Current Nigerian-Born and Nigerian-Heritage Players in the NBA
Every NBA player born in Nigeria or raised by Nigerian parents, in one place, with their teams, their roots and a weekly scores tracker through the 2026-27 season.
21players tracked
6born in Nigeria
62026 draft picks
12026 champion
Photo: Nowoco, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Week 0 · Pre-season · checked 29 September 2026
This week: opening night watch
The 2026-27 NBA regular season tips off on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Two of the three opening-night games feature players of Nigerian birth or descent. Once the season starts, this table lists every game played by our tracked players that week: date, opponent, result, and points, rebounds and assists.
NBA opening night, 20 October 2026. Weekly scores begin in the week of 20 to 26 October.
Date
Game
Nigerian players to watch
20 Oct 2026
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks (championship banner night)
OG Anunoby (Knicks) v Adem Bona (76ers); Ochai Agbaji is in Knicks training camp
20 Oct 2026
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
Rookie Ebuka Okorie and two-way centre Ugonna Onyenso (Pistons)
20 Oct 2026
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
Rookie Otega Oweh (Thunder, two-way contract)
Next update: week of 5 October 2026 (pre-season games and final rosters). Big performances also appear in our African Sports News.
Ranked by profile · checked 29 September 2026
The Nigerian stars of the NBA
Averages are per game for the 2025-26 regular season, the last completed season. They are replaced by live 2026-27 averages once the new season starts.
1Photo: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Miami Heat
Forward · 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Nigerian roots: born in Athens to Nigerian parents, Charles and Veronica, who left Lagos for Greece in 1991. Plays for Greece.
27.6PTS
9.8REB
5.4AST
2025-26 with Milwaukee, 36 games
Two-time NBA MVP and 2021 champion. Traded to Miami on 6 July 2026 in one of the biggest deals in NBA history.
2Photo: Joe Glorioso, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bam Adebayo
Miami Heat
Centre · 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Nigerian roots: his father, John Adebayo, is a Yoruba Nigerian. Two-time Olympic champion with the USA.
20.1PTS
10.0REB
3.2AST
2025-26, 73 games
Scored 83 points against Washington on 10 March 2026, the second-highest total in NBA history. Now Giannis’s team-mate.
3Photo: Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
OG Anunoby
New York Knicks
Forward · 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Nigerian roots: Igbo parents; his mother, Grace Ndidi Okereke, ran track for Nigeria and his late father was a professor.
16.7PTS
5.2REB
2.2AST
2025-26, 67 games
2026 NBA champion. Scored 33 points and the winning tip-in in Game 4 of the Finals after a record 29-point comeback.
4Photo: RJBTS, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Desmond Bane
Orlando Magic
Guard · 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Nigerian roots: his father, Etieno Ekiko, lives in Nigeria; Bane learned of his Nigerian family at 13.
20.1PTS
4.1REB
4.1AST
2025-26, 82 games
Started all 82 games in his first season in Orlando, one of the league’s most reliable shooters.
5Photo: susanswong, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Onyeka Okongwu
Atlanta Hawks
Centre · 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Nigerian roots: son of Nigerian immigrants Mike and Kate Okongwu; his first name is Igbo.
15.2PTS
7.6REB
3.1AST
2025-26, 74 games
On 13 November 2025 he had 32 points, 11 rebounds and 8 three-pointers, a line only LeBron James and James Harden had matched.
6Photo: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ayo Dosunmu
Minnesota Timberwolves
Guard · 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Nigerian roots: Yoruba father; Ayo means “joy” in Yoruba.
14.8PTS
3.4REB
3.6AST
2025-26 with Chicago and Minnesota, 69 games
Scored 43 points in a playoff game against Denver, then signed a five-year, US$112 million contract in June 2026.
7Photo: All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Precious Achiuwa
Sacramento Kings
Forward · 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Nigerian roots:born in Port Harcourt to Igbo parents; moved to the United States in eighth grade.
