Onyeka Okongwu’s biography, net worth, fact, career, awards and life story

Onyeka Okongwu (born December 11, 2000) is an American college basketball player for the USC Trojans of the Pac-12 Conference. He played basketball for Chino Hills High School in California, where he won three state titles and was a back-to-back California Mr. Basketball honoree.

Early life

Okongwu was born in Chino Hills, California to Nigerian-born parents Kate and Mike Okongwu and was raised in Chino, California with his brothers, Nnamdi and Chukwuemeka, and sister Chinemya. He grew up playing tennis but shifted his focus toward basketball at age eight.

High school career

Okongwu attended Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, California and started on the varsity basketball team as a freshman. Okongwu was teammates with brothers Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo Ball, who helped elevate the team into the national spotlight. He helped the Huskies become the No. 1 ranked high school team in the country with a 35–0 record and win the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Open Division state title. Okongwu was recognized as 2015–16 MaxPreps National Co-Freshman of the Year with his teammate LaMelo Ball after averaging 7.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game.

On February 5, 2017, as a sophomore, Okongwu lost his first high school game, as Oak Hill Academy snapped his team’s 60-game win streak. He helped Chino Hills reach the CIF Southern Section Open Division semifinals and the CIF State Southern Regional semifinals. In his junior season, Okongwu led his team to CIF Southern Section Division I and CIF Division I championships. He averaged 28 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks per game, earning California Mr. Basketball and USA Today All-USA California first team honors. As a senior, Okongwu led Chino Hills to a runner-up finish at the CIF Southern Section Division I tournament and its second consecutive CIF Division I state title. After averaging 27 points, 11 rebounds, 4.3 blocks, and four assists per game, he repeated as California Mr. Basketball, becoming the fifth player to ever do so, and received USA Today All-USA California first team distinction.

Recruiting

Okongwu finished his freshman season with offers to play college basketball for UCLA and USC. On May 14, 2018, he committed to USC, with his next choices being UCLA and Arizona State. He made the decision because he wanted to remain in his hometown of Los Angeles and he liked the USC coaching staff.

College career

In his collegiate debut for USC on November 5, 2019, Okongwu recorded 20 points, 13 rebounds and a school-record eight blocks to lead the Trojans to a 77-48 victory over Florida A&M. He became the first USC player to post a double-double in his debut since Taj Gibson in 2006. On November 19, he scored 33 points, including 17 free throws, in a 91–84 win over Pepperdine. The performance helped him claim Pac-12 Conference player and freshman of the week honors on November 25. On December 1, Okongwu recorded 27 points on 12-of-14 shooting, 14 rebounds and three blocks in a 77–62 victory over Harvard at the Orlando Invitational. He scored 28 points, 24 of which came in the second half, and grabbed 12 rebounds in a December 15 win over Long Beach State. One day later, Okongwu was named Pac-12 freshman of the week for his second time. On January 2, 2020, he had another strong performance, with 27 points on 12-of-14 shooting and 12 rebounds in a 65–56 win over Washington State. On January 24, Okongwu tallied 23 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks in a 79–70 double-overtime loss to Oregon.

Personal life

Okongwu’s older brother Nnamdi played basketball for Chino Hills High School. In 2014, Nnamdi suffered a brain injury in a skateboarding accident and died after spending three days on life support. His mother changed jobs from the hospital where he died to Kaiser Permanente in Ontario, California. Okongwu has since worn the number 21 jersey in honor of his brother, who had worn the same number while playing basketball.