2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster
Roster
Okpara, Felix
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Jersey Number 34
Felix Okpara
- Class:
- Senior
- Position:
- F
- Height:
- 6-11
- Weight:
- 235
- Hometown:
- Lagos, Nigeria
- High School:
- Link Academy (Mo.)
- Prev School:
- Ohio State
Bio
CAREER HIGHS
- Points: 16 (2x) // last at Vanderbilt, 1/18/25
- Rebounds: 15 // at Indiana, 1/6/24
- Assists: 2 (8x) // last vs. Kentucky, 1/28/25
- Steals: 4 // vs. North Carolina (N), 12/17/22
- Blocks: 5 (4x) // last at Michigan, 1/15/24
- Field Goals: 7 (2x) // last at Vanderbilt, 1/18/25
- Field-Goal Attempts: 13 // at Cornell, 3/19/24
- 3-Pointers: 1 (2x) // last vs. Mississippi State, 1/21/25
- 3-Point Attempts: 2 // at Purdue, 3/11/23
- Free Throws: 4 (6x) // last at Kentucky, 2/11/25
- Free-Throw Attempts: 7 // vs. Cornell, 3/19/24
- Minutes: 35:37 // at Auburn, 1/25/25
HONORS
- 2024-25 NABC Honors Court
- 2024-25 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll
2024-25 – JUNIOR
- Game-by-Game Statistics
- One of three Tennessee players who started all 38 games to set a new single-season program record.
- Tied for the fourth-most blocks (64) in a single season by a Volunteer, as well as placed No. 11 in offensive rebounds (93), No. 12 in blocks per game (1.68) and No. 19 in offensive rebounding average (2.45).
- Averaged 7.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 25.8 minutes per game, while shooting 58.9 percent from the field.
- Paced the Volunteers in blocks and offensive rebounding (2.4), while ranking second in field-goal percentage (min. 10 FGA), total rebounding and defensive rebounding (4.0).
- Also finished fifth on the team in scoring, minutes and made field goals (112).
- Posted one double-double and led the team with 69 dunks.
- Became the 14th SEC player in the last 20 years (2005-25) with multiple outings in a single season shooting 6-of-6 or better from the floor.
- Placed seventh nationally, per Synergy Sports, in dunks, as well as tied for No. 27 in total blocks and ranked No. 42 in blocks average.
- Finished third in the SEC in both blocks average and total blocks, plus co-seventh in total offensive rebounds (93), ninth in offensive rebounds per game, No. 11 in total rebounds (244) and No.15 in both total rebounding average and total defensive rebounds (151).
- In SEC-only play, ranked third in blocks (2.1), No. 13 in rebounding (6.5) and No. 15 in offensive rebounding (2.3).
- Tied for the most (seven) and third-most (six) made field goals without a miss in league play by any SEC competitor.
- Won 29 of 38 jump balls, including 17 in a row to end the season.
- Led or co-led the Volunteers in blocks a team-best 23 times and in rebounding 13 times, second-most on the team, plus did so in steals and minutes once each.
- Scored double-digit points 11 times and reached 15-plus twice, pulled down seven-plus rebounds 20 times while reaching double figures thrice and blocked multiple shots 18 times with three-plus on 10 occasions.
- Tied for the most offensive rebounds in a game (seven) by a Volunteer, posted two of the team’s three five-dunk performances and had both of Tennessee’s outings with six-plus made field goals without a miss (six and seven).
- Notched eight points on 4-of-5 shooting and a game-best 11 rebounds, a top-10 single-game mark in NCAA Tournament play in program history, in the Sweet 16 victory over No. 18/21 Kentucky (3/28/25).
- Led all players with nine rebounds in the SEC Tournament semifinal win over third-ranked Auburn (3/15/25).
- Compiled 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting, a team-high seven rebounds and a game-best two blocks, entering the top 10 on Tennessee's single-season leaderboard (54) in the latter category, at Ole Miss (3/5/25).
- Posted 15 points, one shy of his career high, along with seven rebounds and two blocks in the triumph at LSU (2/25/25), finishing with perfect marks from the floor (6-of-6) and the line (3-of-3).
- Posted eight points on 4-of-6 shooting to go along with a game-best and co-season-high four blocks in the win at Oklahoma (2/8/25).
