Could he return to the state of Tennessee?
Tennessee has a big need in the post, and one option that hit the transfer portal over the weekend might just fit the bill. Ohio State center Felix Okpara entered his name into the transfer portal on Sunday, and Knoxville makes some sense for the former Tennessee prep target.
Okpara is a former four-star prospect out of Chattanooga. He attended Hamilton Heights Christian Academy before transferring out to Link Academy in Missouri. The top 100 overall prospect in the class of 2022 chose the Buckeyes over Tennessee, Ole Miss and Florida, among others.
He initially announced his intention to return to Columbus for another season, but had a change of heart over the weekend.
This season the 6-11, 210 pound big man averaged 6.6 points and 6.4 rebounds, adding 2.4 blocks per game. In fact, Okpara has an impressive 43 game block stream that is currently still going. He certainly would help fill the void of Jonas Aidoo, who is currently in the transfer portal with several high-profile offers.
Okpara made 34 starts this season for Ohio State, averaging nearly 24 minutes per game.
Tennessee currently has made one addition out of the portal, grabbing a signature from wing/forward Darlinstone Dubar. They’ve also been after names like Cade Tyson (Belmont) and Igor Milicic (Charlotte). There also remains a chance that power forward Tobe Awaka rejoins Tennessee after his entry into the portal.
The Volunteers currently have five open spots to fill on the roster. Rick Barnes is attempting to replace All-American guard Dalton Knecht, along with key veterans Santiago Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James. Reserve guards DJ Jefferson and Freddie Dilione have also entered the transfer portal.
We’ll see if Tennessee gets involved with Okpara in the coming days. As things currently stand, Tennessee has just JP Estrella and Cade Phillips as frontcourt options.