 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 33 – Wonju DB Promy | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Power forward /Center | ||||||||||||||
| League | KBL | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1996-11-01)November 1, 1996 (age 28) Lanham, Maryland, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 255 lb (116 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Maryland) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Louisville (2014–2016) | ||||||||||||||
| NBA draft | 2016: 2nd round, 37th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Selected by theHouston Rockets | |||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 2016–present | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| 2016–2018 | Houston Rockets | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2018 | →Rio Grande Valley Vipers | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Greensboro Swarm | ||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Wonju DB Promy | ||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Zadar | ||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Bnei Herzliya | ||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Dinamo Sassari | ||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | ||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Joventut Badalona | ||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Goyang Sono Skygunners | ||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Santeros de Aguada | ||||||||||||||
| 2024–present | Wonju DB Promy | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Stats at NBA.com  | |||||||||||||||
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Chinanu Michael Onuaku (born November 1, 1996) is an American professionalbasketball player for theWonju DB Promy of theKorean Basketball League (KBL). He playedcollege basketball for theLouisville Cardinals. In 2021–22, he led the Israeli Basketball Premier League in rebounds per game.
Onuaku is known for his use of underhandfree throws, an unorthodox shooting technique most famously used byRick Barry, one of the most accurate free throw shooters in NBA history. Underhand free throws are very rarely used in the modern NBA as many NBA players view the technique as embarrassing to use; the technique is often pejoratively referred to as "granny style". Onuaku found success by adopting this shooting method, increasing his free throw percentage from 46.7% his freshman year of college to 72.4% his rookie year.[1]
Onuaku attendedRiverdale Baptist School where he averaged 12.4 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 5.5 blocks as a senior, leading Riverdale to a 30–9 record and the Capital Beltway conference title.[2]
When Onuaku graduated, he was considered the 74th-best prospect by Rivals.com,[3] 75th by ESPN[4] and was rated as the seventh-best center in the nation by Scout.com.[5]
Onuaku played two seasons of college basketball for theUniversity of Louisville between 2014 and 2016. In his sophomore season, he averaged 9.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks,[6] earning All-ACC Defensive Team and All-ACC honorable mention honors and posting 11 double-doubles.[7]
In May 2016, Onuaku announced he would enter theNBA draft.[7]
On June 23, 2016, Onuaku was selected by theHouston Rockets with the 37th overall pick in the2016 NBA draft[8] and later joined them for the2016 NBA Summer League.[9] On July 20, 2016, he signed with the Rockets.[6] He made his NBA debut on December 26, 2016, coming on in the fourth quarter and recording six points and three rebounds in a 131–115 win over thePhoenix Suns. He hit a pair of free throws in the game with his underhanded free-throw action.[10] During his rookie season, Onuaku had multiple assignments with theRio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets'D-League affiliate.[11] On May 1, 2017, he was suspended two games without pay for pushing a game official. The incident occurred during an altercation in the final seconds of the Vipers' 122–96 loss toRaptors 905 in game 3 of the 2017 NBA D-League Finals on April 27.[12]
On August 2, 2018, Onuaku was traded from the Rockets to theDallas Mavericks for the rights to forwardMaarty Leunen.[13] He was waived four days later.[14]
On September 4, 2018, Onuaku signed with thePortland Trail Blazers.[15] On October 13, 2018, he was waived by the Trail Blazers.[16]
On October 20, 2018, Onuaku was selected with the second overall pick in the2018 NBA G League draft by theGreensboro Swarm.[17]
On October 3, 2019, Onuaku signed withWonju DB Promy of theKorean Basketball League to replaceElijah Thomas.[18] He averaged 14.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.[19]
On October 14, 2020, Onuaku signed withZadar in theCroatian League.[19]
On July 21, 2021, he signed withBnei Herzliya of theIsraeli Basketball Premier League.[20] On February 17, 2022, Onuaku won theIsraeli Basketball State Cup after Bnei Herzliya Basket edged outHapoel Tel Aviv87–82. Onuaku was crowned as the game's MVP with 30 points, 17 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks and a 50PIR. For the 2021–22 season, he led the league in rebounds, averaging 9.9 per game.[21]
On July 20, 2022, he signed withDinamo Sassari of the ItalianLega Basket Serie A (LBA).[22]
On November 13, 2022, he signed withHapoel Tel Aviv of theIsraeli Basketball Premier League.[23]
On July 27, 2023, Onuaku signed withJoventut Badalona of the SpanishLiga ACB.[24]
On November 13, 2023, Onuaku joined theGoyang Sono Skygunners of theKorean Basketball League (KBL) to replaceJarrod Jones.[25]
On March 21, 2024, Onuaku signed with theSanteros de Aguada of theBaloncesto Superior Nacional.[26]
On June 27, 2024, Onuaku signed with theWonju DB Promy of theKorean Basketball League (KBL).[27]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | Houston | 5 | 1 | 10.4 | .714 | - | 1.000 | 2.0 | .6 | .6 | .2 | 2.8 |
| 2017–18 | Houston | 1 | 0 | 22.0 | .400 | - | - | 4.0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | 4.0 |
| Career | 6 | 1 | 12.3 | .583 | - | 1.000 | 2.3 | .7 | .5 | .2 | 3.0 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Houston | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | - | - | - | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 |
| Career | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | - | - | - | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | |
Onuaku is the son of Nwaneka and Christopher Onuaku, and has three older siblings: Ify,Arinze and Chuk. Onuaku's brother, Arinze, is also a professional basketball player.[2]
