Oral Roberts forward Kevin Obanor, one of the breakout stars of the NCAA tournament, entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer Friday morning.
Obanor, a 6-foot-8 forward from Houston, has been one of the most productive players in the Summit League the past three seasons. As a junior, he earned first-team All-Summit honors after averaging 18.7 points and 9.6 rebounds, while shooting 46.3% from 3-point range. He averaged 12.3 points and 6.8 boards as a sophomore and 14.8 points and 7.4 rebounds as a freshman.
As a 15-seed in the NCAA tournament, Oral Roberts made a Cinderella run to the Sweet 16 before falling to Arkansas by two points. Obanor was outstanding during the run, going for 30 points and 11 rebounds against Ohio State and then 28 points and 11 boards against Florida. He tallied a double-double in the loss to the Razorbacks.
While the deadline to enter the portal and be eligible next season was July 1, Obanor is presumed to have begun the compliance process before the deadline. Moreover, his status as a graduate transfer could make the deadline irrelevant in his case.
Obanor and teammate Max Abmas both entered the NBA draft following the season, although Abmas is yet to withdraw his name. He has until Wednesday to announce a return to college.