Olivier Nkamhoua withdraws from NBA Draft, will transfer from Tennessee basketball
Tennessee basketball forward Olivier Nkamhoua is withdrawing from the NBA Draft and will transfer to another school, he confirmed to Knox News on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-9 Nkamhoua has been linked to Baylor and Michigan among other possible transfer destinations.
Nkamhoua entered the transfer portal on March 30 after completing his paperwork to enter the NBA Draft, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. He entered the transfer portal to keep his college options open and to allow him to maintain his eligibility.
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Nkamhoua averaged 10.8 points and 5.0 rebounds as a senior. He had a pair of huge performances in some of the biggest wins of the season and was the only UT player to start all 36 games.
He had 27 points and five rebounds in Tennessee's 65-52 win against Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He scored 23 second-half points, powering UT to its first Sweet 16 since 2019 with a torrid scoring stretch.
Nkamhoua also had a starring game against Texas on Jan. 28 at Thompson-Boling Arena. He had 27 points and eight rebounds against the Longhorns.
Nkamhoua averaged 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds in 112 games with 58 starts at Tennessee. He became a staple of the lineup in his final two seasons with the Vols. He shot 51.8% and 36.4% on 3-pointers, expanding his range and his shooting ability later in his career. He averaged 8.6 points and 5.6 rebounds as a junior before suffering a season-ending left ankle injury at South Carolina in February 2022.
Nkamhoua signed with Tennessee as a three-star recruit in the 2019 class out of Bishop Walsh School in Maryland.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Olivier Nkamhoua withdraws from NBA Draft, will transfer from Tennessee basketball
