Quick Facts
ScorpioBiography
Chinanu Onuaku (born November 1, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League, on assignment from the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals.
High school career
Onuaku attended Riverdale 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.
When Onuaku graduated, he was considered the 74th best prospect by Rivals.com, 75th by ESPN and was rated as the seventh-best center in the nation by Scout.com.
College career
Onuaku played two seasons of college basketball for the University of Louisville between 2014 and 2016. In his sophomore season, he averaged 9.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks, earning All-ACC Defensive Team and All-ACC honorable mention honors and posting 11 double-doubles.
In May 2016, Onuaku announced he would enter the NBA draft.
Professional career
Houston Rockets (2016–present)
On June 23, 2016, Onuaku was selected by the Houston Rockets with the 37th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft and later joined them for the 2016 NBA Summer League. On July 20, he signed with the Rockets. 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 the Phoenix Suns. He hit a pair of free throws in the game with his "Granny" style, underhanded free-throw action. During his rookie season, Onuaku has had multiple assignments with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets' D-League affiliate.
Personal life
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.