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It’s been a weird year. The start of Hawkeye basketball is imminent amidst a delayed football season. We’ll continue our postponed countdown over the next 24 hours. Next up: Josh Ogundele.
Previously:
55: Luka Garza
30: Connor McCaffery
24: Nico Hobbs
Josh Ogundele
Forward, 6’10”, 285 lbs
Freshman, London, England (Worcester Academy)
Josh Ogundele is the second Londoner to join the Hawkeyes in Fran McCaffery’s tenure, following a similar path as Gabe Olaseni. Ogundele played high school hoops in Massachusetts after a transition from rugby about as an adolescent. He quickly ascended through Britain’s youth ranks, playing on the U-18 national team as a 16-year-old.
His transition to America was tough as he was isolated from family an ocean away. As JP profiled in the link above, as he put on some pounds with “too much American food.” It’s weight he’s focused on trimming now.
2020-21 will be a personal development year for Ogundele with Iowa not asking him to do much with Luka Garza and Jack Nunge ahead of him on the depth chart. Perhaps he gets some run in blowouts (hopeful Iowa wins), where he can show his varied game in the post.
A season behind the National Player of the Year frontrunner will be beneficial for Josh as he can learn what it takes to be an elite college big man. Hopefully it helps him start strong as Iowa’s depth ahead of him thins with Garza’s departure and 2021 onward proves to be as successful as Iowa’s previous Brit.