Butler Basketball: How would grad transfer Femi Olujobi fit with the Bulldogs?

North Carolina A&T graduate transfer Femi Olujobi has named his final four and Butler basketball is included. How might he fit on the Bulldogs’ roster?

The graduate transfer market is red hot right now, with programs across the country eager to scoop up one more piece for their 2018-19 season. This is no different for Butler basketball. Head coach LaVall Jordan seems eager to add another frontcourt option to the rotation and he just might be in luck with North Carolina A&T transfer Femi Olujobi. As announced on April 21, Butler is one of the four teams left in the running for the talented big man.

A 6’8″ power forward, Olujobi exploded in his lone season with the Aggies. He was the go-to offensive option on the year, posting a team-high 16.3 points per game on 59.0% shooting inside the arc and 29.0% from beyond it. In addition, he shot a solid 77.6% from the free throw line. On the glass, he was a sound rebounder, collecting 7.7 boards per contest. While many may point to the weak level of competition in the MEAC as a reason for his excellent season, he also performed well against Power-6 programs.

In meetings with Clemson, Georgetown, and Virginia Tech, Olujobi averaged 19.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. It is also important to note his efficiency in these games. Even against this higher level of competition, he shot 20-for-40 (50.0%) from the field, 7-for-13 (53.8%) from three, and 12-for-13 (92.3) from the free throw line.

What role might Olujobi have at Butler?

Due to the impending graduations of Tyler Wideman and Kelan Martin, Butler is looking to add more size to the frontcourt. As of now, the only big men returning for next season are Nate Fowler and Joey Brunk. However, both of these players are true centers in size and skill set. If Olujobi joins the Bulldogs, he would immediately have a role in the frontcourt as the only power forward on the roster.

While it is possible that a player like Sean McDermott or Jordan Tucker (who joins the team after the first semester) could slide up to the starting power forward slot, Olujobi would the most-likely player to start at that position. Olujobi’s unique offensive game would fit perfectly in Butler’s frontcourt. He is capable of finishing in pick-and-roll as well as pick-and-pop situations. In addition, he does an excellent job working off-ball in the post to set up easy buckets.

The only downside to Olujobi joining the team would be on the defensive end of the floor. Neither Fowler nor Brunk is an elite defender in the frontcourt and they would do best with a defensive stopper at the power forward position. Olujobi can hold his own on defense but he is not excellent. Thankfully, the Bulldogs’ defense will be solid regardless thanks to top-notch defenders in the backcourt.

Who else is hoping to land Olujobi?

Since announcing his intentions to be a graduate transfer, Olujobi has been extremely popular. As already mentioned, he is coming off of a breakout season and there is hope that he can contribute at a high level in a more challenging conference in 2018-19. According to News & Record, Olujobi had this to say about his transfer process:

"“I feel like I’m coming out of high school all over again. It’s been a roller coaster these past few days, I can’t even put my phone down … it’s fun — and stressful — but it just goes to show what putting in the work can do for you.”"

As announced on Olujobi’s Twitter account, Butler is one of the four teams in the running for his commitment. The other three include Hofstra as well as fellow Big East members DePaul and Georgetown. Here are few notes on each of those programs heading into next season:

• Hofstra, a member of the CAA, went 19-12 last season. The Pride will return the majority of their roster from last season but are missing pieces in the frontcourt. Their conference affiliation, though, means that the only way Hofstra would reach the NCAA Tournament is through the automatic bid. The Pride has not played in the Big Dance since the 2000-01 season.
• DePaul is traditionally one of the bottom-feeders in the Big East. The upcoming 2018-19 campaign is expected to be very similar for the Blue Demons. While there is a pair of forwards that are entering their sophomore season on the roster, neither has enough experience to start over Olujobi.
• Georgetown was hoping to move up the Big East standings in 2018-19 but the NBA Draft decisions of Jessie Govan (entered without an agent) and Marcus Derrickson (entered with an agent) have changed things. While this might hurt the postseason goals of the Hoyas, it would allow Olujobi plenty of playing time. Head coach Patrick Ewing, a legend among big men, could be a major reason for Olujobi to potentially join the Hoyas.

All of these schools, including Butler, can offer Olujobi valuable minutes right away. Because of this, it is unlikely that playing time will be an advantage for any program hoping to land the grad transfer. The fact that three of the schools are in the same conference also means that conference affiliation will not help to differentiate members of Olujobi’s final four.

In the same article from News & Record mentioned above, Olujobi also noted his hope of playing in the NCAA Tournament. Considering he only has one year of eligibility left, the best option for making the Big Dance next season is Butler. The Bulldogs have made the NCAA Tournament and won at least one game in each of the past four seasons, something only seven other programs have done.

Next: 2018 Big East recruiting classes

It is far from a sure thing that Olujobi will commit to Butler. Yet, he could tremendously help the Bulldogs continue their tradition of reaching the NCAA Tournament. For Olujobi, this could be a perfect match considering his desire to play in the postseason. For Butler, the big man could seriously improve the frontcourt of the Dawgs.