It’s happened! James Okonkwo, a transfer from West Virginia, has confirmed his decision to join the North Carolina Tar Heels and arrived in Chapel Hill. The acquisition of Okonkwo only reaffirms the fact that Head Coach Hubert Davis has been active in the transfer portal and the recruiting trail. But who is James Okonkwo? Let’s dive in…
Okonkwo’s Career at West Virginia
Okonkwo represents something a bit different than the last few transfers the Tar Heels have brought to Chapel Hill. When Pete Nance and Brady Manek arrived, both were graduate seniors. In a sense, both were merely stop gaps, expected to plug in and fill a void temporarily. On the other hand, Okonkwo is just 19 years old and arrives with only one full season under his belt.
At West Virginia, Okonkwo averaged just 11 minutes per game. In those 11 minutes, Okonkwo added 2.5 points per game as well as 3.2 rebounds per game. If you’re looking at those numbers and finding them rather pedestrian, you’re probably not alone. What’s there to be excited about?
What Could Okonkwo Bring to Chapel Hill?
When you watch the film, it becomes clear that Okonkwo brings something different than Tar Heel fans may be used to. While returning Center Armando Bacot is a brute force who loves to operate on the low block, Okonkwo is a rim-runner. Okonkwo’s best moments in his limited minutes came when he screened for a ballhandler and dove to the rim. It is not difficult to imagine Okonkwo developing chemistry with R.J. Davis.
One issue on offense is that Okonkwo has not (yet) developed an outside shot. While this isn’t an issue for him down the line, it is yet to be seen how much he’ll be able to share the court with Bacot. If Davis decides to stagger the two players, Okonkwo’s minutes could be limited.
Where Okonkwo’s impact will really be felt is on the other side of the court. Despite being 8th on the team in minutes, Okonkwo somehow led the Mountaineers in blocks last season. Okonkwo has a great feel around the paint. He is able to leverage his athleticism and meet penetrating guards at the basket while also having the awareness to slide over and help cover for teammates who err.
Whether he evolves enough to force Davis’ hand and play him more minutes will ultimately rest in the hands of Okonkwo. Regardless, Okonkwo’s arrival is yet another signal to Tar Heel fans that Hubert Davis has no interest in going the way of Matt Doherty.
