Rutgers Cliff Omoruyi withdrawing from the 2023 NBA draft: Examining the potential All-American's impact on the Big Ten
Cliff Omoruyi is bucking the trend right now, electing to return to his collegiate program instead of remaining in the NBA draft pool. The Rutgers big man will be back in the Big Ten for another season. Considering how close the Scarlet Knights were to the NCAA Tournament, unfinished business may have played a role.
Rutgers had a monstrous defense last season, finishing sixth nationally in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency ratings. For context, the national champion UConn Huskies were seventh in that metric. Omoruyi was a major part of that defense, leading the team with 2.1 blocks and 9.6 rebounds per game.
A few things about Cliff Omoruyi:
1. He's returning to Rutgers.
2. He's one of college basketball's best athletes and finishers.
3. Nobody's better at getting an oop off the opening tip. 😱⤵️
@wizcliff77 x @RutgersMBB https://t.co/BN4MNaEbQ4
Cliff Omoruyi adds verticality to their offense, too, and Rutgers needs all of the scoring help it can get. He finished the 2022-23 season averaging 13.2 points per game, a career high. Another year in Piscataway should only result in better production for the Scarlet Knights.
So, what's in store for Rutgers now that their starting center is back in the fold? Last year's team was so close to March Madness but fell short with a 19-15 mark. A return to the Big Dance needs to happen this year, and it begins with conference play.
Cliff Omoruyi's return needs to equal Big Ten success
Cliff Omoruyi is one of the Big Ten's top big men and brings experience to the table. If this program is going to return to the NCAA Tournament and flourish into consistent success, it begins this year. His return leaves little excuses for this program to stop growing.
A 2-6 stretch to close out the regular season doomed Rutgers in 2022-23. They were ranked before that, and the Scarlet Knights appeared to be legitimate threats to Purdue for the conference crown. Instead, that rocky finish left them short of a third straight tournament bid, which would've marked the most consecutive appearances in program history.
CLIFF OMORUYI JUST MURDERED 7 FOOT 4 ZACH EDEY. SELL THE POSTERS. https://t.co/YRgQBKSSSE
The world has seen what Rutgers can do when it's clicking, taking down ranked opponents such as No. 1 Purdue and entering the Top 25. Cliff Omoruyi has also made a name for himself in the paint. The center nearly averaged a double-double along with multiple blocks per game.
Omoruyi sets the tone for the Scarlet Knights. They were a nightmare to score on before, and he's returning a year older and wiser. The Big Ten may have thought they escaped Cliff Omoruyi, but they haven't, so the rest of the conference has to worry about Rutgers again.