Arinze Onuaku, who enjoyed a decorated professional playing career including parts of three NBA seasons, and who has coached in both the NBA G League and in the high school ranks, was named an assistant coach for new Siena Men's Basketball Head Coach Gerry McNamara in April 2024
“I’m excited for Arinze,” said McNamara upon Onuaku's appointment. “He has a lot of knowledge to offer. Arinze was a great player and has approached the coaching side the same way as his playing days. He’s ready to work! Arinze is a big addition to our program.”
Onuaku arrives in Loudonville after serving this past season as an assistant coach at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC. He spent the previous 2022-23 season as an assistant coach for the Capital City Go-Go, the NBA G League affiliate of the Washington Wizards.
“I am fortunate for the opportunity to be a part of the Siena community,” said Onuaku upon his hiring. “I have full confidence in Coach McNamara leading this team, and am excited to be here and ready to get to work. I look forward to seeing a packed MVP Arena for this upcoming season. Go Saints!”
From 2021-22, Onuaku was a student in the rigorous NBA Assistant Coaches’ Program, where he had the opportunity to serve as a head coach in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament and as an assistant coach in the G League Elite Camp, while also providing mentorship to college student athletes. He also spent that season as a varsity girls’ basketball assistant coach at Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Maryland.
Onuaku has also spent the past six years as a youth basketball trainer and coach.
Onuaku enjoyed a decorated eight-year professional playing career (2011-19), which included parts of three NBA seasons with four different teams – New Orleans and Cleveland in 2013-14, Minnesota (2014-15), and Orlando (2016-17). He also competed in what was then known as the NBA Developmental League, the precursor to the NBA G League, where he was a 2015 NBA D League Second Team, 2014 Third Team, and three-time All-Star (2013-15) selection for the Cleveland Cavaliers affiliate Canton Charge. Onuaku was named the 2016 NBA Summer League MVP while competing for the Orlando Magic.
Onuaku’s professional playing career also included stops in five different countries spanning the globe – Lithuania (2011), China (2014, 2017, 2018), Israel (2015-16), Philippines (2016, 2018), and Bahrain (2019). He was named the recipient of the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Best Import of the Conference Award.
Onuaku starred collegiately at Syracuse (2005-10), where he is the program’s all-time career leader in field goal percentage (.648). He amassed 1,232 career points while playing an integral role on three NCAA Tournament teams including a pair which advanced to the Sweet 16 (2009, 2010). The consummate student athlete, Onuaku was a four-time BIG East Conference All-Academic Team selection, and was named to the Syracuse Athletic Director’s Honor Roll nine separate semesters.
A native of Lanham, Maryland, Onuaku graduated from Syracuse in 2010 with his bachelor’s degree in sports management.
