After being selected No. 53 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, Ugonna Onyenso signed a two-way deal with the Detroit Pistons.

Amid speculation of a possible Jalen Duren departure, the Detroit Pistons signed recent No. 53 overall pick Ugonna Onyenso to a two-way contract following the 2026 NBA Draft. Considering Detroit finished atop the Eastern Conference last year, playing time may be tough to come by for Onyenso; however, that doesn’t change his status as an intriguing prospect.

Despite nearly falling out of the draft entirely, the Virginia product was viewed as one of the top shot-blocking prospects, standing at 7’0″ with a 7’5″ wingspan. Last season in the ACC, Onyenso had a block percentage of 17.4 and averaged 2.9 blocks in less than 20 minutes per game. In the ACC Tournament, Onyenso gained notariety for his defensive prowess, averaging seven blocks per game in a three-game span, including nine blocks against Cameron Boozer and Duke.

For these reasons, Onyenso has potential to carve out a solid career as a defensive specialist if given the opportunity.

With the Bucks having 17 rostered players, cuts were going to have to happen at some point, and Pete Nance is the first casualty. Nance was always the most obvious player to cut because of his non-guaranteed $2.5m contract, which would have become guaranteed if they kept him past Saturday. Also, Milwaukee acquired a fair few guys who play his position via the Giannis trade (Ware, Jaquez, Ament). I should mention that this technically does not proclude the Bucks from signing the big man to another deal, but it feels unlikely, given the aforementioned lack of spots.

This is something of a kick in the guts for many fans, including myself, who really thought Milwaukee had found a diamond in the rough with Nance. The number of times we would remark on Deer Diaries about how he was “always in the right spots” and “did all the little things” was… pretty large! After coming to the Bucks late in the 2024-25 season, Nance had a breakout 2025-26 campaign (although his numbers certainly don’t jump off the page), averaging 5.4 PPG and 2.7 RPG on 51.5% from the field and 42.0% from three. Assuming it isn’t with the Bucks, let’s hope he lands somewhere that gives him a real shot.

This weekend downtown Minneapolis is hosting the Taste of Minnesota, offering free music performances and more than 100 food trucks and artist vendors. FOX 9’s Leon Purvis is onsite with a preview of what’s to come.