Tosan Evbuomwan Bio
Torisesan “Tosan” Evbuomwan (pronounced eh-WOH-mah) is a British professional basketball player who most recently played for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) and listed at 217 lb (98 kg), he plays the small forward position. He is currently on a two-way contract that links him with the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA G League, the Hornets’ developmental affiliate. Evbuomwan came to professional basketball through Princeton University, where he became one of the most decorated players in the program’s recent history.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Evbuomwan has built his career through the NBA G League, earning recognition as an NBA G League champion and Finals MVP in 2026. He is also an NBA Cup champion from his time with the New York Knicks in 2025. His combination of size, skill, and international experience has made him a respected presence in professional basketball on both sides of the Atlantic.
Early Life and Background
Tosan Evbuomwan was born and raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. His father, Isaac, is a gynecologist who played college basketball at the University of Lagos in his native Nigeria. His mother, Michelle, was born to a Nigerian father and an Irish mother and moved to Lagos when she was 21 years old. Using a commercial pilot’s license she had earned in the United Kingdom, Michelle became the first female captain to pilot a plane in Nigeria. Michelle met Isaac when she went in for a physical, and the two began dating.
Isaac moved to England for work one year later, and Michelle followed him there. The couple decided to settle in Newcastle after starting a family. Michelle passed away from breast cancer on 16 November 2012, when Tosan was 11 years old. He grew up playing football, rugby, cricket, and track and field, and was a standout football star who was selected for Newcastle United’s Youth Academy. A basketball hoop at the family home, a reminder of his father’s playing days in Nigeria, would eventually set him on a new path.
Evbuomwan attended the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle upon Tyne, where he helped start the school’s basketball program with a friend. He did not begin playing basketball competitively until the age of 14, but his rapid growth in the sport quickly set him apart.
Path to Basketball
After helping launch his high school team, Evbuomwan played for the Newcastle Eagles U18 program and took part in the Deng Camp run by former NBA player Luol Deng. His performances there began to attract attention from scouts. Eagles head coach Ian MacLeod sent highlight clips of Evbuomwan to American universities, and Princeton assistant coach Brett MacConnell was impressed enough to recommend him to Tigers head coach Mitch Henderson. Evbuomwan signed with Princeton in April 2019, beginning his path toward American college basketball.
As a freshman at Princeton, Evbuomwan averaged 3.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game while making 19 starts. His sophomore season was cancelled in the Ivy League because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During that layoff, he practiced with the Newcastle Eagles and joined Great Britain’s 3×3 team for a tournament in Tel Aviv, gaining valuable international experience.
Tosan Evbuomwan Career
Early Career (2019–2023)
Evbuomwan’s breakout at Princeton came on 4 December 2021, when he scored a career-high 27 points in an 81–79 overtime win against Drexel. He matched that 27-point total on 4 February 2022 in an 88–83 loss to Cornell, adding seven rebounds and five steals. As a junior, his all-around play earned him the title of unanimous Ivy League Player of the Year in 2022. In 2023, he was again named First Team All-Ivy League and added First Team All-District honors, cementing his place among the conference’s best. On 30 March 2023, Evbuomwan declared for the 2023 NBA draft, closing a stellar college career.
Professional Breakthrough (2023–2025)
After going undrafted in the 2023 NBA draft, Evbuomwan joined the Detroit Pistons for the 2023 NBA Summer League and signed with the team on 2 October 2023. He was waived on 21 October 2023 and joined the Motor City Cruise, Detroit’s G League affiliate, nine days later. He averaged 15.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 34.5 minutes, which led to a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies on 30 January 2024. He made his NBA debut on 2 February 2024 against the Golden State Warriors and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds two days later against the Boston Celtics.
Evbuomwan returned to the Cruise and signed a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons on 23 February 2024. He was waived on 16 October 2024, signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, and was reassigned to the San Diego Clippers. On 1 January 2025, he signed a two-way contract with the Brooklyn Nets, where he set a new career high of 22 points on 12 January 2025 in a loss to the Utah Jazz.
Charlotte Hornets Era (2026–Present)
After short stints with the New York Knicks and Maine Celtics, Evbuomwan signed with the Charlotte Hornets on a two-way contract on 6 February 2026. In the NBA G League Finals, he led the Greensboro Swarm with 22 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, earning NBA G League Finals MVP honors as the Swarm won the G League championship in 2026. He was also part of the New York Knicks squad that won the NBA Cup in 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
Evbuomwan is a versatile forward whose size allows him to defend multiple positions and rebound at a high level. His background in multiple sports, including football and rugby, has given him strong footwork and physicality. He is also skilled in passing and ball-handling for his size, traits that have helped him develop into a reliable two-way contributor in the G League.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Evbuomwan’s signature achievements are his unanimous Ivy League Player of the Year selection in 2022, two First Team All-Ivy League nods, an NBA Cup title with the New York Knicks in 2025, and an NBA G League championship and Finals MVP award in 2026. His career-high 22-point performance against the Utah Jazz in January 2025 marked his arrival as a scoring threat in the NBA.
Tosan Evbuomwan Career Wins
Evbuomwan’s trophy case reflects a steady climb through professional and international basketball. His team titles include the 2025 NBA Cup with the New York Knicks and the 2026 NBA G League championship with the Greensboro Swarm. His individual awards begin with Ivy League Player of the Year in 2022 and continue with the 2026 NBA G League Finals MVP.
College Highlights
Evbuomwan’s college career at Princeton produced a unanimous Ivy League Player of the Year award in 2022 and First Team All-Ivy League honors in both 2022 and 2023. His career-high 27-point games against Drexel and Cornell highlighted his ability to take over games on the biggest stages.
Other Wins and Performances
On the international stage, Evbuomwan has represented Great Britain at multiple FIBA youth events, including the 2018 and 2019 FIBA U18 European Championships. His 10.4-point, 7.9-rebound, and 2.6-assist averages at the 2019 tournament underscored his potential as a complete two-way player.
Tosan Evbuomwan Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Evbuomwan comes from a family with deep sporting and professional roots. His father, Isaac, is a gynecologist and former college basketball player at the University of Lagos in Nigeria. His late mother, Michelle, was a pioneering commercial pilot who became the first female captain to pilot a plane in Nigeria. She passed away from breast cancer in November 2012.
Personal Life
Evbuomwan continues to honor the basketball legacy passed down by his father, who played collegiately in Nigeria before moving to England. His multicultural background, with Nigerian and Irish heritage on his mother’s side, has shaped his identity as a British-Nigerian athlete competing on the international stage.
2025 Season Performance
Evbuomwan’s 2025 campaign was defined by movement between NBA and G League rosters. He began the year with the Brooklyn Nets on a two-way contract, posting a career-high 22 points against the Utah Jazz on 12 January 2025. He was waived by the Nets on 29 August 2025, ending his time in Brooklyn after a productive stretch of development games.
In September 2025, Evbuomwan signed a two-way contract with the New York Knicks, joining a competitive roster where he made five appearances and averaged 0.4 rebounds. He was part of the Knicks’ run to the 2025 NBA Cup title, an early professional highlight.
He was waived by the Knicks on 7 January 2026, closing a transitional year that nonetheless produced a major team trophy and continued growth. Looking ahead, his role with the Charlotte Hornets on a two-way contract signals a fresh opportunity to compete for NBA minutes while contributing to the Greensboro Swarm in the G League.
