From roommates to rivals: Ohio State's Felix Okpara, Michigan's Tarris Reed to square off
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.
But for roughly two hours Sunday, they’ll be things that probably can’t be printed here. When Ohio State and Michigan tip off against each other at Crisler Arena, Felix Okpara and Tarris Reed Jr. will put their friendship on temporary pause and take their first steps into the bitter rivalry that exists between the two programs.
Roommates last season at Link Academy in Branson, Missouri, there will be no joyful reunion when the two take the court for Sunday’s warmups.
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“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.”
It’s the same for Reed Jr., a 6-10, 260-pound post player who is averaging 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds off the bench behind all-Big Ten candidate Hunter Dickinson.
“That’s facts,” he said. “Outside those lines, we’re cool. Inside the lines, it’s all business. We have a job to do and our job is to go out and win that game and be physical.”
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.
Okpara committed to Ohio State on July 26, 2021 – 10 days before Reed Jr. committed to Michigan. Then, the two spent the year beating on each other daily in practice and enjoying the benefits of having another similarly talented big player to battle. While most teams are lucky to have one player verging on 7-feet tall, Link coach Rodney Perry had two.
“The great part for (Okpara) was he wanted that,” Perry told The Dispatch during the spring. “He wanted to be able to come to a place where it was going to be just like college, where I’m going against multiple guys every day that’s my size, to give me a look at what it’s going to be like in college.”
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Both players likened it to a daily war between two physically imposing centers with different skills.
“I used to hate going up against him because he was a little bit taller, lengthy, a shot blocker,” Reed Jr. said. “He used to block my shots all the time. Playing against him, I learned how to get around a shot-blocker through jump hooks, shot fakes and all that. For him, I was able to help him guard a big, strong post. We were both helping each other.”
They’ve kept in touch during their freshman seasons, although both said they wouldn’t speak much leading into this game. After Okpara battled 7-4 Purdue center Zach Edey on Jan. 5, Reed. Jr. texted him for advice leading into their matchup three weeks later.
“I gave him a little info – but not too much, though,” Okpara said.
The two also share a sense of humor and the ability to rib each other. Reed Jr. said he recently had a year-old video pop up on his phone that involved Okpara, the Met Gala and a tuxedo in the locker room. When he saw a Michigan fan standing outside the visitors’ locker room at Northwestern this season, Okpara jokingly gave him a message for Reed Jr. that, in summary, was a reminder that he’s not a very good basketball player.
It’s the kind of camaraderie borne out of years of traveling for AAU events and a full year of sharing a room together.
“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.”
Their roles have been similar this season. Okpara has played a little more, averaging 12.9 minutes in 22 games with two starts, while Reed Jr. has averaged 11.6 minutes in 22 games as a reserve. Okpara is averaging 3.7 points and 3.3 rebounds and has 25 blocks to Reed Jr.’s 17.
Odds are, they’ll be matched up with each other in the post at some point Sunday. Back in Missouri, the Link Lions are likely to be watching. Same for their fellow Mokan Elite AAU program alumni. And, of course, two sides of one of the most competitive rivalries in college athletics.
“We have fun and make fun of each other,” Okpara said. “That’s what guys do. When it comes to business, we take it personal. I want to see how much we’ve both gotten better. It’s been close to a year now, so I want to see how much we’ve gotten better and how we do in the game.”
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Once roommates, Felix Okpara, Tarris Reed to face each other as rivals
