Meet the Transfers: Uche Ofoegbu

Jan 19, 2013; El Paso, TX, USA; Southern Methodist Mustang forward Uche Ofoegbu goes up for a jump shot as Texas El-Paso Miner forward Chris Washburn tries to block the second half at the Don Haskins Center. Texas El-Paso won the game 63-54. Mandatory Credit: Dan Dalstra-USA TODAY Sports

One of the WCC transfers that isn’t getting a ton of publicity compared to the Kyle Wiltjer’s and Aaron Bright’s of the conference, but could be just as impactful is Uche Ofoegbu.

There is a lot of hype surrounding the  SMU transfer, who will make his West Coast Conference debut for the USF Dons this upcoming season. It is rumored that Ofoegbu had a fantastic redshirt season and his athleticism will be a difference maker for the Dons in 2014-2015.

While at SMU…

Ofoegbu did not receive a lot of playing time in his one and only season as a member of the Mustangs.

The freshman logged 7.8 minutes per game in 27 minutes for SMU, averaging 0.6 points and 1.5 rebounds. Ofoegbu never scored more than four points in a single game during his stay at SMU.

Impact at San Francisco

With such a small sample size, it’s hard to quantify what Ofoegbu will bring to the table for USF. Coming out of high school, Ofoegbu was heralded as three-star prospect by Rivals.com with a developing offensive skill set and a physically imposing body. The struggles at SMU could be more indicative to Ofoegbu being placed into a bad situation rather than sheer talent.

Nonetheless, Ofoegbu’s athleticism and versatility makes him a great fit for the WCC. Ofoegbu is listed as a forward on the official roster, but at 6-foot-4 there is no reason why he cannot play some two-guard in Rex Walter’s system. In fact, in this interview with returning USF guard Chris Adams, it was mentioned that he can play point guard as well, and with the Dons young crop of floor generals some of those duties might be delegated to him as well. Also, Ofoegbu has been characterized as a very good defender, something that coach Walters will greatly appreciate.

With the Dons bringing back a very talented roster, Ofoegbu, along with another transfer and host of talented freshmen, could push USF over the top and challenge Gonzaga, BYU and Saint Mary’s for the WCC crown. Adding a good defender, who can shoot, slash and play three different positions will only bode well for the Dons.