With Isaiah Stewart in Memphis, the Detroit Pistons had to find a shot-swatting replacement in the Motor City, which is exactly where Ugonna Onyenso enters the picture
In the aftermath of their second round exit from the postseason, the Detroit Pistons knew that they would be forced to make some difficult decisions during the offseason. With a squad that was aging without strong perimeter shooting and a few redundant pieces on board, Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon had to part ways with several veterans over the summer who were key pieces to the team over the last several years.
Among the departures, none was more difficult than Isaiah Stewart. Beef Stew was the longest tenured Pistons in the Motor City, so that means he was there through several coaching staffs and stood as the lone holdover as the franchise completely rebounded from a NBA laughing stock into an Eastern Conference juggernaut.
On day two of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Pistons dealt Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies for multiple future second-round draft picks, which coincidentally was exactly what Detroit traded to Memphis on day one in the Ebuka Okorie trade. But without Stewart on Detroit’s roster any longer, the team pivoted to a low-cost rim protection option late in the second round in Ugonna Onyenso.
As a 7-footer out of Virginia, Onyenso managed to block just under three shots per game for the Cavaliers without starting a single game last season. Logging 18.6 minutes per game, Onyenso was impactful in the low post to the tune of 6.5 points and 4.9 boards each night, but his primary influence came in the defensive airspace.
Coming into the draft, Onyenso had a feeling that his most direct source of impact at the NBA level could come as a result of his shot-swatting tendencies, so the big man characterized himself as a hard-working, instinctual rim protector.
”It’s all about focusing in on what you know how to do best,” Onyenso said at the NBA Combine. “I paid close attention to shot blocking. One thing with me is everybody has their own road to play. I’m like, what is it that I gotta do to help the team win? I gotta be really good at something to help the team win. For me, it’s been shot blocking. That’s what I play in basketball. I didn’t train for it, it’s natural. It’s all about the timing and everything. I feel like being able to block shots, if I can do that at a really, really high level, I can help teams win with blocking shots.”
On day two of the draft, the Pistons made a trade to acquire the right to Onyenso with the 53rd selection overall, so the big man ended up going to an organization and a franchise with a long history of coveting defensive toughness in the paint. And true to his word, Onyenso did not need a lengthy adjustment period before making his presence felt as a member of the Pistons.
During the Summer League in July, just a few short weeks after the draft, Onyenso competed in Las Vegas with his new Detroit teammates. In one particular exhibition contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Onyenso registered five blocks on the night for a powerful preview for what the big man could offer the Pistons down the road.
In those five Summer League games, Onyenso even connected on a pair of three-pointers when left open at the top of the key, but the rookie center’s likely path to playing time will come through fundamental defensive activity and drive-nullifying blocks for the Pistons when the time is right. But to begin his career, Onyenso will walk into a battle with Tolu Smith during training camp and pre-season for the third-string center job now that Stewart is in Memphis.
If Smith wins that battle to start the year, Onyenso will likely begin in the G-League with the Motor City Cruise since he’s signed to a two-year, two-way deal.
