Colorado lands key commitment from 2024 center Doryan Onwuchekwa
Colorado has been involved in recruiting three-star big man Doryan Onwuchekwa as much as any program, and Monday the Buffs received the reward for their work. The 6-foot-11 center prospect from Faith Family Academy in Dallas has announced his commitment to play for Tad Boyle after taking his latest visit to Boulder.
Onwuchekwa picked CU over a final group that also included Xavier, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech and in-state program TCU.
The Buffs hosted Onwuchekwa for an official visit in the spring, and he was again on campus over the weekend to meet with the staff, watch the CU football game and solidify his decision.
Boyle and his staff have prioritized the versatile big man for quite some time, and he signifies a critical recruiting win for the Buffs in the 2024 class. Assistant coach Rick Ray was particularly important in CU's pursuit of Onwuchekwa.
"The coaches and the guys over there, I just really bond with those guys," he previously said. "They're all about team, and that's what I really like about them. ... I just feel like the connection is real."
At 6-foot-11 Onwuchekwa fits right in at the center position, but he continues to develop his game as an inside-out big man capable of hitting shots from 3-point range while also possessing the skill and touch around the basket to impact the game in the paint on both ends of the floor.
Because of that, CU's staff has plans to use him in a variety of ways to take advantage of his diverse skill set.
"They'd use me in a lot of pick-and-pop stuff," he said. "A lot of catch the ball, make reads. You know, big man stuff."
The original trip to Colorado certainly opened his eyes about the program giving him a glimpse into what would become his future. That spring visit to Boulder allowed the staff to continue turning up the heat in his recruitment eventually leading to his weekend decision.
"I just wanted to see what it was like, and it was nothing like what I thought it was," he said. "It kind of blew my mind, because I'm thinking it's always cold in Colorado. I liked it though."
Onwuchekwa was one of three official visitors for the Buffs over the weekend with all three having already made previous trips to Boulder earlier in their recruitments. Southern California-based prospects wing Sebastian Rancik and point guard Trent Perry were also on visits with the Buffs over the weekend as Boyle and his staff continue to prioritize both recruits in the 2024 class.