Bulls Offer British Big Man
Ah Spring.
A time when players across the nation can take a buzz that was building about them during their high school season and use the exposure from travel team basketball to pick up scholarship offers and interest from Division I programs. A process that is happening for class of 2020 Worcester (MA) Academy center Josh Ogundele who picked up an offer from USF Monday afternoon following a productive weekend for BABC (Boston Amateur Basketball Club) in the Nike EYBL session in Atlanta.
Bulls head coach Brian Gregory called Worcester Academy head coach Jamie Sullivan to make the offer.
“They called my coach first and then I spoke to them after,” Ogundele said. “I was happy because I have been working hard to get an offer. I’m just happy that I’m starting to become more recognized.”
Ogundele, who is from a borough on the outskirts of London, England called Barking and Dagenham, was recruited to Worcester Academy after he made five three-pointers for the U18 English National Team in a game against Worcester Academy when he was just 15 years-old in the Harris Tournament. The game was played under FIBA rules so we’re talking near NBA distance on those three-pointers.
As with many international players, basketball was not the sport that Ogundele grew up playing. But after growing from 5-foot-11 to almost 6-foot-4 in one summer things changed.
“I first started playing when I was about 14,” Ogundele said. “I went to a boarding school in England. I liked to play rugby and a little bit of soccer here and there but I started growing a lot so a (basketball) coach decided to tell my parents that he wanted me to come play for him so I thought I’d give it a try. So I left my boarding school for a public school and that’s when I first started playing. When I started playing I was terrible.”
Four years later and Ogundele’s skills, while still improving, have caught the attention of college coaches.
“Well, apart from scoring I’m a good passer from the post,” said Ogundele on what he does best. “I can shoot the ball, I don’t normally shoot it but I can shoot the ball. I feel like I’m a good defender in the post, I can block shots now and then. I feel like I can do some of everything really.”
RunningTheBulls.com watched Ogundele in Atlanta last weekend, where he averaged 6.8 points, seven rebounds and one block per game, and we felt that he showed good touch around the basket and that he was a plus rebounder.
Listing his height and weight at “6-foot-9 or 6-foot-10. Maybe 6-foot-10. I think I’ve grown a bit and I’m about 255.” Ogundele also told us that his wingspan was measured at “7-foot-2 or 7-foot-3.” With that size and length, combined with his skill set, it is only a matter of time before more scholarship offers come Ogundele’s way.
Coach Sullivan has been at Worcester Academy for 20 years and has coached over 100 Division I players. He called a USF assistant coach recently and talked to him about coming up to see a few of his players work out and that put Ogundele on USF’s radar.
IN THE WORDS OF HIS COACH: "Tommy Herrion is from the area here. Tommy is a guy who has been a mentor of mine so I called him maybe two or three weeks ago to come up and take a look at a few of the guys. It was more so for the four juniors not just Josh in particular. Josh has really gotten good over the last four or five months. He’s a terrific young man. He has been playing with, and against, some of the best competition you can play against and that is how he has become exponentially better. Through his hard work, his commitment with his teammates and his individual work that he has been doing. He’s a big 6-foot-9 he’s an immovable object inside and once he gets to his sweet spot and gets to his right shoulder he’s tough to defend. High majors are starting to call now. Some schools from the Big East and a couple from the SEC are starting to call."
WHAT’S NEXT?: Despite being a member of the 2020 class, Ogundele’s recruitment is just now starting to develop. With his size, length and skill he will pick up more offers with continues solid play in the NIKE EYBL. USF will need a big in 2020 to replace Antun Maričević so Ogundele is definitely a name to remember.