Ugonne Onyiah signed a contract with the New York Liberty on Wednesday, getting her first chance in the WNBA. It was a historic moment for the WPBA that showed that the league can play a role in helping players get opportunities at the highest level. With more development leagues starting up, the competition for players each summer will continue. The WPBA has brought in established professionals with WNBA experience, but having a player get her first contract after playing in the league is a significant milestone ahead of another season.
College Career
Onyiah spent all five college seasons at Cal after a big high school career in Southern California. After a promising first season, she had more of a bench role for two years before increasing her minutes and then earning a starting role for her final year on a team that returned to the NCAA tournament. Her play drew notice as she earned a spot in a college all-star game, but she did not end up getting drafted by a WNBA team or getting a training camp invitation.
WPBA
With no WNBA opportunities, Onyiah decided to start her professional career near where she went to college, ending up with the Wolves as new players joined the WPBA for the season. She immediately became one of the top players in the league, leading the team to a playoff spot with the 5th highest scoring average, the 2nd highest rebounding average, and the 2nd highest shot-blocking average. She had 30 points and 16 rebounds in their quarterfinal win before a 24 point, 15 rebound effort was not quite enough for them to advance in the semifinal.
Overseas
After the WPBA season, Onyiah started her overseas professional career with Namur in Belgium. The league there is also known to be a good place for younger professionals to establish their reputations and move up in competition level. The team also competed in EuroCup against teams from other countries. She has been one of the best post players in the league this season, showcasing her defensive ability as they just advanced to the semifinals this weekend. During a national team break, she was also able to join the Nigerian national team for exhibition games.
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