The Washington Wizards acquired the draft rights to center Felix Okpara from the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, June 25, 2026, during the second round of the NBA draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Washington traded its No. 51 and No. 60 overall selections to move up five spots and secure Okpara, who was originally selected by Orlando at No. 46 overall.
College Career Highlights
Okpara played four years of collegiate basketball, spending two seasons at Ohio State and two at Tennessee, where he started 72 of his 73 game appearances.
The 22-year-old center measured 6 feet, 10 inches tall at the NBA Combine with a 7-foot-2-inch wingspan and weighed 237 pounds.
He averaged 8.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game during his final collegiate season.
The defensive specialist became one of four players in Tennessee program history to record two 50-block seasons, earning a spot on the 2026 SEC All-Defensive Team.
He only began playing basketball at age 14 after moving from Nigeria to the United States.
Tennessee Volunteers On SI contributor Caleb Sisk noted the center's impact before the trade was officially completed by both franchises.
"Okpara was Tennessee's veteran big man last season, who finished the season with an average of 8 points per game and 6.3 rebounds," wrote Caleb Sisk.
The defensive-minded center managed 1.5 blocks per game during his final year with the Vols, establishing himself as a prominent paint protector before entering the professional ranks.
"While both of these stats are great, he will likely be drafted due to his true defense.
In his final season with the Vols, he finished with an average of 1.5 blocks per game, which solidified him as one of the better defenders in both the SEC and college basketball as a whole," wrote Caleb Sisk.
HoopsHype insider Michael Scotto broke the news of the subsequent trade agreement between the two teams via social media during the second round of the draft.
"TRADE: The Washington Wizards are acquiring Felix Okpara, the No. 46 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, from the Orlando Magic in exchange for the No. 51 and 60 picks, per league sources," stated Michael Scotto.
Okpara was one of three Tennessee players selected in the 2026 draft, alongside forward Nate Ament who went 13th overall to Miami before being traded to Milwaukee, and guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie who was drafted 42nd overall by the San Antonio Spurs.
