Daniel Oturu, a 6-foot-9 rising senior center from St. Paul (MN) Cretin-Derham Hall, committed to Minnesota in February, picking the Gophers over Kansas, Nebraska, Baylor, Georgia Tech and Memphis.
Oturu is one of the top big men in the Midwest in the Class of 2018 and is considered the number two prospect from Minnesota in the class.
Oturu averaged 20.0 points, 16.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 6.5 blocked shots per game for the Raiders, who finished 23-9 and was third in the Class AAAA state tournament. He scored in double figures in all but one games with 15 games of 20 or more points, including a season-best 33 points versus Woodbury. Oturu has grabbed double figure rebounds in every game but two with four games of 20 or more rebounds, including a season-high 26 versus St. Paul Central. He shot 69.3% from the field and 68.9% from the charity stripe.
Gopher Hole caught up with Oturu recently to learn the latest on his AAU season and college recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You guys are off to a great start AAU-wise. How pleased are you with how well you guys are playing?
Daniel Oturu: I am really pleased. We are playing at a really high level. Everybody has high morale. The team is really bonding and we just love playing with each other, so that is a really big boost.
Gopher Hole: I think a lot of guys thought that you would be good with you and Gabe Kalscheur and Tre Jones back from last year, but you lost some good players. Are you a little pleasantly surprised with how well you guys have started out since you have some new guys too?
Daniel Oturu: Just a little bit. Not too surprised. I knew that with our great coaches and stuff, that we were easily find the groove immediately and it has shown so far this season.
Gopher Hole: You are off a great individual start. How much do you think that you have improved since AAU season last year?
Daniel Oturu: I think that I have improved a lot, mostly on the defense end and the offensive end. On the defensive end, I just try to carry my team. When they need a big block or a defensive stop, I just try to do all I can to get that defensive stop and on the offensive end, I just work every day. I feel like my offensive game is coming along. It’s getting much better. Right now, I’m kind looked at as more defensive and rebounding player, but I want to show people that I can score the ball, too.
Gopher Hole: You are invited to the NBA Top 100 Camp. What are you hoping to gain from that experience?
Daniel Oturu: Just have a lot of fun. Get better. Play against the top competition in the country. Everybody that is there is good, so I want to prove myself.
Gopher Hole: You play on a good high school program, but how do you think playing AAU helps you and your game because you are playing against a lot of kids that you are going to be playing against in college?
Daniel Oturu: AAU has really helped my game evolve to another level. No disrespect to Minnesota basketball, it is just that when you are playing in the EYBL, it is just to whole other scale. We are playing against people that are probably going to be NBA basketball players in a year from then. Everybody there you play is going to play college basketball, so it is just something that is pretty cool.
Gopher Hole: Is it also nice because a lot of times in high school basketball in Minnesota, you don’t always play against players your size, but in the EYBL, you are playing against your size or even bigger than you every game?
Daniel Oturu: It is crazy. On the EYBL, everybody out there is just as big as you or bigger than you, so you really have got to bring your game.
Gopher Hole: What things are you really working on to continue to improve yourself as a player this summer?
Daniel Oturu: Like I said earlier, my offensive game, being more confident in shooting the ball and just getting better overall in every aspect of my game. Work on the things that I am good at to get even better at them.
Gopher Hole: You are going to be a senior next year. Is it weird thinking about being a senior?
Daniel Oturu: Kind of. It is kind of is weird. It is just crazy. I feel like yesterday, I just started my freshman year at Cretin Derham-Hall and now, I’m about to be a senior, so I am just looking forward to it, having a lot of fun. Getting a lot of stuff done in the classroom. Also getting better as a basketball player and work with my high school team to win a state championship. That is our ultimate goal, to win a state championship, so that is what we are looking forward to.
Gopher Hole: I know that you and (fellow Pulley teammate) Ryan Larson are back along with some other key players. What are the expectations for Cretin next year?
Daniel Oturu: To win a state championship. Nothing less. Anything less than that is a disappointment. We are working hard every day. As soon as the season ended, all of us were in the gym. Just trying to get back. We don’t want to be known as a team that was the most talented, but could never get anything done. We want to show that we can work hard, too and we can work hard and win a state championship, too.
Gopher Hole: I talked to Jarvis (Thomas), Gabe and Tre and they said that you are working on them a little bit to get them to come with you to Minnesota. What are you saying to them?
Daniel Oturu: Just telling them the stuff that makes sense, like, everything you want is at the “U. ” We are on a come-up. We just came off a great season and we are just looking to build on our future program and build with the homestate kids and show that you don’t have to leave the state to get drafted into the NBA or be really good in college. Everything can be done in Minnesota.
Gopher Hole: If you were a betting man, how many of those kids are coming with you next year out of three?
Daniel Oturu: Out of three, I don’t know. I want to say all three, but at the end of the day. Everybody makes their own decisions. No matter what, I would be proud of them, regardless. I would be happy for them. I would be the first one cheering for them, wherever the go. Hopefully, I can get most of them. Hopefully, I can get all three to come. Whoever comes with me, it is truly a blessing, too.