DEKALB, Ill. -- Northern Illinois University men's basketball head coach Mark Montgomery announced on Monday (April 20) the signing of Chinedu Okanu (Gary, Ind./Bowman Academy/Vincennes University) and Kaleb Thornton (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook/Iowa Western CC) to National Letters of Intent to join the Huskies for the 2020-21 season. 

"We are very excited to welcome both Chinedu and Kaleb into our program," said Montgomery. "They both come from winning environments, Chinedu was part of a national championship in junior college and Kaleb was part of a highly-successful high school program at Bolingbrook. Kaleb and Chinedu are both exceptional students as well and we are very happy to have them in the Huskie family."

Okanu comes to NIU following two seasons as Vincennes University in Vincennes, Ind., where he averaged 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while making 30 starts as a sophomore in 2019-20. The 6-foot-7 Okanu helped the Trailblazers to a 28-5 record while earning NJCAA Division I All-Region 24 honors. As a freshman at Vincennes in 2018-19, Okanu played in 23 games while helping the Trailblazers win the NJCAA Division I National Championship, its first since 1972. Okanu will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at NIU. 

"Chinedu is a big-bodied forward who can play multiple positions," said Montgomery. "He is a good rebounder and can score both with his back to the basket and with his face up game. Chinedu went to high school in the Gary (Ind.) area and it is great for us to continue those connections with an area that has been very successful for us."

Thornton played one season at Iowa Western Community College, averaging 10.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and a team-best 3.4 assists per game for the Reivers as he earned NJCAA Division I All-Region 11 Second Team honors. Thornton joined Iowa Western from Bolingbrook High School, where he played alongside current Huskie Tyler Cochran, and was an Illinois Basketball Coaches Association 3A/4A Second Team honoree in 2018 and Third Team selection in 2017. Thornton has three seasons of eligibility remaining with the Huskies.  

"Kaleb is a jet-quick playmaker, he has a good feel for the game, is a very hard worker and an extremely competitive young man," said Montgomery. "He can change gears, get into the paint and make plays for himself and for others. Kaleb is a heady player who can be a coach on the floor, and we know with what we have seen from Tyler Cochran that he has been well-prepared to play at this level."

NIU is coming off a 2019-20 campaign that saw the Huskies win a share of the MAC West Division title and finish with 18 victories, the sixth-most wins in school history.