Rutgers star center Cliff Omoruyi donates NIL money to Salvation Army, which kickstarted his career
Rutgers star center Cliff Omoruyi is giving back to the place that first gave him a chance at basketball. According to CBS Sports, the junior is donating $25,000 of his endorsement money to the Salvation Army of Newark, New Jersey.
Omoruyi moved to The Garden State from Nigeria as a young teenager and got connected with the organization because his host and guardian, Muhammad Oliver, was a volunteer at the basketball program and helped "Big Cliff" hone his skills.
The donation will go toward refurbishing the basketball courts at the Salvation Army where Omoruyi cut his chops.
"I almost gave up on basketball," Omoruyi said of having trouble developing his talent. "He got me to believe that I could be what I want if I just keep working."
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Omoruyi is nearly averaging a double-double for the Scarlet Knights, with 13.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He is the third-best rebounder in the Big Ten and is a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, which is given annually to the best center in the country.
The center also shines off the court. Omoruyi held a shoe drive on campus last spring to benefit those in need in his home country.
Omoruyi signed with management firm IPZ after the NCAA allowed student-athletes to sign Name, Image and Likeness deals in 2021. He has inked partnerships with soft serve ice cream chain 16 Handles and cookie company Chips Ahoy.
Rutgers won its first game of the Big Ten tournament on Thursday, beating Michigan 62-50. Omoruyi had six points and eight rebounds. The Scarlet Knights face the Purdue Boilermakers in the quarterfinals on Friday.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rutgers center Cliff Omoruyi donates NIL money to Salvation Army
