NEW YORK – The Detroit Pistons continued their busy draft-night activity Wednesday, acquiring the rights to center Ugonna Onyenso, the No. 53 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft, from the New York Knicks for cash considerations.
The move, announced by ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania on X, came hours after Detroit reportedly traded veteran center-forward Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for three future second-round draft picks, further reshaping the Pistons’ frontcourt.
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Sources: The Knicks traded No. 53 Ugonna Onyenso to the Detroit Pistons for cash.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 25, 2026
Who is Ugonna Onyenso?
Onyenso, a 7-footer from Nigeria, enters the NBA as one of the draft’s premier defensive prospects.
The Owerri native first gained attention after becoming the youngest player ever to suit up for Nigeria’s senior national team at age 17.
His basketball journey took him from the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal to Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut, where he emerged as a five-star recruit.
Onyenso began his collegiate career at Kentucky before transferring to Kansas State and later with the Virginia Cavaliers, where he enjoyed a breakout senior season.
In 36 games with the Cavaliers, Onyenso averaged 6.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks in just 18.6 minutes per game while shooting 56.8% from the field.
His defensive impact earned him spots on the 2025-26 ACC All-Defensive Team and ACC All-Tournament First Team.
Onyenso led the ACC and ranked second nationally in blocked shots, averaging 2.92 blocks per game despite limited minutes.
He also set an ACC Tournament record with 21 blocks, including a nine-block performance against Duke.
Elite rim protector with offensive upside
Scouts view Onyenso as an elite rim protector whose combination of length, timing, and discipline allows him to alter shots without frequently fouling.
He possesses the mobility to switch onto perimeter players in short stretches and has shown flashes of offensive development beyond the paint.
While much of his offensive production comes as a lob threat and offensive rebounder, Onyenso began expanding his shooting range during his final collegiate season, giving Detroit hope he can develop into a more versatile offensive contributor.
NBA evaluators have compared Onyenso’s potential role to that of rim-running, shot-blocking centers such as Daniel Gafford and former Michigan Wolverines big man Moussa Diabate, both of whom have carved out valuable roles as defensive specialists and energy contributors.
Stewart trade sends veteran to Memphis
The Onyenso acquisition wasn’t Detroit’s only major move on Wednesday.
The Pistons are sending Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for three future second-round draft picks, per ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania.
The deal gives Detroit additional draft capital while creating salary-cap flexibility as the franchise continues to reshape its roster following its return to the NBA playoffs.
Stewart, 25, spent the first six seasons of his NBA career with the Pistons after being selected in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft.
The rugged big man, known as “Beef Stew,” became one of the team’s defensive anchors and its longest-tenured player during Detroit’s rebuilding years.
Last season, Stewart appeared in 46 games, making 45 starts, and averaged 10.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.8 blocks in 30.9 minutes per game.
He also posted career-best shooting numbers, connecting on 38.3% of his 3-point attempts and averaging a career-high 1.5 made three-pointers per game.
Before injuries limited his season, Stewart ranked among the NBA’s top defensive frontcourt players and was regarded as the team’s enforcer.
His .430 defended field-goal percentage ranked fifth in the league, and he recorded five double-doubles while scoring in double figures 32 times. He also produced the first 20-point, five-rebound, five-assist game of his career in a Dec. 23 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
Stewart’s season was interrupted by several injuries, including shoulder, toe, ankle, and hamstring ailments, as well as a three-game league suspension.
He played a career-low 46 games.
For Memphis, the acquisition adds a physical, versatile frontcourt player who can defend multiple positions and stretch the floor offensively.
Stewart’s toughness and rebounding ability are expected to bolster the Grizzlies’ interior depth as the team looks to remain among Western Conference contenders.
The specific years and any protections attached to the selections were not immediately available. Neither team had officially announced the trade as of Wednesday afternoon.
Pistons trade up, land Stanford’s Okorie at No. 17
Detroit’s draft activity extended well beyond the frontcourt moves.
The Pistons traded up four spots Tuesday night, acquiring the No. 17 overall pick from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the No. 21 selection and three second-round picks, landing Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie, one of college basketball’s most explosive scorers.
Memphis had acquired the No. 16 pick from Oklahoma City in exchange for the No. 17 pick, then traded down to No. 21 with Detroit.