10.1PTS
6.7REB
1.4AST
2025-26, 73 games
Career-high 29 points against Dallas on 26 February 2026; re-signed with Sacramento for two years.
8Photo: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Isaac Okoro
Chicago Bulls
Forward · 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Nigerian roots: both parents are Nigerian; his father, Godwin, emigrated in the 1980s.
9.3PTS
2.7REB
1.6AST
2025-26, 63 games
The No. 5 pick in 2020, highest of a record eight Nigerian-heritage players drafted that year.
9Photo: Frenchieinportland, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Josh Okogie
Utah Jazz
Guard · 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Nigerian roots:born in Lagos, moved to the US aged 3. Plays for D’Tigers.
4.5PTS
2.6REB
0.9AST
2025-26 with Houston, 78 games
Shot a career-best 38.5% from three in 2025-26 before signing with Utah in July 2026.
10
OI
Photo coming soon: we only use free-licence or credited photos
Oso Ighodaro
Phoenix Suns
Centre · 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Nigerian roots: of Nigerian descent.
6.5PTS
5.1REB
2.3AST
2025-26, 82 games
An Arizona native drafted by his home-state team; played all 82 games last season.
11Photo: Ron Sellers, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Zeke Nnaji
Denver Nuggets
Forward · 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Nigerian roots: his father is from Nigeria and his mother from Minnesota.
3.7PTS
2.6REB
0.6AST
2025-26, 52 games
A classically trained pianist who composes his own music.
12Photo: Zafer, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Adem Bona
Philadelphia 76ers
Centre · 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Nigerian roots:born in Lagos as Ikechukwu Stanley Okoro; moved to Turkey as a teenager and plays for Turkey.
4.8PTS
4.3REB
0.5AST
2025-26, 71 games
2024 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year at UCLA.
13Photo: Frenchieinportland, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Charles Bassey
Golden State Warriors
Centre · 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Nigerian roots:born in Lagos; moved to the US at 14.
10.6PTS
7.2REB
1.0AST
2025-26, 5 games
Discovered at 12 while selling fried chicken by a Lagos roadside; re-signed by Golden State in July 2026.
14Photo: Hoop District, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ochai Agbaji
New York Knicks (training camp)
Guard · 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Nigerian roots: his father, Olofu Agbaji, emigrated from Nigeria at 17.
4.3PTS
2.3REB
0.7AST
2025-26 with Toronto, 42 games
2022 NCAA champion and Final Four Most Outstanding Player with Kansas.
15
JM
Photo coming soon: we only use free-licence or credited photos
Jonathan Mogbo
Sacramento Kings (two-way)
Forward · 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Nigerian roots: father of Nigerian descent, mother Jamaican.
1.5PTS
1.7REB
0.6AST
2025-26, 40 games
Signed a two-way contract with Sacramento on 3 July 2026.
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Class of 2026
The rookies: six Nigerian-heritage draft picks
The 2026 NBA Draft took six players of Nigerian heritage, one of the biggest Nigerian classes ever. Figures are their final college season.
16
EO
Photo coming soon: we only use free-licence or credited photos
Ebuka Okorie
Detroit Pistons
Guard · 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Nigerian roots: Nigerian descent; full name Chukwuebuka Charles Okorie.
23.2PTS
3.6REB
3.6AST
2025-26 at Stanford, 31 games
No. 17 pick in 2026. Led the ACC in scoring as a freshman and set a Stanford freshman record with 40 points.
17Photo: Kevindudes, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Zuby Ejiofor
Atlanta Hawks
Forward · 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Nigerian roots: Nigerian heritage; full name Chukwuebuka Ejiofor.
16.3PTS
7.3REB
2.1BLK
2025-26 at St. John’s, 37 games
No. 23 pick in 2026. Big East Player of the Year and winner of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award.
