OG Anunoby

Anunoby is an English forward widely regarded as one of the best British players in NBA history. Drafted in the first round in 2017, he won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019 and later became a defensive cornerstone for the New York Knicks, leading the league in steals and earning All-Defensive Team honors.

Born Ogugua Anunoby Jr. on July 17, 1997, in Harlesden, London, England, he is the son of Nigerian parents of Igbo descent. His father, Ogugua Sr., taught as a professor at Oxford Brookes University. His mother, Grace Ndidi Okereke, was a track and field athlete who competed at a national level for Nigeria and died of cancer when Anunoby was one year old. At age four, he moved with his family to Jefferson City, Missouri. His older brother, Chigbo, played in the National Football League.

Anunoby attended Jefferson City High School and averaged 19.1 points and 8.6 rebounds as a senior. He committed to Indiana University in October 2014. As a freshman, he averaged 6.9 points and 6.6 rebounds. On January 18, 2017, he injured his right knee against Penn State and underwent season-ending knee surgery. On April 10, 2017, he declared for the NBA draft.

The Toronto Raptors selected Anunoby with the 23rd overall pick in 2017. He made his first career start on November 14, 2017, and led starter rookies in offensive and defensive rating. In April 2019, he had an emergency appendectomy and missed the Raptors' entire championship playoff run, though he became the first British player to win an NBA championship. On March 1, 2020, he scored 32 points and recorded seven steals, seven rebounds, and three assists against the Denver Nuggets.

In December 2023, Anunoby was traded to the New York Knicks. In 2026, he was named to his second All-Defensive Team and reached the NBA Finals with New York. In Game 4, he tipped in the game-winning shot to complete the largest single-game comeback in NBA Finals history as the Knicks won their first championship in 53 years.

Anunoby is an elite perimeter defender with size, strength, and active hands. He guards multiple positions, generates steals and deflections, and makes timely cuts on offense. His three-point shooting has improved steadily, and his defensive versatility is prized in playoff rotations.