How Virginia basketball plans to replace Ugonna Onyenso in 2026

Virginia basketball fans were extremely happy to see the Detroit Pistons select Cavaliers C Ugonna Onyenso in the 2nd round of the 2026 NBA Draft last night. Still, his absence leaves everyone wondering how the team can replace him next season, especially on the defensive side of the court.

Luckily for UVA, they’ve done a good job with high school recruiting, adding blue-chip players like PF Silas Barksdale and C Favour Ibe in the 2025 and 2026 classes. The team also added veteran PF Kalu Anya via the transfer portal this offseason.

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Hard player to replace

Though Onyenso’s 2.9 blocks per game average is going to be incredibly hard to replace, redshirt freshman Silas Barksdale probably has the best chance to do it. He was basically the “Ugonna Onyenso” of high school basketball when he came out, averaging 4 blocks per game as a senior in 2024/2025.

He’s not as big as Ugo (6’9″, 225 lbs.), but he’s incredibly physical and refuses to be pushed around in the paint. Barksdale has looked good in practice as well, showing off his skills as an offensive rebounder and as a surprisingly good mid-range shooter.

He could see time at both power forward and center next season for UVA.

Another player the coaching staff could use right away, despite being fairly raw, is true freshman Favour Ibe from the famous Mt. Zion Prep in Maryland. At 7’1″, 240 Lbs., he certainly has the size to affect the shot inside, and he moves around very well for a player of his stature.

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He could see 10-15 MPG off the bench in certain matchups, but it might be hard for Ryan Odom to trust a true freshman against some of the better teams in the ACC in 2026/2027. The potential for him to breakout this summer is still there, though, and maybe he’ll play a lot more than projected in year one behind Johan Grnloh.

The final player who could be in the running to replace Onyenso next season is incoming transfer Kalu Anya from Saint Louis. He brings strength and above-average rebounding ability to the…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/virginia-basketball-plans-replace-ugonna-200004518.html

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Publish date : 2026-06-25 20:00:00

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