Exciting times are on the way for Rutgers Scarlet Knights basketball. Yes, you read that right. Although Rutgers finished this latest season 15-17, they will be heard from next year. Two of the top three prospects in this year's high school recruiting class are making their way to New Jersey. They would be Airious Bailey and Jersey native Dylan Harper. While that is plenty of reason for enthusiasm with Rutgers' program, they could be down a key contributor to help those budding freshmen. Their four-year center Clifford Omoruyi could be on the way out.
Omoruyi entered the transfer portal a few days ago and will be looking for playing time at a new program. He tested the NBA waters a year ago and could pursue that path again in the weeks to come. But in the interim, he can help a team who is needing to replace big men who also are transferring or declaring for the NBA Draft. Two programs fit that bill and stand out as potential options for Omoruyi. They are the Colorado Buffaloes and Connecticut Huskies.
Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado had a lot of talent on their roster this season. Two of their players look like legit candidates to go in the first round of the upcoming NBA Draft in Cody Williams and Tristan da Silva. KJ Simpson is a candidate to go in the second round as well. The Buffaloes struggled a bit during the regular season, but they hit their stride at the right time. They ended up winning two games in the NCAA Tournament and nearly took down Marquette to make it to the Sweet 16.
It was a fine year for Colorado, but they're going to have to remake their roster for next season. Williams and da Silva are assuredly gone. Simpson could return, but starting center Eddie Lampkin has entered the portal as well. As it stands, the Buffaloes' entire starting frontcourt is poised to leave the team this offseason.
If the Buffs can snag Clifford Omoruyi, he can ease the bleeding with their roster turnover. Colorado doesn't have any of ESPN's top 100 recruits coming in either, so they're going to have to replenish through the portal. If Omoruyi wants playing time at a major conference program, he can have it in Boulder. Both sides can help each other here.
UConn Huskies
Another team that could use a replacement at center is the two-time defending National Champion Connecticut Huskies. They lost Adama Sanogo a year ago to the NBA, but didn't miss a beat with Donovan Clingan taking over as the full-time center this season. However, Clingan is poised to be a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, so Dan Hurley is going to have to find a replacement for him somehow.
That hasn't come on the recruiting front yet. UConn has gotten commitments from two of ESPN's top 100 recruits in Ahmad Nowell and Isaiah Abraham. However, Nowell is a guard and Abraham is a wing. Samson Johnson is the only other big that got minutes for the Huskies this season, but he is only 225 pounds. He might not be big enough to anchor a defense the way Clingan and Sanogo were the last two years.
Omoruyi could be that anchor. He's already a solid defensive player and has the size to be pilot Hurley's defense at 6-foot-11 and 240 pounds. The Huskies have already had success adding a former Rutgers player to their squad with how great Cam Spencer played for them this season. Perhaps UConn can do it again with Omoruyi.
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