Butler Men’s Basketball’s Emeka Opurum Inks With Auburn
Grizzly Big Man Headed to the SEC
EL DORADO, Kan. – An integral piece of the 2024-25 Butler Community College men's basketball team, freshman forward Emeka Opurum signed to play for the Auburn Tigers on Monday afternoon.
Opurum, a 7'0" freshman from Lagos, Nigeria, was celebrated in a signing ceremony in the Butler Hall of Fame Room on the El Dorado campus.
"I'm just glad that Bruce Pearl and Auburn were able to see my hard work," Opurum said. "This season at Butler was really fun. It was the first year for nearly everyone, players and coaches. We had a good bond. I love my teammates to death. I'm going to miss everyone here because I was welcomed like family."
The Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Defensive Player of the Year as well as a first team All-KJCCC selection, Opurum shined for the Grizzlies this past season. He led the KJCCC in blocks (87) while ranking fourth in rebounds per game (8.1). With Opurum in the lineup, opponents shot only 39.7% and turned the ball over 14.4 times per contest as Butler (22-11) finished fifth in the KJCCC regular season and advanced to the NJCAA Region 6 Tournament semifinals. Nationally, Opurum ranked 14th in the NJCAA with 2.6 blocks per game and sixth in total blocks. Opurum was also named a First Team All-KJCCC selection. The big man scored in double figures in 13 games and was big down the stretch of the season tallying an 18-point, 19-rebound double-double in a win over No. 5 ranked Cowley. In the opening round of the Region 6 Tournament, he poured in a season-high 20 points to go with seven rebounds in a win over Pratt.
First year head coach Eric Nitsche did not shy away when asked what Opurum meant to him in his first year manning the sidelines for the Grizzlies.
"To put it bluntly, he meant everything," said Nitsche. "Emeka Opurum epitomizes the opportunities this level can present. The way that young man came in and every single day, no matter what the external noise was, you could not tell a difference in him and that is special."
Nitsche continued on discussing Opurum's journey.
"He got here in late August from Nigeria and instantly started putting in the work and getting acclimated. His ability to push through adversity was unique and something you don't usually see at this level. Huge tip of the cap to the community in El Dorado and at Butler for helping Emeka get comfortable so quickly."
Opurum signs on to play for Pearl and the Tigers who are fresh off a season in which they won the Southeastern Conference regular season title and advanced to the NCAA Division 1 Final Four before losing to the eventual national champion Florida Gators. They ended the season with a 32-6 overall record including 15-3 in the SEC.
Pearl had the following to say about Opurum in a release found at AuburnTigers.com.
"Emeka has great upside. He is a legit seven-footer. He has a great wingspan, great timing defensively and has the ability to move his feet. Emeka has three years of eligibility and a great desire to work on his game and body. He is an outstanding student and athlete."
Opurum is the first Grizzly men's basketball student-athlete to sign with a "Power 5" conference immediately following their time at Butler since Andre Ingram signed with Minnesota in 2011.