“Having Felix join us here on Rocky Top makes us very happy. “He is an amazing teammate with winning as his main objective, and he comes from a wonderful family,” said Rick Barnes, head coach of the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team. Felix is a superb rebounder, a top-tier defender, and an excellent shot blocker. In addition to playing on the perimeter, he can score in the low post. Felix is a dynamic player with great length who creates space offensively and is always a danger to drive to the hoop for a shooting basket.” *
During his time as a Buckeye, Okpara shot an incredible 58.6 percent from the floor, scoring in double figures 12 times, grabbing double-digit rebounds seven times, blocking three or more shots 19 times, and recording two double-doubles.
The 2023–24 sophomore from Lagos, Nigeria, made 34 of his 35 appearances as a starting player. Okpara finished each game with 6.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks. Throughout the season, his field goal percentage was 58.6%.
Nine of Okpara’s double-digit scoring games, five of his double-figure rebounding games, and fourteen of his three-block games occurred between 2023 and 2024. In the NIT, he scored 14.0 points per game on 59.4% shooting, dominating the last three games of the regular season. Okpara kicked off the competition.
scored a career-high 16 points on March 19, 2024, against Cornell.
In 2023–2024, Okpara grabbed five or more offensive rebounds on 23 occasions, and he reached seven twice. He averaged 2.3 offensive rebounds per game throughout the season, helping the Buckeyes finish 22-14 overall.
According to CBB Reference, Okpara had a 10.4 block % (ranked No. 18 among players with 500+ minutes) and an 11.1 offensive rebound percentage on the year. He also averaged 4.0 blocks and 3.8 offensive rebounds per 40 minutes. In 2023–24, Okpara had the second-highest minutes of any player in the nation, accounting for at least 10.0 blocks and 11.0 offensive rebounds.
There are just eight other Power Six players who have played even 250+ minutes in the season and have hit the 10 and 11 marks: Donovan Clingan of Connecticut (788), J’aVier Francis of Houston (765), Ibrahima Diallo of UCF (608), Dylan Cardwell of Auburn (509), Jamarion Sharp of Ole Miss (489), Ugonna Onyenso of Kentucky (450), Hason Ward of Iowa State (445), and Zuby Ejiofor of St. John’s (370).
With eight of the ten players above him playing more minutes per game, Okpara concluded the season at No. 11 in the nation and second in the Big Ten in terms of blocks per game. In terms of total blocks (83), he was also third in the Big Ten and ninth nationally; six of the eight players ahead of him played more total minutes.
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