Tag: Felix Okpara

Former Ohio State basketball starter Felix Okpara finds new home with SEC team

Good luck Felix! #GoBucks

The whirlwind offseason for former Ohio State basketball starting center [autotag]Felix Okpara[/autotag] is over.

It looked like the Buckeyes would keep their starting center as he announced his return, but with the addition of another big man in Kentucky’s Aaron Bradshaw, Okpara had a change of heart. The Nigerian native entered the transfer portal and quickly found a new home in the SEC at Tennessee.

The Volunteers are coming off a season which saw them advance all the way to the Elite Eight, where they lost to the Big Ten’s top team, Purdue. Okpara will add length and size to an already solid front-court.

It was unfortunate to see Okpara leave Columbus, but we wish him well as he continues his basketball journey at Tennessee.

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Ohio State transfer forward signs with Tennessee basketball

Ohio State forward Felix Okpara signs with Tennessee basketball on Thursday.

Forward Felix Okpara signed with Tennessee on Thursday. He will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Vols.

Okpara signed with Ohio State on July 26, 2021. He played for the Buckeyes for two seasons.

The 6-foot-11, 235-pound forward is from Lagos, Nigeria.

Okpara ranks as the No. 35 overall transfer. He averaged 5.3 points, five rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.

Tennessee has one commitment in its 2024 recruiting class. Bishop Boswell, a combo guard, signed with the Vols on Nov. 8, 2023. Okpara also joins guard Darlinstone Dubar as the second portal addition for Tennessee during the 2024 offseason.

READ: Rick Barnes discusses Felix Okpara signing with Tennessee

Adam Cairns/USA TODAY Network

Rick Barnes discusses Ohio State transfer Felix Okpara signing with Vols

Tennessee basketball head coach Rick Barnes discusses Ohio State transfer Felix Okpara signing with the Vols.

Tennessee announced the signing of Ohio State sophomore transfer Felix Okpara on Thursday.

“We are thrilled to have Felix join us here on Rocky Top,” Tennessee basketball head coach Rick Barnes said. “He comes from a great family and is an exceptional teammate whose primary goal is to win. Felix is an elite shot blocker, high-level defender and terrific rebounder. He possesses the ability to score in the low post, as well as play on the perimeter. A mobile athlete with excellent length who creates space offensively, Felix is a constant threat to get to the rim for a lob. We will do everything we can to help him further develop all aspects of his game.”

Okpara appeared in 70 games, including 45 starts, from 2022-24. He averaged 5.3 points, five rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. He also recorded 126 blocks and 28 steals for the Buckeyes.

The 6-foot-11, 235-pound forward is from Lagos, Nigeria.

Adam Cairns/USA TODAY Network

Felix Okpara puts to bed any ideas of him leaving Ohio State basketball

Great news for the Buckeyes on the hardwood. #GoBucks

There were rumors floating around social media that Ohio State basketball’s starting center, [autotag]Felix Okpara[/autotag], would be entering the transfer portal.

Well, on Monday night, the rising-junior let everyone know that he will be returning for another season with the Buckeyes. The Nigerian native has improved during each of his two season in Columbus, as he wrestled away the starting job from Zed Key.

Okpara has shot at a high-level, both seasons right at 58%, while upping his rebounds and blocks from one year to the next. His game is similar to former Buckeye Ken Johnson, who was the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2000-2001.

This is a big win for head coach Jake Diebler, as he had seen Bowen Hardman and Scotty Middleton already announce their intentions to enter the transfer portal.

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Ohio State basketball head coach Chris Holtmann, center Felix Okpara, to miss New Orleans game with illness

Ohio State hoops will be a little shorthanded tonight. #GoBucks

Ohio State basketball is set to tip off in about in a Thursday night home matchup against New Orleans, but the Buckeyes will be without their head coach and starting center.

It was announced earlier that the OSU will be without head coach Chris Holtmann as he is out with an illness. Taking the place of Holtmann will be assistant head coach, Jake Diebler, who will serve as the acting head coach for the game.

Starting center, Felix Okpara, is also out with an illness as announced earlier.  Okpara has started all 11 games this season at center as he’s a key defensive piece for the Buckeyes averaging 6.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 19.7 minutes per game.

Ohio State remains heavy favorites in the matchup against New Orleans who currently has a 5-6 record this season.

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Watch: Ohio State basketball’s Felix Okpara mic’d up for last summer practice

Big things coming for the Buckeyes hoops team this season #GoBucks

After a disappointing 2022-23 season for the [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] men’s basketball team, there seems to be a little more hype surrounding this year’s team.

Yes, gone is top scorer and rebounder Brice Sensabaugh to the NBA, but the Buckeyes bring back a solid core along with one the best recruiting classes in the Big Ten.

