greatest influence … Major is communication/exploratory studies ... Away from the court he likes to watch Net- flix … SpongeBob SquarePants is his favorite TV show … Dunked for the first time in eighth grade … Lists Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as his favorite former Wildcat and LeBron James as his all-time favorite player … Superpower he would most like to have is teleportation … Likes chicken and shrimp alfredo … Can play the saxophone and piano … Picked Kentucky over Tennessee, Texas and UT Arlington. 6-4 n 193 n Fr. n Dallas #22 n G CASON WALLACE Follow CASON on Social Media n @wallace_cason on Twitter n @cason.wallace on Instagram Click Here for More Information on Cason46 @KentuckyMBB KENTUCKY 2021-22 Named to the 2021-22 SEC Community Ser- vice Team … Appeared in 28 games in his second season with the Wildcats … Missed three due to injury … Registered career highs in points (42), blocks (11) and field- goal percentage (66.7%) … Led the team in blocks in four games … Played a season-high 16 minutes and snared six rebounds in the SEC Tournament semifinals vs. Tennessee … Tied his career high with a pair of steals, while also adding three rebounds in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals against Vanderbilt … Had four points and a season-high seven rebounds in the home win over Florida … Tallied four points and four rebounds in 10 highly effective minutes at Kansas … Had two points and four boards in the overtime win over Mississippi State … Scored two points and snatched five boards in the win over High Point … Had five points and three boards in the SEC opener against Missouri … Scored four points against North Florida. 2020-21 Key reserve for the Wildcats who added physicality and quality rebounding … Ap- peared in 21 games and made three starts … Scored 41 points, hauled in 63 rebounds, totaled 11 blocks, corralled six steals and dished out eight assists … Led the team in rebounds in two games and in blocks twice … Also paced the team in steals once … Produced a pair of double-figure rebound- ing efforts … Grabbed four rebounds in the Southeastern Conference Tournament game against Mississippi State … Played 29 minutes and recorded a career-high eight points, 10 rebounds and a career-high three blocks at No. 18/17 Missouri … To- taled seven points and a pair of rebounds in the win over LSU … Scored four points, had four rebounds and logged a block, a steal and an assist in the loss at Auburn … Notched four points, a career-high 13 re- bounds and a career-best four assists in the double-overtime win at Mississippi State … Posted four points, four rebounds and a blocked shot at Louisville … Breakout game came against No. 22/21 North Carolina with four points, seven rebounds and two steals in 21 minutes of action … Scored his first career point with a free throw against Georgia Tech … Had five rebounds, two blocks and a steal in his collegiate debut against Morehead State. High School Led high school team to a 29-1 record his se- nior season … Averaged 11.8 points, 7.9 re- bounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks for a team that won its final 25 games … LANCE WARE 6-9 n 235 n Jr. n Camden, N.J. #55 n F Follow LANCE on Social Media n @lanceware12 on Twitter n @lance.ware on Instagram Click Here for More Information on Lance@UKSportsNetwork 47 KENTUCKY 2021-22 Appeared in nine games in 2021-22 … Had three rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals … Picked up a steal against High Point … Had an assist vs. Western Kentucky … Snared a rebound vs. Central Michigan … Had a rebound and a steal against North Flor- ida … Registered a rebound against Mount St. Mary’s. 2020-21 Joined the team as a walk-on … Made one appearance, logging two minutes in Ken- tucky’s dominating regular-season finale vic- tory over South Carolina. High School Appeared in all 26 games for Kingsway Re- gional during his senior season … Averaged 8.7 points per game … Notched 11 dou- ble-figure scoring efforts and knocked down multiple 3-pointers in 12 games … Scored a season-high 19 points on six made 3s with four assists against Woodstown … Also post- ed 16 points, five rebounds and four assists at Clearview and recorded 15 points, six boards and five dimes vs. Cumberland … Dished out four or more assists in 14 games … Produced three or more steals in 10 games … Helped advance Kingsway to the 2020 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group 4 Championship field of 64. Personal Born Feb. 3 in Camden, New Jersey … Mother is Syreeta Brittingham … Stepfather is Dajuan Wagner, former Memphis star who played for John Calipari … Has two siblings, Dayonni and Dajuan Jr. … Major is communication … Off the court talent includes juggling … Lists his parents as the two people who have influ- enced him the most … When he’s not playing basketball he’s watching it … Listens to NBA YoungBoy, Polo G and Lil Durk pregame … Chicken is his favorite food … Lists Kemba Walker as his favorite NBA player and Tyler Ulis as his favorite former UK player. KAREEM WATKINS 5-8 n 175 n Jr. n Camden, N.J. #25 n G Follow KAREEM on Social Media n @reemwat on Instagram Click Here for More Information on Kareem48 @KentuckyMBB KENTUCKY 2021-22 Bob Cousy Award finalist for the nation’s best point guard … All-SEC Second Team by both the league’s coaches and the media … Third in the nation and first in the SEC for the sec- ond straight season with an average of 6.9 assists per game … Finished with 207 assists on the season which is the fourth most in a single season in UK history … That mark was also a career high … Was second in the SEC with a 2.27 assist-to-turnover ratio … Totaled 12 games with at least eight assists and had five or more in 12 of the final 13 games of the season … Scored in double figures in 16 outings … Totaled a pair of double-doubles in the points-assists variety … Had a career low in turnovers … Shot 78% from the free- throw line, the best mark of his career … Produced 28 games with at least three assists and led the team in that category 25 times … Started 29 of the 30 games he played … Missed four games due to injury … Averaged 10.1 points, 6.9 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game … Had 11 points and a team-high six assists in the NCAA Tourna- ment … Logged 10 points and six rebounds against Tennessee in the SEC Tournament semifinals … Produced eight points and 11 assists in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals win against Vanderbilt … Scored 13 points, had five assists and two steals in the win at Florida … Logged 16 points and seven assists in the win over Ole Miss … Had 14 points and five assists at Arkansas after missing two games with an injury … Had 11 assists and four rebounds in the win at South Carolina … Totaled seven points, eight assists and three rebounds in the win at Kansas … Scored 15 points and chipped in with six assists in the overtime win over Mississippi State … Was the team’s leading scorer with 17 points at Auburn … Had 21 points, eight assists and two steals following a two-game absence due to injury in the historic win over Tennes- see at home … Logged 11 points and nine assists in the SEC regular-season opener vs. Missouri … Scored a season-high 26 points to couple with eight assists and a season-best four steals in the win over North Carolina … Was named the SEC Player of the Week and the NCAA March Madness National Player of the Week following the performance … Tallied 12 points and a career-high 14 assists in the win over North Florida for his second double-double … Logged 16 points and 10 assists in his season debut against Duke in the Champions Classic. 2020-21 (at Georgia) An All-Southeastern Conference Second Team selection by both the coaches and the Associated Press … Started all 26 games … SAHVIR WHEELER 5-9 n 180 n Sr. n Houston #2 n G Follow SAHVIR on Social Media n @sahvir on Twitter n @sahvir on Instagram Click Here for More Information on SahvirUK SPORTS NETWORK TV AFFILIATES UK SPORTS NETWORK TV AFFILIATES SPORTS NETWORK Louisville Paducah Bowling Green Johnson City, TN SPORTS NETWORKNext >