Former Rutgers Center Emmanuel Ogbole: Can Kansas Land the Big Man Transfer?

The Kansas basketball program is one of several schools vying for a commitment from former Rutgers big man Emmanuel Ogbole. The fifth-year center was granted a temporary injunction by a New York judge on Thursday, giving him eligibility until his next court date on Sept. 30.

In court documents obtained from a lawsuit earlier this month, it was revealed that KU was one of five universities that submitted eligibility waivers in his name. The Jayhawks are battling with Georgia, UNLV, Oklahoma, and Tennessee if he is eventually deemed permanently eligible by the courts.

The Nigerian native can technically start searching for schools to commit to, though his case won't be finalized until the end of the month at the earliest. Either way, should Bill Self take a chance on one of his last available options in the portal?

Update on former Rutgers center Emmanuel Ogbole:

After oral arguments today in New York, he has been granted a temporary restraining order to become eligible. His injunction hearing is now on Sept. 30.

As a reminder, KU previously filed NCAA eligibility waivers on his behalf.
— Henry Greenstein (@HenryGreenstein) September 17, 2026

Should Kansas Basketball Pursue Emmanuel Ogbole?

The Jayhawks' frontcourt situation remains a question mark with Christian Reeves recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and Paul Mbiya being expected to take a massive leap in his second year in college. Ogbole would provide some much-needed experience to the unit.

Ogbole, who entered the transfer portal in mid-April, has received interest from several schools throughout the offseason. His eligibility case remained uncertain, but it appears that he may have found some luck in this specific Westchester County court.

Standing at 6-foot-10 and 260 pounds, Ogbole is a bulky big man who spent all three of his Division I seasons at Rutgers. He averaged a career-best 4.7 points and 6.0 rebounds in the 2025-26 campaign with the Scarlet Knights, along with 1.2 blocks.

His offensive game is quite limited, as he's only surpassed double digits in the points column six times across 67 career games. He doesn't stray far outside the paint but can set strong screens and get to the rim in pick-and-roll actions. He is a career 52.7% free-throw shooter, and his skill set makes him nothing more than a depth piece.

Kansas unsuccessfully tried to add an additional center late in the portal this offseason in the form of Serbian big man Mihailo Mušikić, who committed in July. Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, he can no longer be cleared to play by the NCAA due to his age, sending the coaching staff back to square one.

One interesting connection involving Ogbole is that he spent his junior college career at Monroe College, where Melvin Council Jr. also played for two seasons. The two were actually teammates during the 2022-23 season, and Council is now pursuing an additional year of eligibility as well.

Being granted temporary eligibility means very little if it is ultimately revoked in the coming weeks. The court documents also note that UNLV is the only school that would immediately offer Ogbole a scholarship. Regardless, Ogbole is at least a name worth monitoring as the Jayhawks continue to search for frontcourt help.

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