Not a five-star recruit, but a perfect fit for Kentucky basketball? ‘He’s unbelievable.’
Following two more viewings at high profile basketball showcases this month, not a whole lot has changed regarding the assessment of Cliff Omoruyi’s abilities on the court.
“Nothing different — he’s unbelievable,” Rivals.com national analyst Corey Evans told the Herald-Leader after watching Omoruyi at last weekend’s Hoophall Classic.
Evans also scouted Omoruyi — a 6-foot-10 center and major Kentucky recruiting target — at the Cancer Research Classic this month. He reiterated his earlier comparison to former Louisville star Montrezl Harrell, who’s currently a key player for the Los Angeles Clippers.
“From a physical perspective, he’s top-notch,” Evans said of Omoruyi. “There aren’t many guys that are 6-10 with a 7-5 wingspan that have an NBA body. Can he be Montrezl Harrell at the next level? The motor is there. He’s probably bigger than Montrezl. He’s just as long.
“He’s still developing a skill set, but he also has one. I just think it comes down to knowing the time and place to use it. But Cliff is the kind of guy that just knows what he is. He’s going to play for the betterment of his team, and that means being a rim-runner, being a shot-blocker, being a rebounder, and just changing the game in any way possible from a physical perspective down low.”
Omoruyi’s status in the 2020 recruiting class is a bit of an enigma. Talk to national analysts like Evans who have seen him play countless times over the past couple of years, and all you hear are positive — often gushing — comments. It’s the type of praise usually reserved for the very best in each recruiting class.
Yet Omoruyi — a native of Nigeria, now playing for Roselle Catholic (N.J.) — is ranked just 55th nationally by Rivals.com and no higher than No. 42 overall by any of the other major recruiting services.
Evans noted that Omoruyi would move up in the next Rivals.com rankings update, which is coming later this month, but he also addressed his relatively low ranking compared to how he’s viewed by analysts.
“Honestly, it’s his skill set. Developing some ball skills further,” he said. “I know he can do it, because I’ve seen him in practice. But it’s harder to see in games. We value him because he’s so rare and unique in today’s game and culture, compared to everyone else who wants to be (Kevin) Durant instead of trying to be Dwight Howard. And that’s why he’s so valuable.”
Omoruyi’s fit at Kentucky
Omoruyi’s comfortability doing the dirty work in the paint that many bigs shy away from — coupled with his sheer size, strength and motor — makes him a rare find in high school basketball.
As Evans implied, many of the nation’s most talented taller prospects want to play down a position number. Durant — a near 7-footer with a perimeter game — is often the first name that comes up when asking a young five-star recruit of that size which NBA player he idolizes.
However Omoruyi would answer that question, his approach to the game more resembles the now-out-of-fashion bruising centers of the past. That style still has a place in college basketball. Similarly minded West Virginia freshman Oscar Tshiebwe, a former UK target, is playing a major role for his Top 25 team using the approach. So are others on high-profile teams.
It’s also the kind of style that John Calipari has had success with in the past. Evans pointed out that Nick Richards was supposed to be that kind of player out of high school, but it’s just now coming together for him. Omoruyi could possibly be that guy right away.
“He’s a guy that Cal has not had the past few years,” Evans said. “He’s what Nick was supposed to be, and what he is now. But he’s way more physical. There isn’t a more physical big man in high school basketball than Cliff Omoruyi. At the end of the day — we can talk about the small ball era — but we both know that Cal wants to go the traditional route. And Cliff allows for that to happen. That’s attainable next year with Cliff. Without Cliff — and if there’s no Nick — it’s going to be difficult.”
Kentucky does have early signatures from 6-9 power forwards Isaiah Jackson and Lance Ware, but neither plays the bruising style of Omoruyi, and Evans wasn’t bullish on the chances of getting a 2021 recruit to reclassify and play that role effectively. If the Cats miss on Omoruyi — and Richards heads to the pros — going the graduate transfer route might be UK’s best bet for finding such a player.
If Kentucky does land Omoruyi, he could be a key player right away, despite his relatively low — by Calipari standards — recruiting ranking.
“As long as he goes to the right place and the right system — somewhere that’s going to rely on him to do what he does best: rebound, block shots — he’s a day one guy,” Evans said. “He might not be a 15 (points) and 10 (rebounds) guy, but I could definitely see him be a 10 and eight guy with one or two blocks per game. And you throw those numbers in at a place like Kentucky, where you know those guards are going to get theirs — he definitely has production ahead of him. … And he’s going to impact the game every possession.”
The Omoruyi Crystal Ball
So, what are the Wildcats’ chances of landing the four-star center who could fill a major need on next season’s roster? That remains unclear.
Omoruyi recently narrowed his list to five schools: Kentucky, Arizona State, Auburn, Rutgers and UConn.
He took an official visit to Auburn in the fall and has repeatedly said that he will visit the other four schools on his list before making a decision, which likely won’t come until the spring. Nearby Rutgers has already hosted him for a few unofficial visits, including a recent game that featured loud “We Want Cliff!” chants from the home fans.
Arizona State has a handful of predictions on Omoruyi’s Crystal Ball page — as well as a prediction from Evans — but all of those picks are now several months old, and no one seems particularly confident calling this recruitment.
The Herald-Leader has been told throughout the process that Kentucky is in the top tier of schools for Omoruyi, who was a high school teammate of UK freshman Kahlil Whitney last season at the same school that produced former Wildcats guard Isaiah Briscoe.
Omoruyi has spoken highly of his previous meetings with Calipari, and a visit to Kentucky — especially if he gets to Lexington during the season for a home game — could help sway his decision.
Evans sees three teams at the top.
“I think it’s going to be a Rutgers-Arizona State-Kentucky battle, personally,” he said. “But there’s no end in sight there. It’s going to keep going, so anything could happen with him.”
