Canada to Croatia: A look at every Kentucky men’s basketball player born outside the U.S.

The Kentucky men’s basketball program has a stronger history of recruiting international players than you might think, and most of that success as come under current head coach John Calipari.

In total, 19 players born outside the United States have played in a game for the Wildcats.

Six of these players came in the pre-Calipari era, and 13 have come since Calipari became UK’s head coach in spring 2009.

Canada has been, by far, the most fruitful country in terms of college basketball talent for the Wildcats, but players have come to Lexington from as far away as New Zealand and Sudan to suit up for Kentucky.

Tuesday’s news that Zvonimir Ivisic of Croatia has committed to Kentucky for the 2023-24 season means he will become the 20th international-born player to play for the Cats, and the 14th with Calipari as head coach.

Kentucky also has a commitment in the class of 2024 from Somto Cyril, a center who was born in Nigeria.

Here’s a country-by-country breakdown (sorted alphabetically) of the 14 countries that Kentucky’s international men’s basketball players have called home.

Australia

▪ Isaac Humphries (2015-17).

The lone Aussie to play for Kentucky was Humphries, who participated in 61 games and made two starts across two seasons in Lexington.

Prior to his time at Kentucky, he played prep basketball at La Lumiere School in Indiana.

In November 2022, Humphries became the first professional basketball player “in a top-tier” men’s league to announce he’s gay, according to ESPN.

Canada

▪ Jamaal Magloire (1996-2000).

▪ Bernard Cote (2002-04).

▪ Sheray Thomas (2003-07).

▪ Trey Lyles (2014-15).

▪ Jamal Murray (2015-16).

▪ Mychal Mulder (2015-17).

▪ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2017-18).

By far the most fruitful international hub for Kentucky men’s basketball talent has been Canada, a nation which has produced seven former Wildcats.

Of these players, Magloire has particular distinction. When he joined the Wildcats in 1996, Magloire became the first non-U.S.-born player to appear in a game for Kentucky.

Additionally, he won a national championship with the Cats in 1998.

After one-and-done seasons at UK under Calipari, both Gilgeous-Alexander and Murray have become full-blown NBA superstars.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

▪ Oscar Tshiebwe (2021-23).

Tshiebwe needs no introduction after being the face of the UK men’s basketball program, and in some respects the university, for the last few years.

While Tshiebwe’s two Kentucky teams combined for just one NCAA Tournament win, his individual prowess (in particular as a rebounder) won’t soon be forgotten.

Tshiebwe earned national player of the year accolades from all six NCAA-recognized outlets — Sporting News, Associated Press, United States Basketball Writers’ Association, National Association of Basketball Coaches, Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award — following the 2021-22 season, becoming the first player in program history to do so.

Croatia

▪ Zvonimir Ivisic (2023-present).

Assuming he arrives on campus and plays his intended role for the Wildcats in a few months, Ivisic — who previously played for SC Derby, a basketball team based in Montenegro — will become the first player from Croatia in UK men’s basketball history.

Dominican Republic

▪ Eloy Vargas (2010-12).

Vargas began his college career at Florida, transferred to a junior college and then spent two seasons at UK, winning a national championship as a senior in 2012.

England

▪ Morakinyo Williams (2007-08).

Williams’ time in Lexington was brief: He played five games for the Wildcats as a freshman, before transferring in the offseason to Duquesne.

Williams, who was recruited by Tubby Smith but spent his lone season at UK playing for Billy Gillispie, finished his college career at The Citadel.

He played high school basketball in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C.

France

▪ Olivier Sarr (2020-21).

Sarr spent three seasons at Wake Forest before transferring to Kentucky for the 2020-21 season.

Despite solid per-game averages of 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds, Sarr’s only UK team was one of the worst in program history, posting a 9-16 overall record.

Haiti

▪ Skal Labissiere (2015-16).

Another one-and-done player under Calipari, Labissiere averaged 6.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in 36 games for UK before becoming a first-round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Prior to his enrollment at UK, Labissiere played prep basketball in Tennessee.

Jamaica

▪ Nick Richards (2017-2020).

A three-year player at Kentucky who totaled 105 games and 70 starts for the Wildcats, Richards made a big leap during his junior season: He led the 2019-20 Wildcats in rebounding with 7.8 per game and was tied for second on the team in scoring (Tyrese Maxey) with an average of 14 points.

Richards was a 2017 McDonald’s All-American out of The Patrick School in New Jersey.

New Zealand

▪ Tai Wynyard (2016-18).

Wynyard arrived in Lexington as a midyear enrollee in December 2015, but redshirted the remainder of that season.

He appeared in just 23 career games as a Wildcat. His sophomore season was cut short due to a back injury.

After announcing that he would transfer from UK in April 2018, Wynyard committed to Santa Clara, but never played for the Broncos, ultimately choosing to return to New Zealand to continue his basketball career.

Nigeria

▪ Ugonna Onyenso (2022-present).

Much like Ivisic, Onyenso was a late addition to the 2022-23 Kentucky team when he announced he would be joining the Wildcats last August.

While Onyenso sparingly played for Kentucky last season, he was often cited by Calipari as a player with extreme potential for the future.

Onyenso was briefly in the NCAA transfer portal this offseason, before deciding to return to UK.

Onyenso is currently sidelined following a left foot injury that he suffered at the start of Kentucky’s appearance at last month’s GLOBL JAM tournament in Canada.

Kentucky will add another Nigerian in 2024 when Somto Cyril — who was born in Nigeria but now plays prep basketball with the Overtime Elite program in Atlanta — becomes a Wildcat.

Cyril recently confirmed to the Herald-Leader that his intent is to arrive at UK as a class of 2024 player, despite strong rumors of a potential reclassification to 2023.

Poland

▪ Lukasz Obrzut (2003-07).

A four-year Wildcat, Obrzut played in 123 total games for Kentucky with 18 starts and has remained in the commonwealth long after his basketball career ended.

Senegal

▪ Souleymane “Jules” Camara (1998-2003).

It took five years for Camara to play four seasons at Kentucky: He was suspended for the 2000-01 season after violating UK’s student-athlete alcohol policy and being convicted of driving under the influence.

On the court, Camara played in 136 games at Kentucky and averaged at least three rebounds and four points per game in all four of his seasons with the Wildcats.

He played prep basketball at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.

Sudan

▪ Wenyen Gabriel (2016-18).

A two-year player at UK, Gabriel averaged more than five points and five rebounds per game across 75 games with the Wildcats.

He played his prep basketball in the northeast before coming to Lexington.

Note: At least two additional international players spent time on Kentucky’s roster but never appeared in a game. Enes Kanter (2010-11) was born in Switzerland and Shaedon Sharpe (2021-22) in Canada.

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