18Photo: Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Crane, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Otega Oweh
Oklahoma City Thunder (two-way)
Guard · 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Nigerian roots: his father, Henry, is Urhobo from Nigeria; his mother has Igbo parents. Brother of NFL player Odafe Oweh.
18.6PTS
4.8REB
2.7AST
2025-26 at Kentucky, 36 games
No. 41 pick in 2026 and the fastest Kentucky player to reach 1,000 points.
19Photo: MGoBlog, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Felix Okpara
Washington Wizards (two-way)
Centre · 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Nigerian roots:born in Lagos, where he played football as a midfielder before moving to the US at 14.
8.0PTS
6.3REB
1.5BLK
2025-26 at Tennessee
No. 46 pick in 2026; named to the SEC All-Defensive Team.
20
TL
Photo coming soon: we only use free-licence or credited photos
Tobi Lawal
Dallas Mavericks (two-way)
Forward · 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Nigerian roots: British-born of Nigerian heritage.
12.3PTS
8.5REB
-AST
2025-26 at Virginia Tech, 23 games
No. 48 pick in 2026, though he only took up basketball at 16 in London.
21
UO
Photo coming soon: we only use free-licence or credited photos
Ugonna Onyenso
Detroit Pistons (two-way)
Centre · 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Nigerian roots:born in Owerri; came through NBA Academy Africa. Plays for D’Tigers.
6.5PTS
4.9REB
-AST
2025-26 at Virginia, 36 games
No. 53 pick in 2026. The youngest player ever capped by D’Tigers, at 17 in 2021.
Watch list and Nigerians abroad
Players of Nigerian descent who left the NBA or are between teams. We move them back onto the tracker as soon as they sign.
Gabe Vincent, D’Tigers guard with a Nigerian father, is a free agent after turning down a Knicks camp offer in September 2026.
Jordan Nwora (Crvena zvezda, Serbia), Chuma Okeke (Real Madrid) and Tosan Evbuomwan (Barcelona) now star in Europe.
Jahlil Okafor plays in Japan; Udoka Azubuike and Daniel Oturu play in Israel.
The Antetokounmpo brothers Thanasis and Alex have returned to Greece.
How many Nigerian players are in the NBA in 2026-27?
SitesNG tracks 21 players of Nigerian birth or descent on NBA rosters at the start of the 2026-27 season: 15 established players and the 6 Nigerian-heritage players taken in the 2026 NBA Draft. Six of them were born in Nigeria.
Who is the best Nigerian player in the NBA right now?
Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP whose parents are Nigerian, is the biggest star. He averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 2025-26 and joined the Miami Heat in July 2026. Bam Adebayo, OG Anunoby and Desmond Bane are also among the league’s top players.
Which NBA players were born in Nigeria?
Players on NBA rosters for 2026-27 who were born in Nigeria include Precious Achiuwa (Port Harcourt), Josh Okogie (Lagos), Adem Bona (Lagos), Charles Bassey (Lagos), Felix Okpara (Lagos) and Ugonna Onyenso (Owerri).
How many Nigerians were drafted in 2026?
Six players of Nigerian heritage were picked in the 2026 NBA Draft: Ebuka Okorie (No. 17), Zuby Ejiofor (No. 23), Otega Oweh (No. 41), Felix Okpara (No. 46), Tobi Lawal (No. 48) and Ugonna Onyenso (No. 53). The record is eight, set in 2020.
Which Nigerian player won the 2026 NBA title?
OG Anunoby won the 2026 NBA championship with the New York Knicks, who beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-1. Anunoby’s parents are Igbo and his mother ran track for Nigeria.
Did Bam Adebayo score 83 points?
Yes. Bam Adebayo, whose father is Yoruba Nigerian, scored 83 points for the Miami Heat against the Washington Wizards on 10 March 2026, the second-highest total in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100.
When does the 2026-27 NBA season start?
Opening night is Tuesday 20 October 2026. SitesNG updates the weekly scores of every Nigerian player on this page from the first week of the season.
