Ohio State's basketball team is set to face a significant challenge in filling a crucial hole in its frontcourt rotation for the upcoming season. Felix Okpara, the Buckeyes' top rebounder in the 2023-24 season, has announced his decision to enter the transfer portal after two seasons with the team.

During his time with Ohio State, Okpara showcased his skills as an impressive rebounder, averaging 6.4 boards per game, while also contributing 6.6 points per game. The Nigerian-born player's defensive prowess was evident as he finished second in the entire Big Ten conference in blocked shots, with an impressive average of 2.4 per game.

Okpara started 34 of the Buckeyes' 36 games, missing one due to illness and relinquishing his starting position on Senior Day to Zed Key. Unfortunately for Ohio State, Key also entered the transfer portal earlier this April and subsequently joined Dayton.

To address the void created by Okpara's departure, Ohio State has added Aaron Bradshaw, a highly talented center from Kentucky, to their roster via the transfer portal. Bradshaw, a five-star prospect from the 2024 recruiting class, is expected to step into Okpara's spot in the starting lineup for the 2024-25 season.

Hailing from Link Academy in Missouri, Okpara joined Ohio State as a four-star prospect, adding depth to the Buckeyes' impressive 2022 recruiting class, which ranked eighth nationally. However, the departure of Okpara and other players from that recruiting class, such as Brice Sensabaugh (who was selected in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft) and Roddy Gayle Jr. (who entered the transfer portal earlier in this cycle), has left only Bruce Thornton remaining from that group.

Okpara's freshman year saw him gradually increase his playing time, starting only two of his first 26 games before earning a spot in the starting lineup for the final nine games. He finished the season with averages of four points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. Notably, Okpara concluded his Buckeye career with an impressive 43-game block streak, surpassing a school record set by Ken Johnson from 1998 to 2000.

Overall, Okpara leaves Ohio State just one block shy of the top 10 on the university's career blocks list, with a total of 127 blocks during his two-year tenure. His departure leaves the Buckeyes with two scholarships open, which they are likely to use to add a versatile forward to replace some of Jamison Battle's production from the previous season and another physical frontcourt defender to fill the void left by Okpara.

Ohio State has been actively exploring potential options to strengthen their frontcourt, with visits from versatile forwards such as Trey Townsend from Oakland, Tucker Anderson from Central Arkansas, and Sam Walters from Alabama. The Buckeyes will need to carefully consider their choices to ensure a strong and balanced roster for the upcoming season.