Former Rutgers Center Big Cliff Inks Deal With Raptors

Cliff Omoruyi left his home in Benin City, Nigeria, in 2014, pursuing his dream of playing in the NBA. He's one step closer to realizing that childhood dream after signing a free agent contract with the Toronto Raptors shortly after the conclusion of the 2025 NBA Draft.

Omoruyi starred at Roselle Catholic High School prior to joining the Knights as a true freshman in the 2020-21 season. In his four years and 121 games on the banks, Big Cliff, as fans and teammates affectionately call him, would finish with 1,251 points, 221 blocks, 68 steals, and 657 defensive rebounds, helping end the school's decades-long drought of missing the NCAA tournament.

After graduating from Rutgers, Omoruyi would play his graduate year for head coach Nate Oates at Alabama, helping the Tide roll to the Sweet Sixteen in the 2025 NCAA Men's Tournament before bowing out to Duke in the Elite Eight.

In the age of position-less basketball, the skillset of a defense-first rim protector and high-volume rebounder isn't at the top of the list for most NBA scouts. Had Omoruyi played in the bygone era before the defensive three-second rule was enacted, he most likely would have been banging in the paint against the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Dikembe Mutombo.

Nevertheless, Omoruyi will get his shot with Toronto, where his former Rutgers teammate, Ron Harper Jr., also began his professional career playing for the Raptors 905 G League team. At 6'11, Omoruyi is known for his fierce, tenacious defense, daring opponents to attack him at the rim - a presence that was severely missed this past season as Rutgers had no answer to stop teams from driving straight to the hoop.

"You know what you're getting, the things he does well, he protectes the rim, he can finish within three feet of the goal, he's a good screener," said Daniel Marks, formerly the Milwaukee Bucks Manager of Prospect Information.

"He's going to have to be absolutely elite defensively to have a chance sticking. Offensively, he's a great lob threat and can finish around the rim but he clogs up your spacing. He's going to have to be a defensive specialist," Marks added.

Omoruyi excelled academically at Rutgers, graduating with a 3.7 GPA, and a degree in Information Technology and Informatics. However, he will look to put his on-court knowledge to use first, as he seeks long-term employment in Toronto's 905 area code.

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