UTEP transfer F Ze’Rik Onyema signs with Texas

Former UTEP Miners forward Ze’Rik Onyema committed to the Texas Longhorns last week following a visit to the Forty Acres.

Texas announced on Wednesday that Onyema signed an Athletic Scholarship Agreement to join the Longhorns for the 2023-24 season.

The San Antonio product with two years of eligibility remaining is the fourth NCAA transfer portal addition under new head coach Rodney Terry and the second to pledge last Thursday, joining UT-Arlington transfer guard Chendall Weaver.

A 6’9, 230-pounder, Onyema signed with Terry as a member of the 2020 recruiting class out of John Jay High School. Like Weaver, Onyema wasn’t ranked as a recruit.

After arriving in El Paso, Onyema only played 13 minutes over five games as a true freshman before averaging 8.6 minutes per game in 2021-22. Onyema broke out in 2022-23, starting 31 of 32 games for the Miners and averaging 7.1 points and 4.4 rebounds on 55.4-percent shooting, which led the team. Onyema finished second in rebounding, third in offensive rebounding, and sixth in scoring for UTEP, including a 10-point performance in the season-opening loss to Texas.

Onyema projects into a similar role for the Longhorns in 2023-24 as Christian Bishop held over the last two seasons as player off the bench who can provide toughness, defense, and rebounding for Texas backing up Dylan Disu and Kadin Shedrick.