Norchad Omier expected to transfer rather than pursue NBA. Here’s where he might land
Norchad Omier was left off the invitation list for the upcoming NBA Combine and G League Elite Camp, which suggests that the former University of Miami power forward will transfer.
Among his potential landing spots are Baylor and St. John’s, two programs with which his name has been linked. An announcement is expected next week.
The Nicaraguan fan favorite initially declared for the NBA Draft and had no plans to return to college, but he changed his mind and entered in the transfer portal on April 25.
UM freshman guard Kyshawn George, who declared for the NBA Draft, was invited to the combine. Hurricanes guard Wooga Poplar, who entered his name in the draft and the transfer portal, was invited to the G League Elite Camp.
Omier, who led the Hurricanes with 17 points and 10 rebounds last season, hired an NCAA certified agent, so if he does not get the NBA feedback he hopes for, he has the option to return to college basketball, where he is expected to land a lucrative NIL deal.
On April 9, when Omier announced he was leaving UM for the draft, he posted this message on social media:
“These last two years at UM have been a blessing and I have cherished every moment wearing proudly my orange and green No. 15 uniform. To my teammates, I’m thankful to have bonds that goes beyond the court. I’m a Hurricane forever and will forever be grateful to Coach L and his entire staff for all the lessons, the support, the encouragement and for making me feel appreciated in this beautiful city. I am ready to continue this journey, and after long consideration and prayer, I have decided to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft.”
Omier, a 6-7 forward, was a second-team All-ACC selection. He ranked second in the ACC in rebounds per game behind North Carolina’s 6-11 Armando Bacot and second in Player Efficiency Rating at 26.8 behind Virginia Tech’s Lynn Kidd (27.6), who just transferred to Miami.
Omier also won the prestigious 2023-24 Skip Prosser Award, presented annually to the top scholar-athlete in ACC men’s basketball.
Meanwhile, George, the 6-8 Swiss guard, averaged 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game during his freshman season while shooting the ball well. He was 42.6 percent from the field, and 40.8 percent from three-point range. His body type and skill drew interest from NBA scouts right away.
Poplar averaged 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season. Poplar, the 6-5 Philadelphia native, entered the season with much hype after elevating his game during the Hurricanes’ Final Four run in 2023. But he struggled to regain his form after a late-December ankle injury.
With the departure of Omier and Poplar, the only key player remaining from the 2023 Final Four team is guard Nijel Pack, who announced that he will return for a fifth season.
Others who transferred are Bensley Joseph (Providence), Michael Nwoko (Mississippi State), AJ Casey (St. Louis University), Christian Watson (Southern Mississippi), and Jakai Robinson.
Matt Cleveland, who transferred to UM from FSU last year, is returning, and the Hurricanes added 6-10 Virginia Tech transfer Lynn Kidd, 6-8 East Carolina transfer Brandon Johnson, and Stetson sharpshooter Jalen Blackmon, who ranked 10th in the nation last season with 21.3 points per game.
