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Obinna Anochili-Killen capped off a five-year career at Marshall with a sensational graduate season, and the forward wants to keep that momentum going into the 2025 NBA draft.
Anochili-Killen was the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year this past season, averaging 14.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.2 blocks on 54.8% shooting from the field in 32 games. He ranked third in the country in blocked shots (102) and fifth in block percentage (12.7).
The 6-foot-8 Nigerian scored in double figures in all but seven games, registering six 20-point outings. He recorded 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine blocks on Jan. 23 in a win over Georgia State, becoming the 14th player in history to reach that stat line in a game.
Anochili-Killen nearly reached a triple-double with blocks on a couple of other occasions, including an 18-point, nine-block, six-rebound performance on Feb. 15. He was the only player in the country to have at least nine blocks in multiple games.
The 23-year-old left the program as the all-time leader in blocked shots with 286, surpassing the previous record of 196 by Jannson Williams (2016-21). He finished second in games played (149), eighth in rebounds (792) and 13th in points (1,682).
Following the season, Anochili-Killen was invited to compete in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in April, an annual scouting event for the top seniors in the country. He averaged 7.5 points, four blocks and two rebounds in two games. Fittingly, he led all players in blocked shots.
The All-Sun Belt second-team honoree measured in with a monstrous 7-foot, 4-inch wingspan in Portsmouth, representing one of the largest differentials among all participants. He also recorded a 2.972-second time in the lane agility test.
Anochili-Killen is considered a potential second-round pick this year, thanks to his defensive versatility and ability to score from all over the court. Teams have been intrigued by his length, along with his relentless effort and knack for making hustle plays.
He is expected to work out with at least 10 teams before the draft on June 25-26, including the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs, among others. He is looking to become the first Marshall player drafted since Hassan Whiteside in 2010.
Rookie Wire recently caught up with Anochili-Killen to discuss growing up in Nigeria, his collegiate career at Marshall, preparing for the 2025 NBA draft and more.
Note: This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
OAK: It has been awesome. I just try to enjoy everything because not a lot of people do this, and I know a lot of people want to be in my position. I want to enjoy it. Probably the hardest part is the travel because some of my workouts have been back-to-back. You just have to take care of your body, hydrate and be focused.
OAK: When I stepped on the basketball court at a young age, I just fell in love with the game. After that, seeing people consistently leaving for the United States, because there were a couple of guys who were already down at the gym doing good for themselves. That just made me realize that I could change my life for myself and ultimately my family. When I was in Nigeria, I was just hungry. I wanted to come to the United States and work. When I finally came to the United States and I started to see my potential, I picked it up a notch. With the dream of trying to help my family, I took off from there.
OAK: It would have definitely been surprising. The reason why it would have been surprising because I basically went to a place where not a lot of people know where it is. If I went to Chapel Hill or West Virginia, it would have been like, 'Why did you even stay down there?' In my mind, I was envisioning myself in a big city. I didn't envision myself starting my career in a small town. What I would have told my younger self is to be patient. It isn't about the place that you're at; it is about you. It doesn't matter where you're at or the facilities you have, just take whatever you have and make something out of it.
OAK: My patience and loyalty to the school. That goes a long way. If I were one of those kids who wanted to chase NIL or a bigger school, I don't think I would have had the career that I had. Being patient with my coaches, teammates and the program as a whole paid dividends. With NIL, I had a lot of people throwing money at me and all that, but that wasn't one of my goals. I have an accounting degree, so I know how money works. If you attend another school and they offer you $20,000, you won't have the same relationship with the school. The only thing fans know about you is that you are just about the money. You're going to play one year, and nobody is going to know you.
With Marshall, I had a connection with the fans. It doesn't matter if you're at Duke or Kentucky or whatever, the NBA is going to find you if you're good enough. Most of the guys I've been working out with went to Kentucky, Duke or Villanova, and I'm there with them. I just feel like it doesn't matter about the school. What mattered to me was actually working on my game, working on myself and showing people what I could do, and I knew I could do it at Marshall.
OAK:100%! I'm getting calls from fans like, 'Do you need anything?' It isn't only the basketball aspect, but the off-the-court aspect. The fans appreciated me just being there, not leaving for the money and all that. It wasn't even at the end of my career, but from the beginning. I've seen where we had a bad season. In my five years, we've had ups and downs. Two years ago, we had a bad season, and we sold out five times. Tell me a losing team that you've seen do that. It doesn't happen that way. If you come to Marshall University, you're basically family. They don't care if you're losing or winning; they just want to come down and support you. Those things play a huge factor because you know you have people who will support you regardless of where you go or what you do.
OAK:To make sure every team knows that if you go to the basket, they're looking for me. My mindset is I want them to know that if they're going to the rim or they're around, they're looking for me or I'm on the scouting report: 'You can't just go inside. You have to find him.' I wanted to make sure that, offensively, people are looking for me even if I'm on the ball or off the ball. They're looking to see where I am to try to find a way to take me out of the picture defensively, which isn't going to be possible because I'm all over the place.