- Recorded 12 points, six rebounds, three blocks and a 4-of-5 free throw clip, tying a career best in makes, in the win over No. 15/16 Missouri (2/5/25).
- Posted 10 points, a co-team-high eight rebounds and two blocks in the win over No. 5/6 Florida (2/1/24), shooting 4-of-5 from the floor and making both his free throws.
- Totaled six points, a team-high nine rebounds, a team-best two blocks, one assist and one steal at top-ranked Auburn (1/25/25).
- Compiled nine points and a season-best 12 rebounds in a season-high 32 minutes of action in the win over No. 14 Mississippi State (1/21/25), plus tied a career high in made free throws with a 4-of-5 mark.
- Tied a career high with 16 points by shooting 7-of-7 from the floor, including throwing down five alley-oop dunks, at Vanderbilt (1/18/25) to become the third Volunteer in the last 17 seasons (2008-25) to hit seven-plus field goals without a miss, as well as the first person from any school to do so in an SEC road game in over a year, adding a season-high four blocks to his line.
- Compiled seven points, a game-best nine rebounds and a game-leading three blocks, the latter all in the last 10 minutes, in the triumph at Texas (1/11/25), adding multiple assists for the first time as a Volunteer.
- Produced eight points, seven rebounds and a game-high three blocks at eighth-ranked Florida (1/7/25) in his first SEC road outing.
- In his first SEC contest, scored 10 points in the victory over No. 23/RV Arkansas (1/4/25).
- Scored 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting, converting a quartet of dunks, versus Middle Tennessee State (12/23/24).
Turned in a nine-point, nine-rebound performance against Western Carolina (12/17/24), grabbing six boards on the offensive end. - Put up his first double-double as a Volunteer with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting and then-season-best 10 rebounds versus UT Martin (11/27/24), adding a season-high four blocks.
- Put up 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting, seven rebounds, three blocks, one assist and one steal against Austin Peay (11/17/24).
- Recorded 13 points on a 5-of-7 field-goal ledger and perfect 3-of-3 free-throw clip versus Montana (11/13/24), plus blocked two shots.
- Scored 10 points and shot a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor at Louisville (11/9/24), adding six rebounds in the win.
2023-24 – SOPHOMORE (at Ohio State)
- Appeared in 35 of 36 games, missing one due to illness, and earned 34 starting nods.
- Averaged 6.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 23.5 minutes per game, finishing with a 58.6 percent field-goal clip.
- Tied for the eighth-most total blocks in a single season in Ohio State history with 83.
- Paced the team in field-goal percentage, total rebounding, offensive rebounding (2.3), blocks and dunks (49), as well as ranked fourth in scoring and made field goals (99).
- One of two DI players, alongside NCAA blocked shots leader Isaiah Cozart of Eastern Kentucky, to notch 60-plus blocks and register at least one in every appearance.
- Per KenPom, registered a 10.2 block percentage to rank No. 18 among qualified DI players, as well as posted an 11.1 offensive rebound percentage.
- Played the second-most minutes (824) of anyone with at least a 10.0 block percentage and 11.0 offensive rebound percentage, while only eight other Power Six players hit those marks at even 250-plus minutes: Connecticut's Donovan Clingan (788), Houston's J'aVier Francis (765), UCF's Ibrahima Diallo (608), Auburn's Dylan Cardwell (509), Ole Miss' Jamarion Sharp (489), Kentucky's Ugonna Onyenso (450), Iowa State's Hason Ward (445) and St. John's' Zuby Ejiofor (370).
- Placed ninth nationally in total blocks and No. 11 in blocks per game, with all but two of the players above him in each category logging more minutes per contest.
- Ranked fourth nationally with 25 multiple-block showings, trailing only Purdue’s Zach Edey, Eastern Kentucky’s Isaiah Cozart and Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner.
- Finished second in the Big Ten in blocks average and third in total blocks, as well as ninth in total offensive rebounds (79), No. 10 in offensive rebounding average, co-No. 13 in total rebounds (224) and No. 14 in rebounding average.
- In league-only action, placed second in both blocks average (2.4) and total blocks (47), plus co-sixth in both offensive rebounding average (2.2) and total offensive rebounds (45), as well as co-No. 12 in total rebounds (128) and co-No. 14 in rebounding average (6.4).
- Scored in double figures on nine occasions, posting 14-plus points three times.
