Tag: James Okonkwo

UNC basketball named a winner in transfer portal for 2024

UNC basketball isn’t quite done yet in the transfer portal.

The transfer portal has, essentially, turned into the free agency of college basketball.

I like the transfer portal because it allows teams to replenish their weakest spots, while giving reserves a chance to find starting minutes elsewhere.

Last offseason was rough for the North Carolina Tar Heels, who lost seven players to the transfer portal, including starting point guard Caleb Love. Six of UNC’s transfers were reserves, highlighted by Puff Johnson. However, seven outgoing players hurts.

North Carolina offset last offseason’s losses with five additions, including starters Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram.

With the recent addition of Belmont transfer Cade Tyson and only one loss, James Okonkwo, the Tar Heels were named one of 247Sports’ nine transfer portal winners.

“Hubert Davis has crushed it on the retention front in the 2024 cycle,” 247Sports’ Isaac Trotter wrote. “UNC has had just one player leave via the transfer portal, James Okonkwo, a seldom-used backup big man. Versatile guard and elite defender Seth Trimble entered the transfer portal, but he pivoted and returned to Chapel Hill. That’s like adding a top-100 transfer back to the roster. Even with North Carolina splurging for the top big men in the transfer portal, soon-to-be-junior Jalen Washington did not hit the transfer portal, even though a starting spot isn’t guaranteed. Even after All-American RJ Davis, the reigning ACC Player of the Year, announced his return to UNC for Year 5, soon-to-be-sophomore and former five-star point guard Elliot Cadeau did not hit the transfer portal.”

“Davis is back, Trimble is back and five-star freshman guard Ian Jackson is on the way, but Cadeau still chose to stay, even though he could’ve easily found a cleaner path to a monster role somewhere else.”

The portal is still alive and well for North Carolina, too.

On Thursday, Rutgers big man Cliff Omoruyi landed at RDU Airport. There are no official posts from his social media account, but UNC being Omoruyi’s last visit could be a good sign.

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UNC Basketball 2023-24 player preview: James Okonkwo

Our UNC basketball 2023-24 season player preview continues with West Virginia transfer forward James Okonkwo.

The UNC basketball program is preparing for the upcoming season with new faces as Hubert Davis embarks on his third season as the men’s basketball head coach. 

One of those new faces is Sophomore transfer [autotag]James Okonkwo[/autotag], who provides experience depth for the Tar Heels. UNC underwent a significant roster transformation, losing a lot of talent in the transfer portal. 

Along with losing Caleb Love, Puff Johnson, D’Marco Dunn, Tyler Nickel, Dontrez Styles, Will Shaver, and Justin McKoy all found new college-town homes. Meanwhile, Leaky Black and Pete Nance have started their NBA journeys. 

Leaving Armando Bacot, who had a surprising return, and RJ Davis as the cornerstone pieces for UNC. The talent loss could factor into numerous reasons, but one reason is hinted at Davis’s tight rotation, often leaving players fighting for playing time.

Davis acknowledged how his bench utilization needed work, so, with transfers like Okonkwo coming, it will be interesting to see how minutes are split up. 

With the season near, we move on to the following player preview, with James Okonkwo up next.

UNC commit records double-double in FIBA U20 championships

UNC basketball transfer James Okonkwo posted a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double for Great Britain in the FIBA U20 championships on Friday.

Tar Heel basketball fans have plenty to look forward to this season, and it’s not just because Armando Bacot and R.J. Davis announced their highly anticipated returns.

One of UNC’s recent additions, University of West Virginia transfer James Okonkwo, is turning heads overseas.

Okonkwo, who committed to Carolina on Thursday afternoon, recorded a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double the following day in a 72-63 victory for Great Britain in the FIBA U20 European Championships.

Okonkwo also blocked three shots in Great Britain’s win, including this denial of Austrian guard Obinna Ndukwe. He led the Mountaineers with 22 blocks last season. The Mountaineers finished 19-15 after a crushing loss to the University of Maryland in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

Carolina fans should get excited just from watching this highlight clip. Okonkwo brings the Heels a much-needed blocking ability to complement Bacot, particularly with the graduations of Pete Nance and Leaky Black.

Nance swatted away a Tar Heel-leading 34 blocks last year, Bacot ended his year with 33 and Black rejected 29 shots.

Who had the most blocks outside of these three?

Reserve point guard Seth Trimble, who swatted away just nine shots.

Bacot looked exhausted at times in games during the 2022-2023 campaign, playing over 30 minutes in 22 of the Heels’ 32 games. Okonkwo should allow Bacot to rest more at times and give UNC another reliable post player.

Okonkwo may not play a bunch, averaging just 10.9 minutes per game in 31 appearances with West Virginia last year, but fans can expect him to make an immediate impact down low when he does see court time.

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Former West Virginia Center James Okonkwo plans to visit Texas A&M

It has been announced that former West Virginia center James Okonkwo, who has entered the transfer portal, will visit Texas A&M.

Heading into the 2023-2024 season, the Texas A&M Basketball roster is loaded at nearly every position, as Head Coach Buzz Williams is well-equipped to make a second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament After finishing last season with an impressive 25-10 (15-3 SEC) record, while four out of five starters are slated to return, headlined by All-SEC guard, Wade Taylor IV.

Joining Taylor, senior guard Tyrece “Boots” Radford with return for his final season, while forwards Henry Coleman III and Julius Marble will look to once again handle the front court. Outside of guards Manny Obaseki and Hayden Hefner, depth was sorely needed in the backcourt, leading to Williams’ scouring the transfer portal and eventually landing with crucial additions such as Jace Carter and Eli Lawrence.

With more depth needed behind Coleman and Marble, reserve forward Andersson Garcia may be the most critical rotational big man in the country, but as the season wears on, an extra body to quell his minutes can’t hurt. This all leads to Sunday’s news that sophomore center James Okonkwo, who recently played for West Virginia, will reportedly visit North Carolina and Texas A&M, according to his brother, first reported by CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein.

Okonkwo is a four-star prospect out of the 2021 cycle, one of eight former West Virginia players who have transferred from the program this year after the arrest and eventual resignation of Mountaineer Head Coach Bob Huggins. While only averaging 2.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 11 minutes per game, Okonkwo led the team with 22 blocks, which undoubtedly excited Buzz Williams and his staff.

The bottom line is that James Okonkwo is a blue-chip prospect with an immensely high ceiling, and even though the Aggies will be competing with the likes of North Carolina, Texas A&M Basketball is on the rise, and players are noticing.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

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