EJ Onu
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 31, 1999 |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio) |
| College | Shawnee State (2017–2021) |
| Position | Power forward |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
EJ Onu (born July 31, 1999) is an American basketball player. He played college basketball for the Shawnee State Bears.
Early life and high school career
Born to Nigerian parents, Onu grew up near Cleveland, Ohio. He started playing basketball at age 14 and stood under 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) as a high school freshman.[1] Onu played for Richmond Heights High School in Richmond Heights, Ohio, earning Division IV All-Northeast Lake District honors from the Associated Press. He also ran track in high school.[2]
College career
During his freshman season at Shawnee State, Onu set a program single-game record with 11 blocks against the University of the Cumberlands.[2] As a freshman, he averaged 9.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and a nation-leading 3.4 blocks per game, earning Mid-South Conference (MSC) Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors.[3] He set a program single-season record for blocks.[4] In his sophomore season, he averaged 12 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game. Onu was selected to the Second Team All-MSC.[3]
As a junior, Onu averaged 11.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and a nation-leading 5.7 blocks per game. He was an Honorable Mention National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American, First Team All-MSC and MSC Defensive Player of the Year.[5] As a senior, Onu averaged 16.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game, earning First Team NAIA All-American, MSC Player of the Year and First Team All-MSC honors.[6] For a third time, he was named MSC Defensive Player of the Year and led the nation in blocks. Onu became Shawnee State's all-time leader in blocks while ranking third in points and rebounds.[7] He helped his team win an NAIA national championship.[8] After the season, Onu declared for the 2021 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility and entering the transfer portal.[9][10][11]
References
- ^ Chepkevich, Jon (May 27, 2021). "The Draft Files: Why EJ Onu Could Be the NAIA's Sleeping Giant". The Analyst. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ^ a b "EJ the Eraser". Portsmouth Daily Times. January 20, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ^ a b "One-on-one: EJ Onu". Shawnee State University. December 9, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ^ Colley, Kevin (January 28, 2018). "Onu you didn't!". Portsmouth Daily Times. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ^ "SSU MBB picked for 4th in MSC poll". Portsmouth Daily Times. October 16, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ^ Givony, Jonathan (April 30, 2021). "Two-time NAIA All-American EJ Onu to explore transfer market". ESPN. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ^ "SSU's Onu, Jones named NAIA All-Americans". Portsmouth Daily Times. March 27, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ^ Quinn, Justin (June 8, 2021). "Celtics reportedly working out E.J. Onu, potential sleeper stretch big man". Celtics Wire. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ^ Schumann, Mike (April 30, 2021). "Transfer portal names to know: NAIA All-American EJ Onu". The Daily Hoosier. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ^ Foinon, Julien (May 17, 2021). ""Zooming On" : EJ Onu (Shawnee State), de la NAIA à… la NBA ?". Midnight on Campus (in French). Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ^ "Shawnee State's Onu To Enter NBA Draft, Keep Eligibility Open". Victory Sports Network. April 9, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.