- Grabbed five-plus rebounds 25 times, reaching seven-plus in 18 games, 10-plus in five outings and 14-plus twice, all team highs.
- Pulled down at least five offensive boards in five contests and logged seven twice, both marks leading the team.
- Recorded 25 multiple-block performances, posting at least three in 14 of them and four-plus in six, all team highs.
- Accounted for half the team’s double-digit rebounding outings, including notching the two top single-game totals (15 and 14).
- Compiled all but one of Ohio State’s 15 three-block showings and all six of its four-block outings.
- Tied for the most offensive rebounds (seven, twice) in a single game by a Buckeye.
- Concluded the year by averaging 13.7 points per game on 63.3 percent (19-of-30) 2-point shooting in the team’s three NIT outings.
- Notched 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks against Georgia (3/26/24) in the NIT quarterfinals.
- Put up 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting, six rebounds and two blocks in an NIT second-round win over Virginia Tech (3/23/24).
- Opened the NIT with a career-best 16-point display against Cornell (3/19/24), shooting 7-of-13 from the floor to set a career high in makes, while adding seven boards and three blocks.
- Compiled four points, 10 rebounds and four blocks versus No. 13/14 Illinois (3/15/24) in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
- Ended the regular season with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, eight rebounds and three blocks in a victory at Rutgers (3/10/24).
- Contributed 10 points, six rebounds and two blocks in a win at Michigan State (2/25/24), shooting 5-of-8 from the field.
- Tied a then-career high with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting at Iowa (2/2/24), adding eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals.
- Finished with eight points and 14 rebounds, one shy of his career best, in a win against Penn State (1/20/24), chipping in three blocks.
- Tallied 10 points, nine rebounds and a co-career-high five blocks in a career-high-tying 35 minutes at Michigan (1/15/24), shooting 5-of-8 from the floor.
- Produced six points, a career-best 15 rebounds and a career-high-tying five blocks at Indiana (1/6/24).
- Had 10 points, four rebounds and two blocked shots in a victory over UCLA (12/16/23) in the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta.
- Did not play against New Orleans (12/21/23) due to illness, the lone game he missed in two years with the Buckeyes.
- Registered nine points on a 4-of-5 field-goal clip and eight rebounds at Penn State (12/9/23).
- Set a career high with five blocks in a win over Minnesota (12/3/23) to begin Big Ten Play, adding three points and eight rebounds.
- Scored 14 points on a perfect 6-of-6 field-goal ledger against Central Michigan (11/29/23), adding nine boards.
- Grabbed 10 rebounds in just 18 minutes in a win over eventual NCAA semifinalist No. 17/15 Alabama (11/24/23) in the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla.
- Compiled 11 rebounds versus Western Michigan (11/19/23), adding six points and four blocked shots.
2022-23 – FRESHMAN (at Ohio State)
- One of five Buckeyes to compete in all 35 games, he started 11 contests, including each of the final nine.
- Averaged 4.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 15.5 minutes per game, while shooting 58.7 percent from the floor.
- Recorded 44 total blocks, the sixth-most by a freshman in Ohio State history.
- Led the team in field-goal percentage and blocks, plus placed third in offensive rebounding (1.3) and fifth in total rebounding.
- Compiled two double-doubles, third-most among Buckeyes.
- If qualified, would have ranked No. 27 nationally in block percentage (8.8), per KenPom.
- Placed fifth in the Big Ten in both blocks per game and total blocks, and was the conference’s only player with 32-plus rejections (top-13 in the league) who averaged under 21.0 minutes per game.
- In league-only action, finished co-seventh in total blocks (24) and eighth in blocks per game (1.2).
- Scored in double figures three times, as well as blocked multiple shots on a team-best 12 occasions, with four-plus a team-leading twice.
- Pulled down at least five rebounds in seven contests, reaching eight-plus in three and tallying 12 twice.
- Registered multiple steals three times, as well as twice notched two assists.
- Accumulated five of the team’s eight three-block performances, including the top two single-game figures (five and four).
- Collected the top single-game steal total (four) by a Buckeye and tied for the second-most offensive rebounds (six) in an outing.
- Ended the year with seven points, four rebounds and one block versus No. 5/3 Purdue (3/11/23) in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
- Put up eight points on 4-of-6 shooting, eight rebounds and a season-best five blocks in a season-high 35 minutes of action in a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal victory over Michigan State (3/10/23).
