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Pistons trade for No. 53 pick Ugonna Onyenso after Isaiah Stewart trade
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- Pistons trade for No. 53 pick Ugonna Onyenso after Isaiah Stewart trade
After trading Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies , the Detroit Pistons added a big man in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Pistons acquired the No. 53 overall pick from the New York Knicks with cash, and used it to draft Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso, a person with knowledge of the trade confirmed to the Free Press, granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
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The 21-year-old Onyenso averaged 6.5 points , 4.9 rebounds and 2.9 blocks in just 18.6 minutes per game last season at UVA, giving the Pistons a potential plus-rim protector after parting ways with their best defensive center.
The deal came moments after the Pistons agreed to trade Stewart for three future second-round draft picks .
Virginia Cavaliers center Ugonna Onyenso looks on during a game against Syracuse at John Paul Jones Arena, Feb. 7, 2026, in Charlottesville, Virginia.
TRENDING: What Isaiah Stewart trade means for Detroit Pistons' next move
It's their second draft selection after moving up four spots to select Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie No. 17 overall on Tuesday.
[ MUST LISTEN: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts ( Apple , Spotify ) or watch live on YouTube . ]
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Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com . Follow him on X and/or Bluesky .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons trade for Virginia's Ugonna Onyenso in NBA Draft
