Tag: Nick Ongenda

Nick Ongenda in OKC for presumed Thunder pre-draft visit

Nick Ongenda averaged 4.4 blocks last season. He could be an option at No. 50.

The 2023 NBA draft is roughly a week away, which means draft prospects are touring the country and meeting with teams.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking at possibly adding two rookies to their roster. They own the No. 12 and No. 50 picks in the draft.

Undrafted free agency could also be an avenue used by the Thunder to collect rookie talent. One possibility using that route is DePaul center Nick Ongenda, who is in OKC for a presumed draft workout for the Thunder, per his Instagram story.

The 22-year-old spent four college seasons at DePaul. In eight games last season, he averaged 12.5 points on 46.6% shooting, 6.3 rebounds and 4.4 blocks. He missed most of the season while recovering from a wrist injury.

Ongenda could be an option in undrafted free agency — or if the Thunder like him enough, they could select him with their No. 50 pick.

The 2023 NBA draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 22. A full list of prospects who’ve met with the Thunder can be read here.

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Sixers’ Paul Reed giving advice to incoming rookie before 2023 draft

Philadelphia 76ers big man Paul Reed is giving advice to an incoming rookie before the 2023 NBA draft.

The next wave of NBA talent is preparing for the 2023 NBA draft by going through workouts and interviews. They are preparing for what they hope will be the night their dreams come true on June 22.

Philadelphia 76ers big man Paul Reed was the 58th pick in the 2020 draft out of DePaul. After a few seasons of adjusting to the NBA game, he took over the backup center spot midway through the 2022-23 season, and he had a solid showing in the playoffs. He’s somebody the Sixers can rely on off the bench.

Reed had to put in a lot of work to become a rotation player in the NBA, and the young big man has advice for anybody who asks for it. DePaul big man Nick Ongenda sat down with Cody Taylor of Rookie Wire and stated he has talked to Reed looking for some guidance:

That’s my boy! We check in here and there. Before I entered my name in the draft to test the waters initially, he hit me up telling me he was in Chicago and stuff so I hit him up and asked him for feedback. He was like, ‘You just got to put in the work.’ Obviously, I listened to his advice. When I was a freshman, he was one of my biggest influences. He was nonstop in the gym so I took a lot from him in that aspect.

The Sixers are likely interested in bringing Reed back in free agency and he is not going to stop working. He will keep going to become the player he believes he can be. If Ongenda can take that example of a great work ethic and apply it to his game, he should be in great shape.

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DePaul center Nick Ongenda: ‘My shot-blocking ability is unmatched’

Rookie Wire caught up with Ongenda this week to discuss his senior year, playing with Paul Reed, training for the draft and more.

Nick Ongenda played in only eight games this past season as a fourth-year senior at DePaul, but the 6-foot-11 center sure made his impact was felt upon returning to the lineup.

Ongenda suffered a wrist injury the day before the start of the Blue Demons’ season in November. He was initially slated to miss four weeks but it was later determined that surgery would be needed, which sidelined him until February.

From there, Ongenda dazzled on the court.

The 22-year-old wasted no time upon returning to the court, recording 11 points, eight blocks and six rebounds on Feb. 14 versus St. John’s. He finished the season averaging 12.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.4 blocks, 1.1 steals and one assist on 46.6% shooting from the field.

Ongenda also produced one of the top plays of the season.

In the first round of the conference tournament, Ongenda, who boasts a 7-foot, 3-inch wingspan, had a game-saving block against Seton Hall as time expired to send the Blue Demons to a 66-65 victory at Madison Square Garden.

Despite logging eight appearances, Ongenda still finished 10th in the Big East in blocks (35). His block average of 4.4 per game would have ranked first in the country as he was one of 12 Division I players to swat at least eight shots in a game.

Ongenda recorded two or more blocks in 35 career games and leaves the program ranked fourth on the all-time block list with 135, trailing only Dallas Comegys (1983-87), George Mikan (1942-46) and Paul Reed (2017-20).

He is in the midst of preparing for the NBA draft.

Ongenda has been training with other prospects in Miami, Florida. He has worked out with Dallas, Milwaukee and Utah so far and will visit Brooklyn this week. He has several other visits scheduled ahead of the draft on June 22.

Rookie Wire caught up with Ongenda this week to discuss his senior year at DePaul, playing with Reed as a freshman, training for the draft, working out with teams and more.

Note: This interview was edited for clarity