The University of Akron men's basketball team added five players Tuesday, including two with connections to Northeast Ohio, from the NCAA transfer portal to its roster for the 2024-25 season.
The Zips' new additions are Isaiah Gray (Brooklyn, New York), Bowen Hardman (Cincinnati), Josiah Harris (Canton), James Okonkwo (Maidenhead, England) and Seth Wilson (Lorain).
"What excited me the most about this group is that all the guys are committed to winning and have been excellent students and teammates throughout their college careers," Akron coach John Groce said in a statement released by UA. "We strive to add talented players that are high character and have collegiate experience. We believe we have accomplished that goal."
Gray, a 6-foot-3 guard, played the last three seasons at Cornell. In the 2023-24 season, he ranked second in the Ivy League in field goal percentage at 60.2%, ninth in the Ivy League in assists, sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio and fourth in steals. He averaged 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals.
Gray was a first-team all-league and third-team All-New England selection at Cushing Academy.
"Isaiah is a competitively tough experienced playmaker," Groce said. "He is a two-way guard that impacts winning at both ends of the floor at a high level."
Hardman, a 6-3 guard, played the past two seasons at Ohio State. He averaged 4.2 points in 2023-24 while shooting 45.8% from the field and 45.0% from beyond the 3-point arc.
Hardman was a three-star recruit coming out of Princeton High School, according to 247sports.com.
"Bowen is an elite-level shooter that will make everyone's job easier on offense," Groce said. "He has big-time range and an extremely quick release."
Harris, a 6-7 forward, played the last two seasons at West Virginia, including all 32 games with 13 starts last season for the Mountaineers. He shot 81.0% from the free-throw line and averaged 5.0 points and 4.1 rebounds.
Harris graduated from Richmond Heights High School, where he won a Division IV state championship in 2022. He played at GlenOak High School before Richmond Heights.
"Josiah provides size and length that helps him score at all three levels and rebound at an elite level," Groce said. "He has the ability to stretch the floor with his shot making and can attack off the bounce as well."
Okonkwo, a 6-8 forward, played last season at North Carolina after playing the previous two seasons at West Virginia. He played in 31 games in his final season at West Virginia (2022-23), averaging 10.9 minutes, and led the Mountaineers in blocks (22) and was second in field-goal percentage (57.4%).
"James has the potential to make an immediate impact to our frontcourt with his rebounding, rim protection and ability to score the basketball," Groce said. "He plays with a high motor and brings a level of toughness that will elevate those around him."
Wilson , a 6-2 guard, arrives after playing the last three seasons at West Virginia. He played in 28 games and averaged 17.1 minutes, 3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists last season. He shot 37.9% from beyond the 3-point arc.
Wilson played at Lorain High School as a junior and senior after playing his freshman and sophomore seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary . Wilson helped STVM win a Division II state championship in 2018 . Wilson scored the second-most points by a freshman in STVM history, trailing only LeBron James.
" Seth is a competitor and has an ability to take and make tough shots off the bounce and catch," Groce said. "He is a strong and physical guard that will allow him to be a great defender."
Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron men's basketball adds 5 from NCAA transfer portal for 2024-25
