Chisom Okpara, 2022 4-star forward, cuts list to 6

Chisom Okpara, a 6-foot-7 hybrid forward out of La Porte (Ind.) La Lumiere tells On3 he is down to six schools – Harvard, Northwestern, Pittsburgh, Washington, Penn State and Minnesota.

Okpara has taken an official visit to Northwestern and an unofficial visit to Harvard. He says it’s possible he visits two more schools in September, but he’s still trying to nail down the details. Chisom Okpara discussed each option with On3.

Harvard

“Coach (Tommy) Amaker has really been on me since sophomore year,” Okpara said. “He’s been telling me I can get the best of both worlds. I don’t have to give up anything. I’m right there in Boston. And then on the basketball front, he told me not to worry that NBA players don’t go to Ivy Leagues. He said that’s a false narrative and if you work hard, they’ll find you. He always says ballers are scholars. They might not have the best facilities compared to other schools, but they still play high-level basketball. They still play very fast. They plan man, and they put up a lot of shots. You’re not really losing anything, that’s their pitch.”

Northwestern

“Of course academics… they have a really good business school, too,” Okpara said. “On the basketball front, coach (Chris) Collins really changed basketball there with the players they’re recruiting, and the players they’re getting. Just their improvement over the years. They’re also getting new facilities. It’s good to see that they’re developing and growing. That’s a type of team you want to be on, one that’s continuing to grow. And the only thing you want to do is help them continue to grow. So if they grow, you can grow even more. And they’re in the Big 10. That’s a big league. And if you continue to win, in that league, you’ll get noticed. That’s the ultimate goal – to get noticed by NBA scouts.”

Pittsburgh

“I know Coach (Tim) O’Toole’s son, he plays on my Rens team (AAU),” Okpara said. “(Coach O’Toole) is a really nice guy. Very upfront. He’s always telling me how I can improve my game. Coach (Jeff) Capel is always telling me how I can improve my game, too. They also have a good friend of mine, Judah Mintz, on their team. That’s a good point guard to have. Pittsburgh is nice, too. I haven’t been to the school, but I’ve been to the city. They’re also in the ACC, and an up-and-coming team.”

Washington

“Coach (Jerry) Hobbie… I really got to connect with him over the summer,” Okpara said. “He’s a really good person.  He just explains how he can help my game. He explains how Washington has a lot of NBA players and that it’s not by mistake. They’ve developed a lot of good players and they’re trying to win a lot of games. They have a chip on their shoulder.”

Penn State

“Coach (Mike) Farrelly is one of the few coaches that sends letters to my house,” Okpara said. “He calls me every other week and we always have good conversations. He’s always going in-depth about my gameplay, which I enjoy.”

Minnesota

“My teammate from LaLu, Treyton Thompson is at Minnesota,” Okpara said. “He just speaks highly of them, and how they helped him improve his body. They also have a good business school. Their facilities are also close to their dorms.”

Okpara said a decision will happen “in the coming weeks”.