Georgia Tech wing Josh Okogie was one of the NBA Draft Combine’s biggest winners. Has he put himself on the Utah Jazz’s radar at No. 21?
Over the years, the Utah Jazz have been major beneficiaries of the efforts of a couple of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
From 2002 to 2009, Matt Harpring knocked down countless 15-foot jumpers off the curl, racked up lay-ins off of baseline cuts and roughed up the opposition as a key cog on some of the best teams in franchise history.
More recently, Derrick Favors has been one of the league’s best defensive big men and finishers, combining with Rudy Gobert to form a truly unique frontcourt attack. With the 2018 NBA Draft fast approaching, I find myself wondering whether Josh Okogie could be next in line. Seriously — I’m draft-crushing hard here.
Perhaps no player benefited more from his experience at the NBA Draft Combine. Once considered a second-round guy, the testing done there suddenly has Okogie in the top 30. And some of his measurements put him among the ranks of the elite.
The 19-year-old checks in at 6-foot-4½ in shoes, which is middling for a two-guard. However, he boasts a huge seven-foot wingspan and an 8-foot-6 standing reach. Moreover, he has a solid 210-pound frame on just five percent body fat.
Oh, and he has a 42-inch vertical, which was tied with Donte DiVincenzo for the best at the combine. In short, dude can jump out of the gym.
Also — he had the fastest three-quarter sprint time at 3.04 seconds.
Josh Okogie By the Numbers
- Averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 boards, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks per contest as a sophomore.
- A career 38.2-percent 3-point shooter as a collegiate.
- Led the ACC in free throw attempts during the 2016-17 at 241 and ranked seventh last season (161).
- Was fourth in the ACC in points produced per game (17.2), had the fifth-highest usage rate (27.3) and was seventh in the conference in steal percentage and defensive win shares (at 2.9 and 2.2, respectively) in ’17-18.
My Analysis
There’s a lot to like about Okogie’s game. He was a really good shooter in college, even though he doesn’t have that beautiful, Ray Allen-style textbook shooting form. His release point is slightly lower, so he may be limited to being an open/set shooter initially.
However, his percentages (from distance, as well as from the free throw line, where he knocked down over 82 percent last season) lead you to believe he’ll be a high-level shooter if he can learn to get his shot off against NBA defenders.
Speaking of foul shots, he got to the line at a good rate as a Yellow Jacket, averaging nearly 12 attempts per 100 possessions. It’s a skill that should serve him well as he develops.
Defensively, he can wow you when he’s engaged. Some teaching will have to happen to make sure his in the proper place and stance at all times, but when he’s locked in and the motor is activated, he can really wreak havoc. This is when Okogie is an entertaining watch; flying in from the weak side to disrupt plays, halting dribble-drivers, recovering to block shots, etc.
His length is big here; if you can develop his ability to slide to the point as a pro, it becomes a huge advantage.
Offensively, there are some signs that he could play either guard spot. He may not be God Shammgod out there dribbling the ball, but he does make good reads and strong passes, generally.
Next: 2018 NBA Draft profile: Khyri Thomas
There’s a good chance Okogie isn’t your top choice at No. 21, but maybe he should be. At the least, he’s a guy that gives you an athletic advantage, spot-up shooting and an ability to get out in transition and throw down a hammer dunk at the end from day one.