One of those returning pieces is center [autotag]Felix Okpara[/autotag]. He was forced into more playing time than the coaches wanted due to an injury to [autotag]Zed Key[/autotag]. It was an up-and-down freshman year for the big man, but he showed flashes of what he could become and the experience he gained can’t be duplicated on the practice courts.

Okpara is expected to be a big contributor to a much deeper team and got the honor of getting mic’d up for the last Ohio State practice of the summer. Watch below as the Buckeye big man goes through the final scrimmage before they reconvene in the fall.

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Cincinnati 2024 power forward includes Ohio State basketball in top seven schools

He could be returning home to play in college #GoBucks

[autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] head coach [autotag]Chris Holtmann[/autotag] has been doing extremely well on the recruiting trail over the last two cycles.

In 2022, the five-man class saw four of them play immediately and make big impacts. Brice Sensabaugh, [autotag]Felix Okpara[/autotag], Bruce Thornton and [autotag]Roddy Gayle Jr.[/autotag] all played big roles for the Buckeyes, even though they were unable to make the NCAA Tournament.

The 2023 class is just as impressive, the three of the four commits, Scotty Middleton, Devin Royal, and Taison Chatman, were ranked inside the top 50 players in the country.

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As for 2024, Holtmann is off to a good start, with four-star point guard Juni Mobley as the lone current verbal. Another target, Cincinnati native [autotag]Tyler McKinley[/autotag] could stay home also. The power forward named Ohio State among his top seven schools he’s still considering.

McKinley stands 6-foot, 9-inches, and weighs 220 pounds. He is rated as the No. 10 center and 60th overall player according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He can play either position at the next level, hence McKinley’s ranking as a center.

McKinley currently plays for Link Academy in Missouri, but could ultimately end up playing closer to home.

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Ohio State basketball trying to find a big, offers 5-star Pennsylvania center

The Buckeyes are looking to add size to the roster #GoBucks

One of the biggest glaring issues with the current [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] basketball roster is the lack of size.

Junior [autotag]Zed Key[/autotag] is a solid player, but has been bitten by the injury bug this season. Freshman [autotag]Felix Okpara[/autotag] will be a good player, but is still very raw and could have used this season to get stronger and learn the system.

Due to numbers and Key’s injuries, Okpara was forced into duty and there is pretty much no depth behind those two. Freshman Okpara is the tallest player on the roster, at 6-foot, 11-inches, but no other rotational player is taller than Key at 6-foot, 8-inches.

Head coach [autotag]Chris Holtmann[/autotag] has realized that the lack of size has hurt this year’s squad and an effort to correct that is being made. The start of that was an offer to 2025 Pennsylvania center [autotag]Alier Maluk[/autotag].

Maluk was recently in Columbus for an unofficial visit, a very good sign regarding his recruitment. Although he is a bit slight at 180 pounds, his 6-foot, 10-inch frame is exactly the kind of length the Buckeye basketball team needs going forward.

Ranked as the nation’s No. 2 center and 15th overall player by the 247Sports Composite Rankings, Maluk would be a fantastic addition to the Ohio State roster.

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Thoughts on another Ohio State Basketball loss, its fifth straight

Another ugly conclusion. #GoBucks

Entering the New Year, the [autotag]Ohio State Buckeyes[/autotag] basketball team was 10-3 and looked like one of the best teams in the conference. New Year’s Day would be their last win, proceeding to drop five straight, their most recent tonight to a very average Nebraska team, 63-60.

It’s added to a very frustrating time for Buckeye basketball, inching towards .500 with every loss. Head coach [autotag]Chris Holtmann[/autotag] must have a warm seat right now, but with a few more losses it could be getting hotter.

Not much good came from this game, especially given the level of the opponent along with the long losing streak. This season has become increasingly frustrating and here some thoughts on the most recent loss.

What we learned about Ohio State’s fourth straight loss, this time at the hands of Rutgers

It’s been a tough stretch for the Buckeyes #GoBucks

The Big Ten isn’t easy and [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] is finding that out the hard way. The Buckeyes had a chance to get back into the win column today on the road at [autotag]Rutgers[/autotag], but the Scarlet Knights didn’t give in and defeated the visitors 68-64.

It is the fourth straight loss for [autotag]Chris Holtmann[/autotag] and his squad, putting their record to 10-7 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten play. It has been a horrendous 2023 showing for this team, as they have started the new year 1-4, with their only win coming over two weeks ago at [autotag]Northwestern[/autotag].

It wasn’t a pretty game for the Buckeyes as evidenced by the score. Here is what we learned after another loss for Ohio State.

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