Maryland added Duke graduate transfer Sean Obi on Thursday.
A 6-foot-9, 255-pound native of Kaduna, Nigeria, Obi finished his career at Duke after transferring from Rice University following his freshman campaign in 2014. Obi, who is set to earn his degree in sociology with a minor in marketing from Duke in May, plans to enroll in graduate school at Maryland in June.
“We are excited to welcome Sean to Maryland,” Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said. “As a graduate transfer, he brings high character, experience and maturity to our team. Sean is a good rebounder and gives us another physical presence inside. He is also a very good student. Sean is healthy and ready to contribute.”
While at Rice, Obi was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team after averaging 11.4 points and 9.3 rebounds while playing all 30 games and making 29 starts for the Owls. He led the C-USA and was second among all freshmen nationally in rebounding and ranked fourth in field goal percentage (.591). At Rice, he recorded 11 double-doubles and posted freshman records for rebounds (297) and field goal percentage. Obi was also a member of the 2014 C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
Obi was a member Duke’s national championship team in 2014-15 while sitting out the season due to NCAA transfer rules. Obi appeared in 10 games for the Blue Devils in 2015-16 before an injury sidelined the forward for the entire 2016-17 campaign. While at Duke, he was teammates with former Terrapin standout Rasheed Sulaimon.
“I am very appreciative to have the opportunity to attend the University of Maryland,” Obi said. “I want to thank Coach Turgeon and the staff. I immediately created a unique bond with the coaches during my visit. Maryland is a place where I am confident I can make a major impact. The campus is also in very close proximity to where my family lives and they’ll be able to come see me play. Maryland is a great University with outstanding tradition and I am very excited to be a part of it. I am looking forward to playing for Coach Turgeon and doing something special with a great group of guys next year.”Obi led Green Farms Academy (Conn.) to the NEPSAC Class C Tournament title as a senior while posting 17 points, 12 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.7 blocks per game. He averaged 18.2 points and 20 rebounds per game as a junior, recording a double-double in all 23 games.
MARYLAND ADDS KEVIN BROADUS AS ASSISTANT
Maryland men’s basketball head coach Mark Turgeon announced the hiring of Kevin Broadus as an assistant coach with the program. Additionally, Cliff Warren will assume a new role as director of player development.
Broadus most recently spent nine years at Georgetown and brings more than 20 years of coaching and recruiting experience to Maryland. Georgetown won three Big East championships and advanced to seven postseason tournaments in his nine years with the Hoyas, including a trip to the Final Four in 2007.
Broadus has coached and recruited five high school All-Americans and 11 NBA players during his coaching career, including Jeff Green, Roy Hibbert, Vernon Macklin, DeJuan Summers, Patrick Ewing, Jr., Otto Porter, Chris Wright, Henry Sims, J.R. Pinnock, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, and Mike Hall. Known as a strong recruiter with outstanding local ties, Broadus has coached at five universities in the metro area.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kevin to the Maryland Basketball family,” Turgeon said. “Kevin has a strong reputation as a tireless recruiter and is passionate about developing players on and off the court. He has extensive knowledge and experience as a coach and I am confident his ties to this region will be extremely valuable to our program.”Release: Maryland Athletics
Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
