NCAAB · 1 year ago

CBB Transfer Portal: Top 10 Landing Spots for Clifford Omoruyi

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

10. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets do not typically come to mind as a destination for highly-coveted transfers. Still, head coach Damon Stoudamire is considered a rising name in the industry, and the Yellow Jackets have a couple of talented young guards returning after a season of growth. Clifford Omoruyimight be attracted to Atlanta, and Stoudamire is considered a “player’s coach,” something his former head coach, Steve Pikiell, was not. Georgia Tech is a long shot, but they made the list for Omoruyi, so at least they have a chance.
1. St. John's Red Storm
Legendary coach Rick Pitino has injected enthusiasm and cache into the St. John’s Red Storm basketball program. After narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament, Pitino needs to replace big man Joel Soriano, and former Rutgers big Clifford Omoruyi is a primary target. Omoruyi is a good lob threat on pick and rolls, and he’s an excellent rebounder and rim protector. The Nigerian native averaged nearly three blocks per game and has started 104 games during his collegiate career. Soriano had a block rate of 6.6 percent, an excellent number. Omoruyi helped Rutgers achieve the third-best block rate for shots taken at the rim, 18.2 percent.
2. Seton Hall Pirates
The Seton Hall Pirates are riding a high after winning the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) at Hinkle Fieldhouse with a close victory over Indiana State. If Clifford Omoruyi wanted to stay in New Jersey but migrate to the Big East, the Seton Hall Pirates under head coach Shaheen Holloway would be a potentially great fit. Holloway loves elite defenders, and Omoruyi is a top-notch rim protector who could anchor a good defense. Seton Hall’s roster is still very much up in the air as their season just ended, but they would have a use for Omoruyi’s services.
3. Auburn Tigers
Auburn was one of Clifford Omoruyi’s finalists in 2020 before he ultimately chose to play at Rutgers. Bruce Pearl has invigorated the Tigers program, and they are now a consistent top-20 team that values rim protection. With center Johni Broome anchoring the defense, Auburn had a block rate of 10.7 percent, the top block rate in the country. Omoruyi would be a terrific fit in Auburn’s defense, but here is the catch: Broome is returning for the 2024-2025 season. There are scenarios when the two could co-exist and share minutes to stay fresh and out of foul trouble, but it does make for a tricky sales pitch for Pearl. It would be a very interesting fit if Auburn pursued him and Omoruyi wanted to play in the SEC.
4. UConn Huskies
Dan Hurley’s Connecticut Huskies are on top of the college basketball universe. The Huskies are back-to-back National Champions and have done it with different personnel in both seasons. Hurley has as much recruiting juice as he will likely ever have, and they will have several holes in the roster to fill. Samson Johnson is expected to be the next starting big man, but bringing in Clifford Omoruyi from Rutgers would give UConn the big man rotation they have utilized successfully during the past two seasons. With Donovan Clingan heading to the NBA, UConn will need depth at the position, and Omoruyi could be an interesting piece. UConn added Michigan big man Tarris Reed so the opportunity for Omoruyi may have passed.
5. Oregon Ducks
To paraphrase Monty Python: And now, for something completely different. If Clifford Omoruyi wanted to head West and play in a completely different environment than he is used to in New Jersey, the Oregon Ducks would make sense. Oregon has a history of success with big men from Africa, and the offense Dana Altman utilizes is friendly to the rim running and pick-and-roll lobs that Omoruyi is best at. Oregon was not a stout defensive team during the 2023-2024 season, and the rim protection Omoruyi provided at Rutgers would be a significant boon for Oregon next season.
6. North Carolina Tar Heels
The North Carolina Tar Heels have emerged as a significant possibility for Clifford Omoruyi. The Tar Heels are now without Armando Bacot and need a rim protector and rebounder to fill his shoes. They tried for Oumar Ballo, but he is going to Indiana, and the Tar Heels cannot rely only on the returning Jalen Washington. Omoruyi is an elite defensive rebounder who would help UNC launch its fast breaks. He runs the floor well to finish plays at the rim.

North Carolina 2024-2025 NCAA Title Odds: +1600
7. UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins have had an impressive offseason and are fighting to assemble a roster to return to the NCAA Tournament after a disappointing 2023-2024 campaign. The one area that could use an upgrade is at the center position, relying a lot on the development of Aday Mara. Mara is skilled but has not shown the ability to physically stand up to the rigors of post-play in high-major basketball, especially with UCLA moving to the rugged Big Ten. Mick Cronin would love to have a rim protector and rebounder. A shot blocker like Clifford Omoruyi would help, and UCLA could flex its NIL muscle with a newfound commitment to compete in that area.

UCLA Bruins 2024-2025 NCAA Title Odds: +5500
8. Baylor Bears
Baylor’s basketball program was nearly thrown into flux, with Scott Drew reportedly on the verge of accepting the head coaching position for the Kentucky Wildcats. At some point during a rumored visit to Lexington with his wife to finalize things, Drew’s mind was changed, and Baylor likely breathed a gigantic sigh of relief. Baylor plays an uptempo style that relies heavily on guards getting downhill and shooting a lot of three-pointers. Clifford Omoruyi would help immensely as a rim protector and is one of the best defensive rebounders in the country. Baylor has substantial resources to pull from that would make them attractive for the big man from Rutgers.

Baylor 2024-2025 NCAA Title Odds: +3000
9. Alabama Crimson Tide
The Alabama Crimson Tide has surprisingly lost several key contributors to the transfer portal, but Nate Oats will not change his style of play. His team still figures to be an uptempo team that plays at least four perimeter shooters. Still, they have gained some traction with Clifford Omoruyi and are reportedly one of his schools under consideration. There would be a lot of rebounds to gobble up, and Omoruyi is a mobile enough athlete to get up and down the floor with the fast-paced Tide.

Alabama 2024-2025 NCAA Title Odds: +1600
10. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets do not typically come to mind as a destination for highly-coveted transfers. Still, head coach Damon Stoudamire is considered a rising name in the industry, and the Yellow Jackets have a couple of talented young guards returning after a season of growth. Clifford Omoruyimight be attracted to Atlanta, and Stoudamire is considered a “player’s coach,” something his former head coach, Steve Pikiell, was not. Georgia Tech is a long shot, but they made the list for Omoruyi, so at least they have a chance.
1. St. John's Red Storm
Legendary coach Rick Pitino has injected enthusiasm and cache into the St. John’s Red Storm basketball program. After narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament, Pitino needs to replace big man Joel Soriano, and former Rutgers big Clifford Omoruyi is a primary target. Omoruyi is a good lob threat on pick and rolls, and he’s an excellent rebounder and rim protector. The Nigerian native averaged nearly three blocks per game and has started 104 games during his collegiate career. Soriano had a block rate of 6.6 percent, an excellent number. Omoruyi helped Rutgers achieve the third-best block rate for shots taken at the rim, 18.2 percent.

CBB Transfer Portal: Top 10 Landing Spots for Clifford Omoruyi

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