OAK: Well, no, because my goal in that game was to win because I think that was our second road win, so that was a pretty huge win in the conference. But you know when you're on a roll; I was just on a roll in that game. One thing about blocking shots is that (teams) want to show you that they can score on you, so I took the challenge. I really didn't know I had nine; I probably thought I had maybe six or seven. But that wasn't on my mind. I was just trying to get a win for my team, and if that means getting nine blocks, 10 rebounds or whatever it takes, I'm going to do it.
OAK: It is huge because I'm a 6-8 guy with a 7-foot wingspan. If you look at other 7-footers, their wingspan is probably going to be 7-1 or 7-2, so I basically look at myself as a 7-footer. That has helped me a lot with getting steals and deflections, and being big defensively. I can cover a lot of ground using my wingspan and my quickness. It is easy for me to create space to block or alter shots. With bigs, it is easy for me to use my quickness. Putting weight on can help me stand my ground against the bigs. That is definitely one of my tools: being versatile.
OAK: I'm trying to show these teams that I can switch multiple positions from 1-5. I can be energetic defensively. I try to show them the stuff I can do, which is being energetic and all of that. Most teams already have their 20-point scorers, but most of the teams want to fill in those role players who can help them more. They need guys who can do what (Alex) Caruso is doing right now with OKC, or you can also look at the Pacers. The two teams playing in the NBA Finals have guys who defend and knock down shots. What I want to bring is my length on defense and my versatility.
OAK: First of all, I'm a hard worker. I try to improve every day. I'm not a guy who stays stagnant; I try to find every little thing to improve on. You can kind of see it from my freshman year to my senior year in college. I just try to work and improve. I'm easy to get along with. I'm coachable. I like people to be honest with me. I want people to tell me what I need to improve on. I'm definitely loyal. I'm the kind of guy who, when stuff gets bad, I don't just leave. I try to figure stuff out because I feel like that is huge in the league: You've got to be patient. I try to work through the process. That is the kind of guy you get from me.
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Obinna Anochili-Killen Q&A: Marshall, NCAA, NIL, 2025 NBA draft
Continue reading...
Anochili-Killen was the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year this past season, averaging 14.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.2 blocks on 54.8% shooting from the field in 32 games. He ranked third in the country in blocked shots (102) and fifth in block percentage (12.7).
The 6-foot-8 Nigerian scored in double figures in all but seven games, registering six 20-point outings. He recorded 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine blocks on Jan. 23 in a win over Georgia State, becoming the 14th player in history to reach that stat line in a game.
Anochili-Killen nearly reached a triple-double with blocks on a couple of other occasions, including an 18-point, nine-block, six-rebound performance on Feb. 15. He was the only player in the country to have at least nine blocks in multiple games.
The 23-year-old left the program as the all-time leader in blocked shots with 286, surpassing the previous record of 196 by Jannson Williams (2016-21). He finished second in games played (149), eighth in rebounds (792) and 13th in points (1,682).
Following the season, Anochili-Killen was invited to compete in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in April, an annual scouting event for the top seniors in the country. He averaged 7.5 points, four blocks and two rebounds in two games. Fittingly, he led all players in blocked shots.
The All-Sun Belt second-team honoree measured in with a monstrous 7-foot, 4-inch wingspan in Portsmouth, representing one of the largest differentials among all participants. He also recorded a 2.972-second time in the lane agility test.
.
Three #SunBeltMBB standouts were invited to compete in the 71st Annual @PIT_Basketball Tournament including @AppStateMBB's CJ Huntley, @GSU_MBasketball's Cesare Edwards and @Herd_MBB's Obinna Anochili-Killen.
» https://t.co/3fsEHbK0vWpic.twitter.com/eWKkqCaySn
— Sun Belt (@SunBelt) April 18, 2025
Anochili-Killen is considered a potential second-round pick this year, thanks to his defensive versatility and ability to score from all over the court. Teams have been intrigued by his length, along with his relentless effort and knack for making hustle plays.
He is expected to work out with at least 10 teams before the draft on June 25-26, including the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs, among others. He is looking to become the first Marshall player drafted since Hassan Whiteside in 2010.
Rookie Wire recently caught up with Anochili-Killen to discuss growing up in Nigeria, his collegiate career at Marshall, preparing for the 2025 NBA draft and more.
Note: This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
How has the predraft process gone for you so far?
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OAK: It has been awesome. I just try to enjoy everything because not a lot of people do this, and I know a lot of people want to be in my position. I want to enjoy it. Probably the hardest part is the travel because some of my workouts have been back-to-back. You just have to take care of your body, hydrate and be focused.
When did you know basketball could be a realistic option for you?
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OAK: When I stepped on the basketball court at a young age, I just fell in love with the game. After that, seeing people consistently leaving for the United States, because there were a couple of guys who were already down at the gym doing good for themselves. That just made me realize that I could change my life for myself and ultimately my family. When I was in Nigeria, I was just hungry. I wanted to come to the United States and work. When I finally came to the United States and I started to see my potential, I picked it up a notch. With the dream of trying to help my family, I took off from there.
When you arrived in the United States at 14, it was your first time on an airplane. How surprised would you have been at that point to know that you'd be on the verge of making it to the NBA?
