Rick Barnes has completely flipped the script on Tennessee basketball. A once mediocre program is now boasting plenty of talent and winning games like never before. Tennessee could realistically have three players drafted in the NBA Draft this June. Tennessee has freshman star Nate Ament looking like a lottery pick, while veteran guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie and center Felix Okpara are pushing their way into second-round territory. It’s another example of how well Barnes has done both recruiting talent and developing guys for the NBA.
These 3 NBA teams would be perfect landing spots for Ja'Kobi Gillespie
To build on that, per Jake Weingarten, former Vol center Felix Okapra is heating up with buzz as we inch toward the NBA Draft. Okpara is viewed as a player who is rising on plenty of draft boards. Okpara has worked out with San Antonio and Washington so far.
Tennessee’s Felix Okpara is generating a lot of buzz post-combine and is rising up plenty of boards, source told @Stockrisers. Has worked out with several teams including San Antonio and Washington.
— Jake (@jakeweingarten) May 26, 2026
Measured at 6’10 at the combine and impressed during scrimmage play.
Felix Okpara is a riser for the NBA Draft
This is big news for Felix Okpara and the Vols' NBA footprint. It’s always great to see more players from the program make it to the league, and with Okpara solidifying himself in that conversation, you can’t help but be happy for him.
What makes him such a strong prospect is that he does all the little things many players don’t get recognized for. Okpara contests passing lanes, blocks shots, sets screens, boxes out, and rebounds, all the small details that don’t always show up in the box score but are crucial to winning. In the NBA you can never have too much rim protection and rebounding. Plus, Okapra knows his role. He will never be a back-to-the-basket post scorer, but a rim runner who will play hard and gritty.
In a post about NBA fits for Okpara, I said Washington would be a great landing spot, so it makes sense that they're interested in him. The Wizards were one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA last season, and outside of Alex Sarr, they really need more frontcourt help behind him. They’ve got two second-round picks, so they could either trade up or take a swing if someone like Okpara is still available.
If they did land Felix Okpara, it would give them a really nice defensive frontcourt with Sarr and Anthony Davis as well. Plus, guys like Trae Young, Davis, and Sarr can core and it wouldn’t have to be the main focus for Okpara, so he can focus on what he does best.
Plus, the San Antonio Spurs could use more depth behind Victor Wembanyama, especially after they will be losing Mason Plumlee. Adding another affordable frontcourt option would make sense for their roster. Felix Okpara would have to compete with former Vanderbilt big man Luke Kornet, but he fits well with San Antonio’s style and system.
Either way, it’s really exciting that Felix Okpara is getting his shot at the next level, and hopefully, he can make the most of that opportunity.
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