Puka Nacua is only in his sophomore season and yet he has already emerged as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. The fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft had a historic first season, breaking the NFL’s rookie record for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486).
With Nacua becoming a star and emerging as a household name, there’s significantly more interest in his upbringing and background. Let’s examine Nacua’s nationality and family.
What Nationality Is Puka Nacua? Exploring His Family Roots
The Rams star wide receiver is of Polynesian descent. While Nacua grew up in Utah and attended both Orem High School and Brigham Young University, he has Samoan roots. In addition to his Samoan roots, Nacua is also of Portuguese and native Hawaiian descent.
“Puka’s grandmother immigrated to the U.S. from West Samoa [the name of Samoa until 1997] with her only daughter, Penina,” according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Puka’s father, Lionel, passed away due to diabetes when he was just 10 years old, so his mother, Penina, was tasked with raising half a dozen children, five boys and one girl, as a single mother.
Nacua’s name also has Samoan meaning: It translates to “bulky” or “fat and chubby” because of his physique at birth. Now that he’s a 6’2″ NFL star, it doesn’t fit as well.
While at Orem, Nacua was named Utah’s “Mr. Football.” He also earned an invite to play in the Polynesian Bowl, which is played in Honolulu, Hawaii, and features many of the top-ranked high school seniors of Polynesian descent (and some prospects who aren’t of Polynesian ancestry).
READ MORE: Who Are Puka Nacua’s Parents? A Look at the Rams WR’s Family
During the Polynesian Bowl, Nacua caught six passes for 93 yards and a tip-toe 29-yard touchdown grab in the game for Team Makai.
Nacua was named Offensive MVP and Co-Player of the Year at the 2019 Polynesian Bowl, which also included Detroit Lions WR Jameson Williams, Indianapolis Colts EDGE Laiatu Latu, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Trey Palmer, among others.
