James Okonkwo played 31 games as a sophomore for West Virginia in 2022-23, leading the Mountaineers in blocked shots. However, this season, the 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward from England made only 15 appearances for Hubert Davis’ third UNC basketball squad, averaging 1.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in 2.9 minutes per game.
So, with another year of eligibility left, it’s no surprise that Okonkwo is looking for a bigger role elsewhere by using the transfer site, as reported by 24/7 High School Hoops on Friday morning.
The announcement is the first of any kind this offseason for the Tar Heels, who may lose numerous more players to the transfer portal or the professional ranks in the coming weeks.
Davis and his staff are likely to complete their 2024-25 roster by adding at least a couple of veteran transfers to their three-deep 2024 recruiting class, which includes two five-stars and McDonald’s All-Americans in guard Ian Jackson and forward Drake Powell, as well as four-star centre James Brown.
As things stand, the UNC basketball programme has five open scholarships for the next season. Again, that number might alter depending on what players like RJ Davis, Harrison Ingram, and others decide to do.
Of course, James Okonkwo, 20, may return to Chapel Hill after examining his alternatives in the portal. However, such a move is unusual.
