Nigerian NBA Players: Every Player Born in Nigeria (2026-27)
All 5 players on an NBA roster this season who were born in Nigeria.
Updated Oct 16, 2026 · rosters as of the 2026-27 preseason
- Players
- 5
- Average height
- 6'9"
- Average age
- 24
- Teams represented
- 5 of 30
- Tallest
- Ugonna Onyenso (7'0")
- Shortest
- Josh Okogie (6'4")
- Oldest
- Josh Okogie (28)
- Youngest
- Ugonna Onyenso (22)
Birthplace, not citizenship. These lists group players by the country they were born in, which is what the public roster data records. A player born in one country may hold another nationality, may have grown up elsewhere, and may represent a different country internationally.
5 current NBA players were born in Nigeria, making it one of the more represented African nations in the league for the 2026-27 season. All 5 are spread across 5 different teams, with no franchise carrying more than one.
The group skews tall and young. Centers make up 3 of the 5 players, and the average age sits at 24. Lagos is the most common birthplace, with 3 of the 5 players born there.
Think you'd know these players from their team, height, age and jersey number alone?
Play Guess-the-Player with only players born in Nigeria →| Player | Team | Pos | Ht | Age | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adem Bona
|
Philadelphia 76ers
|
C | 6'10" | 23 | Ebonyi State, Nigeria |
Charles Bassey
|
Golden State Warriors
|
C | 6'10" | 25 | Lagos, Nigeria |
Felix Okpara
|
Washington Wizards
|
F | 6'10" | 22 | Lagos, Nigeria |
Josh Okogie
|
Utah Jazz
|
G | 6'4" | 28 | Lagos, Nigeria |
Ugonna Onyenso
|
Detroit Pistons
|
C | 7'0" | 22 | Owerri, Nigeria |
Click any column heading to sort. Players with no college listed came into the league from overseas or straight out of high school.
Size and Position Breakdown Across the Group
The tallest player born in Nigeria on a current NBA roster is Ugonna Onyenso of the Detroit Pistons, a center who stands 7'0" and wears #34. At the other end, Josh Okogie of the Utah Jazz checks in at 6'4" — the only guard in the group — and plays in #21. Adem Bona (Philadelphia 76ers) and Charles Bassey (Golden State Warriors) both stand 6'10", as does forward Felix Okpara of the Washington Wizards.
With 3 centers, 1 forward, and 1 guard, this is a front-court-heavy group. Heights range from 6'4" to 7'0", and the average comes out to 6'9".
Birthplaces Within Nigeria
Lagos is the most common city of birth: Charles Bassey, Felix Okpara, and Josh Okogie were all born there. Ugonna Onyenso was born in Owerri, and Adem Bona was born in Ebonyi State. All 5 players were born in Nigeria — this list is strictly a birthplace record and does not reflect citizenship or international representation.
College Paths Before the NBA
The 5 players attended 5 different colleges. Ugonna Onyenso went to Virginia, Adem Bona to UCLA, Felix Okpara to Tennessee, Josh Okogie to Georgia Tech, and Charles Bassey to Western Kentucky. No single program produced more than 1 player from this group.