Ohio State center transfer Felix Okpara is visiting Tennessee basketball on Tuesday, a source confirmed to RTI. The rising junior is visiting Tennessee just two days after entering the portal as the Vols look to address a major need on their roster.
Okpara started 34 games for Ohio State in his sophomore season averaging 6.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 23.4 minutes per game. The 6-foot-11 center originally announced plans to return to Ohio State for his junior season but after the Buckeyes added Kentucky transfer Aaron Bradshaw, Okpara entered the transfer portal on Sunday morning.
The Lagos, Nigeria native is one of the best rim protectors in the nation posting a 10.2% block rate last season that ranked 18th nationally— higher than anyone on Tennessee’s roster.
Okpara is still a somewhat raw offensive player but is a lob threat around the rim and plays with strength around the basket that helps him finish well when presented with good looks.
The 6-foot-11, 235-pound center is one of the top players available in the transfer portal, ranking as a four-star and the No. 35 player in the portal according to 247sports and as a five-star and the No. 28 player in the portal according to EvanMiya.com.
More From RTI: Four-Star Class Of 2025 Big Man DeWayne Brown Commits To Tennessee Basketball
Okpara has an abundance of ties to Tennessee basketball. He was teammates with Tennessee guard Cam Carr in his senior prep season at Link Academy. Before that, Okpara played at Hamilton Heights in Chattanooga, so he has ties to the Volunteer State.
Tennessee assistant coach Rod Clark has a myriad of ties to Link Academy and the Vols have signed three players (Carr, Cade Phillips and Julian Phillips) from the prep school in the last three recruiting cycles.
Center is a major position of need for Tennessee basketball in the transfer portal after the Vols lost both Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka to the portal earlier this offseason. While Tennessee isn’t closing the door on Awaka returning, head coach Rick Barnes also made it clear that the Vols weren’t going to sit around waiting for the big man to make a decision.
Tennessee currently has five scholarships to work with as they look to fill out its 2024-25 roster. The Vols have lost three players to graduation, four players to the transfer portal while adding one prep prospect, four-star guard Bishop Boswell, and four-star Hofstra transfer Darlinstone Dubar.