- Logged a season-high 12 points, a co-season-best 12 rebounds and three blocks in 31 minutes versus Maryland (3/1/23) in the home finale, shooting 5-of-8 from the floor to tie his top mark in makes.
- Scored eight points on a perfect 4-of-4 field-goal clip against Penn State (2/23/23).
- Had four points, making both his field-goal attempts, and blocked four shots at third-ranked Purdue (2/19/23).
- Tallied eight points on 4-of-5 shooting at Indiana (1/28/23), adding four rebounds and a block.
- Recorded six points on 3-of-4 shooting and three blocks against Iowa (1/21/23).
- Stuffed the stat sheet against top-ranked Purdue (1/5/23), totaling five points, five rebounds, three blocks and two assists in 30 minutes of play.
- Accumulated 10 points, four rebounds and one block against Maine (12/21/22), shooting 5-of-7 from the floor.
- Hit both his field-goal attempts versus reigning NCAA finalist North Carolina (12/17/22) in the CBS Sports Classic in New York City, ending the contest with four points, three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a season-best four steals in just 12 minutes.
- Notched his first double-double with 10 points, including hitting a 3-pointer on his first collegiate attempt, and a season-high 12 rebounds against St. Francis (PA) (12/3/22), adding two steals and a block.
HIGH SCHOOL
- Unanimously considered a four-star recruit and a top-four prospect in the state of Missouri.
- Finished No. 68 overall in the On3 Consensus rankings, including ninth among centers.
- Ranked as the No. 62 recruit in the nation by ESPN and the No. 71 overall prospect by Rivals.
- Spent his final prep year at Link Academy, where he played alongside eventual Tennessee teammate Cameron Carr, as well as one-and-done Volunteer standout Julian Phillips.
- Recorded over 8.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game as a senior, aiding his team to a 34-2 record and a runner-up finish at GEICO Nationals.
- Set a school record with 160 blocked shots in three years at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tenn.
- Averaged approximately 11.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game during his junior campaign.
- Logged 113 blocked shots, then a single-season school record, as a sophomore, breaking the prior mark by 43.
- Swatted 16 shots in a game against Lighthouse Christian on 2/12/20 to set a school record, breaking his own mark of 10 against Core4Prep on 11/19/19.
- In addition to Carr and Phillips, played with Omaha Biliew (Wake Forest/Iowa State), Trey Green (Xavier), Damien Mayo Jr. (Southern Illinois/Missouri State), Ethan Lathan (Boise State), Tarris Reed Jr. (Connecticut/Michigan) and Jordan Walsh (Boston Celtics/Arkansas), among others, at Link.
- First-round NBA Draft choices Shai Gilgeous-Alxander, the 2024-25 NBA MVP, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are among the notable Hamilton Heights alumni.
PERSONAL
- Full name is Felix Eberechukwu Okpara.
- Last name is pronounced ock-PAR-uh.
- Born April 20, 2004, in Lagos, Nigeria.
- Moved to the United States in August 2018, settling in Chattanooga, Tenn.
- Parents are Kennedy and Joy Okpara, while his American host parents are Adam and Brittany Levitt.
- Has an older sister (Gold), an older brother (David), a younger brother (Kennedy) and a younger sister (Molly).
- David plays basketball at Cedarville University, an NCCAA Division I school in Ohio, where he won the 2023-24 national title, and Kennedy plays basketball at Lipscomb.
- In his host family, has an older sister (Avery), a younger brother (Reid) and a younger sister (Copelyn).
- Adam, Brittany and Avery Levitt all attended Tennessee.
- Majoring in retail & merchandising management.
- Interests outside of basketball include fashion, movies and video games.
- Played soccer while growing up in Nigeria and did not begin playing basketball until a few months before moving to the United States.
- Favorite athlete is Giannis Antetokounmpo because he can relate to him on and off the court, as well as because of his work ethic.
- Chose Tennessee both because he wanted to be closer to home and due to his love for the coaching staff and players.
- Third player in Tennessee history from Nigeria, joining Yemi Makanjuola (2011-13) and Emmanuel Negedu (2008-09).
- Owns a standing reach over 9-4 and a wingspan just shy of 7-3, plus generates 1,626 pounds of vertical force in his isometric belt test.
- Recipient of The John Stokely Family Athletic Endowment.
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Wednesday, August 20
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Thursday, July 31
