Staff Directory
Arinze Onuaku
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Arinze Onuaku was hired as an assistant coach at his alma mater in April 2026. He had spent the previous two years as an assistant coach on former teammate Gerry McNamara’s staff at Siena.
ONUAKU COACHING CAREER
Onuaku started his coaching career as a youth basketball trainer. From 2021-22, he was a part of the NBA Assistant Coaches’ Program. He served as a head coach in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament and was an assistant coach in the G League Elite Camp. Onuaku also worked as a varsity girls basketball assistant coach at Holton-Arms School (Md.).
In 2022-23, Onuaku was an assistant coach for the Capital City Go-Go, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Washington Wizards. One year later, he served as an assistant coach at Gonzaga College High School (Washington, D.C.).
Siena 14-18 and 23-12 in his two seasons with the program. Siena won the 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament and played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010.
ONUAKU PLAYING CAREER
Onuaku prepped at Episcopal High School (Md.) and was named team MVP in 2005.
He played 134 games and accumulated 1,232 points and 804 rebounds at Syracuse. The Orange made the NCAA Tournament in three of his seasons and the NIT in the other. He is the Syracuse career leader in field goal percentage (.648). Onuaku was named to the BIG EAST Conference All-Academic Team four years and earned Syracuse Athletic Director Honor Roll recognition in eight of 10 semesters.
Between 2011-2019, Onuaku played professionally in the United States and abroad. He competed with four different NBA teams – New Orleans and Cleveland (2013-14), Minnesota (2014-15), and Orlando (2016-17). Onuaku participated in the NBA Developmental League and was a three-time all-star (2013-15) for the Cleveland Cavaliers affiliate, the Canton Charge. He earned 2014 NBA D League Third Team and 2015 Second Team recognition. Onuaku was the 2016 NBA Summer League MVP as a member of the Orlando Magic.
He played overseas in Lithuania (2011), China (2014, 2017, 2018), Isreal (2015-16), Philippines (2016, 2018) and Bahrain (2019). In 2016 he was named the Philippine Basketball Association Best Import of the Conference Award.
Onuaku earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Syracuse in 2010.
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ONUAKU COACHING CAREER
Onuaku started his coaching career as a youth basketball trainer. From 2021-22, he was a part of the NBA Assistant Coaches’ Program. He served as a head coach in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament and was an assistant coach in the G League Elite Camp. Onuaku also worked as a varsity girls basketball assistant coach at Holton-Arms School (Md.).
In 2022-23, Onuaku was an assistant coach for the Capital City Go-Go, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Washington Wizards. One year later, he served as an assistant coach at Gonzaga College High School (Washington, D.C.).
Siena 14-18 and 23-12 in his two seasons with the program. Siena won the 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament and played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010.
ONUAKU PLAYING CAREER
Onuaku prepped at Episcopal High School (Md.) and was named team MVP in 2005.
He played 134 games and accumulated 1,232 points and 804 rebounds at Syracuse. The Orange made the NCAA Tournament in three of his seasons and the NIT in the other. He is the Syracuse career leader in field goal percentage (.648). Onuaku was named to the BIG EAST Conference All-Academic Team four years and earned Syracuse Athletic Director Honor Roll recognition in eight of 10 semesters.
Between 2011-2019, Onuaku played professionally in the United States and abroad. He competed with four different NBA teams – New Orleans and Cleveland (2013-14), Minnesota (2014-15), and Orlando (2016-17). Onuaku participated in the NBA Developmental League and was a three-time all-star (2013-15) for the Cleveland Cavaliers affiliate, the Canton Charge. He earned 2014 NBA D League Third Team and 2015 Second Team recognition. Onuaku was the 2016 NBA Summer League MVP as a member of the Orlando Magic.
He played overseas in Lithuania (2011), China (2014, 2017, 2018), Isreal (2015-16), Philippines (2016, 2018) and Bahrain (2019). In 2016 he was named the Philippine Basketball Association Best Import of the Conference Award.
Onuaku earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Syracuse in 2010.
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