Eugene Omoruyi Signed to Full NBA Contract

Hours before OKC defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 138-129 on Friday night, the team finalized a deal with former two-way forward Eugene Omoruyi to give the Oregon product a regular NBA contract. The restructure comes on the heels of the Thunder dishing out two of its post players at the trade deadline. 

After trading Darius Bazley and Mike Muscala, Oklahoma City was in need of depth down low. Some speculated that the team may turn towards the buyout market, but Omoruyi's signing quickly filled OKC's empty spot.

The former Dallas Maverick averaged 17 points and 7.1 rebounds per game for the Thunder's G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, this season. Omoruyi, however, played 21 games with the Thunder before his contract was converted, compared to only six with the Blue. 

In his 21 NBA appearances this season, the physical forward is averaging five points and just over two rebounds per game on 47.2% shooting, playing around 12 minutes per contest. Omoruyi's best NBA performance came in November, when the Canadian scored 22 points, going 8-for-10 from the field and 5-for-6 from 3-point range. 

Listed at 6-foot-6 235 pounds, Omoruyi makes up for his lack of height when down low with his remarkable strength and unrivaled physicality. The newest member of the Thunder's active roster will join Jaylin Williams as the team's only healthy big men until Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is recalled from the G League and Aleksej Pokusevski returns from injury. 

The addition of Dario Saric will also add another versatile big man to OKC's lineup, and provide more depth for the team while they await the return of their sidelined post players. 

Omoruyi's deal will keep him in Oklahoma City until the end of the 2023-24 season. In his first game on a full NBA contract, the second-year forward scored two points and grabbed two rebounds in seven minutes on the floor.