West Virginia sophomore forward James Okonkwo has made quite a few transitions over the last couple of years, and this year is no different. From England to America and from getting minimal playing time to now figuring out his role with the Mountaineers.
Okonkwo, a native of Maidenhead, England, transitioned from a talented tennis player to a young basketball player before coming over to America. Though Okonkwo had the talent to garner the attention of Bob Huggins, he would have to make the transition from empty gyms in the U.K., to a sold out Big 12 venue.
“In the place I used to play, we had a crowd of maybe 15 parents, so it’s a big step up from 15 parents to 14,000 screaming fans,” Okonkwo said.
Even in his year of prep school in the states, Okonkwo never got to play in front of packed gyms, as COVID-19 restrictions kept crowds at a minimum. Okonkwo said making the jump from playing in front of virtually no one, to being placed in a premier college basketball venue as a true freshman left him amazed.
“I was just kind of shocked,” Okonkwo said about the experience. “I felt as if the adrenaline hit me really quickly, and I was gassed in like six minutes, but now I’m oriented to it. I don’t really pay much attention to it; I just try to get a win.”
Another transition Okonkwo has made in his short time with West Virginia is playing time. In the 2021-2022 season, Okonkwo saw action in just three games, as the true freshman at the time dealt with a foot injury early in the season, and once conference play rolled around, he was one of the last off the bench.
Now this year, Okonkwo has made himself a valuable option coming off the bench for Huggins. In WVU’s loss to Kansas, Okonkwo came off the bench and played 19 minutes, making his only shot from the field, while also recording six rebounds and two blocks against the defending national champions.
In three of WVU’s last four games, Okonkwo has played at least 14 minutes, and the sophomore had a somewhat breakout performance at Texas Tech.
Against the Red Raiders, Okonkwo played 22 minutes, scoring five points, while recording 10 rebounds and two blocks — one of which being a perfectly timed, two-handed stuffing of Texas Tech forward Daniel Batcho. Okonkwo’s efforts helped seal the first road Big 12 win for WVU since the 2020-2021 season.
Stacking together these performances has helped Okonkwo gain a sense of belonging, while also boosting his confidence.
“I think it’s getting there,” Okonkwo said. “I think it has gotten up. I think Coach [Huggins] trusts me more. He knows what he puts me in to do — get some rebounds, be an athlete on the floor, defend the rim, so now I have more confidence overall.”
Okonkwo continued to do just that against No. 15 Auburn in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge this past Saturday.
Okonkwo scored six points in 15 minutes, while going 5 for 5 from the free throw line. In addition to that, the sophomore picked up four rebounds and two blocks, with the last block exciting the crowd with just over six minutes left to play.
Huggins has clearly seen improvement from the 19-year-old, as Okonkwo’s minutes continue to tick upwards. Huggins also raved about the physical qualities of his young big man.
“He’s our most athletic big,” Huggins said. “He’s probably our most talented when it comes to overall athletic talent. He can run, he can jump, he can move his feet, he’s a quick jumper. He just needs to do it on a consistent basis and he’s going to be in the lineup.”
The Mountaineers currently sit at 13-9 (2-7 Big 12) on the season and will need to pick up some more quality wins down the stretch to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Look for Okonkwo to continue to play more for Huggins’s squad, including more minutes in tight games against premier Big 12 competition.
