Chuck Ogbodo, a native of Nigeria who has spent his first three seasons of college basketball at UNC Wilmington, made it known this week that he will be exploring the possibility of transferring from UNCW this summer.

Ogbodo, who averaged 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 19 games this season, sat on the bench for the majority of the final half of the 2016 regular season.

The reasons behind his absence on the court were shrouded in mystery for much of the year, even after head coach Kevin Keatts claimed it was due to his teammates playing better basketball.

One cannot help but wonder if something more was at play by the end of the year. Ogbodo recorded no minutes in UNCW’s first-round game in the NCAA Tournament vs. Duke, even after three Seahawks had fouled out and Keatts was left without a true center.

In an exclusive interview with The Seahawk, Ogbodo voiced his concerns about his place in a program that seems to be headed in a different direction.

“Being a junior is probably the most important year in an athlete’s life,” said Ogbodo. “It’s a year you’re supposed to transcend from being a good player to being a great player. As a junior, I don’t think I quite got there because I almost didn’t play half of the season.”

Generally well liked around campus, the 6’9”, 230-lb center can usually be found socializing with fellow students and sampling some of the finer things made available to UNCW’s 15,000-plus undergraduates.

In the earlier part of the season when Ogbodo received a majority of his playing time, he made multiple plays on defense that sent crowds at Trask Coliseum into a frenzy, including a game against Milligan College in which he recorded six blocks.

He said his decision to explore the possibility of leaving is strictly basketball related, and that if he does leave he will miss the school.

“I love the school. I love my teammates and the people I’ve met and been able to mingle with in the couple years I’ve been here,” said Ogbodo. “It’s just that when it comes to the basketball aspect of it, I didn’t do what I saw myself doing in the beginning of the year. I didn’t quite get there.”

Ogbodo’s decision did not come as a complete surprise to those familiar with the situation. There had been whispers during the season that he might consider leaving, but at the time he was focused on the task at hand: helping the Seahawks win in any way he could, even if his contributions came from the sidelines.

“Some of the guys where shocked when I told them, one after another,” said Ogbodo. “It’s nothing against them, it’s just that I have to go and explore somewhere, if possible, for me to play. If there isn’t [a right fit], then I’ll stay here.”

Despite everything, there is still a decent chance of Ogbodo returning to UNCW for his final season. He could play immediately if he transfers down to the Division II level. If not, he would have to sit out a year to maintain eligibility.

When asked if he was happy with what he had accomplished with his teammates during his time as a Seahawk (a three-year tenure that includes two regular season CAA titles, a CAA Tournament title, and an NCAA Tournament appearance), Ogbodo took a more personal route when describing his feelings.

“No, I have not accomplished anything yet,” said Ogbodo. “The time I thought that I was going to accomplish something—make a leap—was this year. It kind of hurt me that I did not reach the goals I had set for myself to accomplish.”

“It’s kind of mind-boggling thinking about it, but at the end of the day, like they always say, ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,’” said Ogbodo. “What I’ve learned from this year is that no matter the downfalls that I’ve had, no matter the breakdowns, the thing that matters is how I come back after everything. ‘How do I respond to the situation?’”

If Ogbodo does indeed transfer, it will leave the 2016-2017 UNCW squad with only one true center, senior C.J. Gettys. Coach Keatts and his staff are hoping a productive big man will be willing to come to UNCW through transfer and help the Seahawks make a run at back-to-back CAA Tournament championships.