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Utah Jazz 2018 NBA Draft Profile: Frenchman Elie Okobo

By Jared Barker

STRASBOURG, FRANCE - 2018/02/23: Elie Okobo of France seen during the FIBA Basketball World cup 2019 European Qualifiers match between France and Russia.(FInal score France beats Russia by 75-74). (Photo by Elyxandro Cegarra/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
STRASBOURG, FRANCE - 2018/02/23: Elie Okobo of France seen during the FIBA Basketball World cup 2019 European Qualifiers match between France and Russia.(FInal score France beats Russia by 75-74). (Photo by Elyxandro Cegarra/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) /
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When the Utah Jazz select at No. 21 in Thursday’s 2018 NBA Draft, Frenchman Elie Okobo could be a viable target for them.

Elie Okobo, French Rodney Hood?

Okobo is only 20 so he’s not quite as old coming into the draft as Rodney was and he doesn’t have all of the same physical limitations but there are a few similarities. Some of these might infuse a sense of dread in Utah Jazz fans, but I’m optimistic about Elie.

He had an incredible 44-point game vs AC Monaco in the French Ligue 1 (a national league similar to the ACB League in Spain) playoffs. That 44 points came on just 17 shots so you know the kid can score from deep if he gets into a rhythm. The big question with Elie is how will his shot look against NBA level defenders. Elie played for a small market team in the south of France called Elan Béarnais. The club plays in Pau which is in the Pyrenees near Spain.

When talking about his strengths, Nbadraft.net mentioned his large wingspan of 6 feet, 8 inches, that he’s explosive and versatile allowing him to guard both guard positions and that he can play on and off ball. Something which is big for the Jazz specifically is that he plays within the system. 

When going over weaknesses, they mention a few things about his inconsistent effort and that he’s somewhat turnover-prone because he allows opponents to speed him up and make him “play too fast.”  His defense is a bit of a work in progress and, like Rodney Hood, he doesn’t get to the line a lot. This could be the product of the fact that he seems to fall in love with the outside shot at times and doesn’t attack the basket.

The kid can score in bunches at times, though. If the Jazz don’t pick him, remember the name Elie Okobo because he could potentially become the next “Jazz killer.”

Here’s another look at his 44-point effort that you might remember from John Keeffer’s round-up of our favorite players available at 21—

Next: Utah Jazz: The J-Notes’ 2018 composite NBA mock draft

They say quite a bit more than some of the things I noted. Check out the profile on their site here.

Also, be sure to tune in to the 2018 NBA Draft on Thursday beginning at 5:00 PM MT on ESPN.