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.