Ohio State's Felix Okpara and Michigan's Tarris Reed Jr. are close friends, but Sunday they'll be on opposite sides of a rivalry game.
Ohio State assistant coach Jack Owens' full press conference from Feb. 3, 2023.Last year, they were both Lions. For the last three years, they’ve both been Elite – it was in the name of their shared AAU program. And for now and for the future, they remain allies, friends united by a common love of basketball and goals of big things to come.
“I don’t want to sound crazy, but I don’t really see him as a friend at that point,” Okpara said. “It’s more of a business to me. I’m going to look at him like I’ve looked at every other opponent I’ve played against. Probably after the game we’re gonna talk, but when the game is right there, I’m focused.”
Both were four-star prospects, but Reed finished higher than Okpara in the 247Sports.com composite rankings. The future Wolverine was rated the No. 35 national player and the No. 8 center in the 2022 class, ahead of Okpara at Nos. 66 and 14, respectively. They’ve kept in touch during their freshman seasons, although both said they wouldn’t speak much leading into this game.“I gave him a little info – but not too much, though,” Okpara said.
“Felix, that’s my dawg, man,” Reed Jr. said. “We used to argue, but he was the ultimate, cool guy. He was just that guy. He was cool, we could talk about anything. He was just one of the best roommates.”
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