OSU basketball: Explaining the Jéan-Paul Olukemi eligibility issue

By Anthony Slater – Aslater@opubco.com – @anthonyVslater

But with the recent news of Brian Williams’ potentially serious left wrist injury (out indefinitely), Olukemi’s presence gains added importance.

He may not take Williams starting role (Olukemi has always seemed to perform better off the bench), but he’ll likely be expected to take over a brunt of Williams’ scoring and rebounding load while the underrated wing misses time.

It’s something Olukemi’s shown an ability to do, averaging 9.4 points and 4.8 boards before a season-ending ACL tear last year. But the lingering question surrounding him remains without an answer: How long will he be allowed to play college basketball?

As it stands right now, Olukemi’s eligibility clock would be up at the end of the semester. That means he’d be allowed to play a majority of the nonconference schedule, but by the time conference season rolls around, Olukemi would provide as much on-court use as the 65-year-old in Section 313. Plenty of cheering, no playing.

But that’s pending Oklahoma State’s appeal to the NCAA, one that the program believes it will win.

The problem stems from some misguided advice five years ago.

After Stoneridge Preparatory closed its doors midway through the year, the school’s coaches suggested Olukemi and his teammates take classes at nearby Riverside Junior College in California.

He never played basketball there, instead going to a junior college in Indiana to start his college hoops career before transferring to Oklahoma State after one season.

But those initial junior college classes, without his knowledge, started his eligibility clock. That was five years ago next semester.

“It’s been well documented, he was advised wrongly, to start junior college classes while he was still in high school,” coach Travis Ford said. “This was a time of homelessness for him and his family, he had some extenuated circumstances. He had no clue what he had done until we had actually told him. ”