Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Stanford freshman Kezie Okpala to sit out due to academics

Stanford freshman forward Kezie Okpala will sit out due to academics, according to a release, but it is unclear how long the prized recruit will be out.

The 6-foot-7 Okpala was Stanford’s top recruit in the freshman class as he was considered the No. 33 overall prospect in the national Class of 2017 by Rivals. Okpala explained his side of things in the release on Friday.

“In the fall of my senior year of high school, I was admitted to Stanford under the condition that I maintain certain grades in my courses my senior year,” Okpala said the statement. “My schedule, which included three advanced placement courses in the spring of my senior year, was demanding and, unfortunately, I dropped below the threshold my spring semester in my advanced placement calculus course. As such, the Stanford Office of Undergraduate Admissions notified me that they would honor the original decision if I agreed to sit out of competition.”

Stanford opened its season without Okpala on Friday night as they picked up a 78-62 home win over Cal Poly. While the Cardinal could certainly use Okpala’s athleticism in their rotation, Stanford also returns the fifth most experienced roster in the country this season based on previous games played, so they will hopefully still be able to maintain without him.