DETROIT (WXYZ) — Moments after trading away veteran big man Isaiah Stewart, the Pistons traded back into the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft and selected Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso.
The Pistons traded cash to the New York Knicks, who had traded with the Houston Rockets for the draft slot, to acquire the pick and select Onyenso, Omari Sankofa II with the Detroit Free Press reported.
Known as one of the best shot blockers in all of college basketball last season, Onyenso averaged 2.9 blocks in 18.6 minutes per game, an average that ranked second among thousands of players on 365 Division I schools. The 7-footer averaged 6.5 points and 4.9 rebounds last season, shooting 56.8 from the field (4.7 attempts per game) and 72.7 percent from the free throw line (1.2 attempts per game). He was named to the ACC All-Defensive Team and ACC All-Tournament First Team following the 2025-26 season, scoring 10 points or more in six games and blocking multiple shots in 25 games, including four shots or more in 12 games.
Onyenso joins a frontcourt that includes Jalen Duren, who is currently a restricted free agent, and backup big man Paul Reed.
Starting next season, you can watch the Pistons on TV20. Last month, the Detroit Pistons announced a new local media television rights agreement with Scripps Sports beginning with the 2026‑27 NBA season. The deal returns Pistons basketball to free, over‑the‑air television for fans throughout Detroit, metro Detroit and the state of Michigan.
