Former Ohio State center Felix Okpara transferring to Tennessee
COLUMBUS — Former Ohio State center Felix Okpara committed to Tennessee out of the transfer portal Thursday.
Okpara is headed to Knoxville, less than a two-hour drive from Chattanooga, where he played most of his high school career at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy. Okpara then went on to play senior season at Link Academy in Branson, Missouri.
The 6-foot-11, 235-pound big man fills a void down low for Tennessee after All-SEC center Jonas Aidoo and forward Tobe Awaka both entered the portal.
“I feel like I can be a factor for them with my ability to protect the rim, run the court and be good down low. I think it’s a good fit,” Okpara said, via On3’s Volquest.
“I trust the coaches at Tennessee. The bottom line is that I feel like it’s somewhere that I can develop and play a key role and really get coached.”
Back on April 2, Okpara initially announced he was staying at Ohio State for the 2024-25 season.
“I am excited and grateful to announce I am 100% committed to running it back with OSU and Buckeye Nation!” Okpara wrote in a statement at the time. “Can’t wait to start a new chapter with Coach Diebs, my returning teammates and the new staff and players to get Ohio State back to our rightful spot at the top of the Big Ten.”
Three weeks later, however, Okpara entered the transfer portal.
Okpara arrived at Ohio State as the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 9 center and No. 69 overall prospect in the 2022 cycle. He was part of a five-player class that ranked ninth nationally, per the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. Point guard Bruce Thornton is now the lone remaining member of that class.
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Okpara averaged 6.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Along the way, he ranked second in the Big Ten in blocks per game (2.4), he scored in double figures nine times and he piled up 10 or more rebounds five times. The center from Lagos, Nigeria, put on 15 pounds ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, which helped him hold his own in the paint.
After starting 11 games during his freshman year, including nine straight to end the season, he started every non-Senior Day game as a sophomore.
A superb rim protector, Okpara has flashed his shot blocking ability ever since he put on an Ohio State uniform. His offensive game is what really has started to blossom of late.
Okpara rounded out the season with three straight games of 10-plus points. He averaged 13.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game during the Buckeyes’ mini NIT run.
Okpara took a big step in Year 2.
Another jump could be in the cards next season, except that will have to come at Tennessee now, not Ohio State.
