Ohio State's Felix Okpara will return for his junior season.

The team's leading rebounder and shot-blocker, Okpara started all but two of Ohio State's games and averaged 6.6 points and 6.4 rebounds while seeing the most significant playing time of his career. After averaging 4.0 points and 3.6 rebounds in 35 games as a freshman, Okpara assumed the starting spot as a sophomore and saw his production increase.

He finished the season scoring in double figures in each of Ohio State's final three games, the longest such streak of his career. In three NIT games, Okpara averaged 13.4 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 63.3% (19 for 30) from two-point range under coach Jake Diebler.

Ohio State Buckeyes: Who's staying and who's leaving? Ohio State men's basketball roster tracker

"I am excited and grateful to announce I am 100% committed to running it back with OSU and Buckeye Nation!" Okpara wrote in a social media post. "Can't wait to start a new chapter with Coach Diebs, my returning teammates and the new staff and players to get Ohio State back to our rightful spot at the top of the Big Ten.

"Thank you for the love and support from the fans and fellow students and a special thanks to The Foundation, my family and THE Ohio State University family for being with me through this amazing journey."

After blocking 44 shots as a freshman, the sixth-highest mark for a freshman in program history, Okpara rejected 83 as a sophomore. That's the eighth-most in single-season history, and his 127 career blocks are one behind Keita Bates-Diop for 10th-most at Ohio State.

Okpara finished 2023-24 ranked second in the Big Ten in blocked shots (2.4 per game) and No. 14 in rebounding. He had five double-digit rebounding games, tied for 12th-most in the Big Ten.

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@AdamJardy

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Starting center Felix Okpara to return to Ohio State for junior season