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OAK: It would have definitely been surprising. The reason why it would have been surprising because I basically went to a place where not a lot of people know where it is. If I went to Chapel Hill or West Virginia, it would have been like, 'Why did you even stay down there?' In my mind, I was envisioning myself in a big city. I didn't envision myself starting my career in a small town. What I would have told my younger self is to be patient. It isn't about the place that you're at; it is about you. It doesn't matter where you're at or the facilities you have, just take whatever you have and make something out of it.
What was the most rewarding aspect of your time at Marshall?
.@Herd_MBB takes the lead on Obinna Anochili Killen's basket and he completes the three-point play to put Marshall ahead by three with 1.8 seconds to go. #SunBeltMBBpic.twitter.com/YtAMLZnum1
— Sun Belt (@SunBelt) March 8, 2025
OAK: My patience and loyalty to the school. That goes a long way. If I were one of those kids who wanted to chase NIL or a bigger school, I don't think I would have had the career that I had. Being patient with my coaches, teammates and the program as a whole paid dividends. With NIL, I had a lot of people throwing money at me and all that, but that wasn't one of my goals. I have an accounting degree, so I know how money works. If you attend another school and they offer you $20,000, you won't have the same relationship with the school. The only thing fans know about you is that you are just about the money. You're going to play one year, and nobody is going to know you.
With Marshall, I had a connection with the fans. It doesn't matter if you're at Duke or Kentucky or whatever, the NBA is going to find you if you're good enough. Most of the guys I've been working out with went to Kentucky, Duke or Villanova, and I'm there with them. I just feel like it doesn't matter about the school. What mattered to me was actually working on my game, working on myself and showing people what I could do, and I knew I could do it at Marshall.
Could you tell that the fans appreciated that you stayed when you could have left for another program?
OAK:100%! I'm getting calls from fans like, 'Do you need anything?' It isn't only the basketball aspect, but the off-the-court aspect. The fans appreciated me just being there, not leaving for the money and all that. It wasn't even at the end of my career, but from the beginning. I've seen where we had a bad season. In my five years, we've had ups and downs. Two years ago, we had a bad season, and we sold out five times. Tell me a losing team that you've seen do that. It doesn't happen that way. If you come to Marshall University, you're basically family. They don't care if you're losing or winning; they just want to come down and support you. Those things play a huge factor because you know you have people who will support you regardless of where you go or what you do.
You became the Marshall all-time shot blocker this past season. What is your mindset on defense?
OAK:To make sure every team knows that if you go to the basket, they're looking for me. My mindset is I want them to know that if they're going to the rim or they're around, they're looking for me or I'm on the scouting report: 'You can't just go inside. You have to find him.' I wanted to make sure that, offensively, people are looking for me even if I'm on the ball or off the ball. They're looking to see where I am to try to find a way to take me out of the picture defensively, which isn't going to be possible because I'm all over the place.
You nearly had a triple-double with blocks. Did you know you were that close?
OAK: Well, no, because my goal in that game was to win because I think that was our second road win, so that was a pretty huge win in the conference. But you know when you're on a roll; I was just on a roll in that game. One thing about blocking shots is that (teams) want to show you that they can score on you, so I took the challenge. I really didn't know I had nine; I probably thought I had maybe six or seven. But that wasn't on my mind. I was just trying to get a win for my team, and if that means getting nine blocks, 10 rebounds or whatever it takes, I'm going to do it.
How beneficial is it to have such a long wingspan?
OAK: It is huge because I'm a 6-8 guy with a 7-foot wingspan. If you look at other 7-footers, their wingspan is probably going to be 7-1 or 7-2, so I basically look at myself as a 7-footer. That has helped me a lot with getting steals and deflections, and being big defensively. I can cover a lot of ground using my wingspan and my quickness. It is easy for me to create space to block or alter shots. With bigs, it is easy for me to use my quickness. Putting weight on can help me stand my ground against the bigs. That is definitely one of my tools: being versatile.
What are you trying to show teams in your workouts?
OAK: I'm trying to show these teams that I can switch multiple positions from 1-5. I can be energetic defensively. I try to show them the stuff I can do, which is being energetic and all of that. Most teams already have their 20-point scorers, but most of the teams want to fill in those role players who can help them more. They need guys who can do what (Alex) Caruso is doing right now with OKC, or you can also look at the Pacers. The two teams playing in the NBA Finals have guys who defend and knock down shots. What I want to bring is my length on defense and my versatility.
What do you want teams to know about you?
OAK: First of all, I'm a hard worker. I try to improve every day. I'm not a guy who stays stagnant; I try to find every little thing to improve on. You can kind of see it from my freshman year to my senior year in college. I just try to work and improve. I'm easy to get along with. I'm coachable. I like people to be honest with me. I want people to tell me what I need to improve on. I'm definitely loyal. I'm the kind of guy who, when stuff gets bad, I don't just leave. I try to figure stuff out because I feel like that is huge in the league: You've got to be patient. I try to work through the process. That is the kind of guy you get from me.
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Obinna Anochili-Killen Q&A: Marshall, NCAA, NIL, 2025 NBA draft
Continue reading...
