HONOLULU, HI - DECEMBER 25: Kellan Grady #31 of the Davidson Wildcats shoots the ball as he is defended by Jimond Ivey #0 of the Akron Zips during the second half of the seventh place game of the Diamond Head Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center on December 25, 2017 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)According to 247Sports’ Evan Daniels, a number of major programs are interested in Akron forward Daniel Utomi. The 6-foot-6 Utomi is a grad transfer coming off two straight years a starter for the Zips.
Over the past two seasons, Utomi has averaged over 15 points per game and five rebounds per game. His strong play also earned him a spot on the All-MAC Honorable Mention list this year.
NCAA Tournament teams Iowa, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia are among those recruiting Utomi.
Other top programs like Clemson, Georgia Tech, USC, Wichita State, and Xavier and others are trying to bring him into the fold as well.
Akron transfer Daniel Utomi has heard from North Carolina, USC, Xavier, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Wichita state, Nevada, Iowa & Virginia. Has hit 181 threes in last two seasons. Eligible immediately.
— Evan Daniels (@EvanDaniels) March 27, 2019
One of those options, Iowa, is slated to lose two of its top forwards, so a return to the NCAA Tournament next year could hinge on the team’s ability to bring in some talent and experience at the position. Utomi would be a big addition.
Under Eric Musselman, Nevada has gotten a lot of traction in the transfer market, making the Wolf Pack an attractive option. Utomi went for 14 points and 10 rebounds against Nevada earlier in the year.
North Carolina and Virginia are true ACC powers and No. 1 seeds in the ongoing NCAA Tournament. If he wants to play for a title, those could be the best options, though playing time may be a bit more difficult to come by.
