Auburn star Isaac Okoro is officially keeping his name in the NBA Draft but what do draft experts and scouts think of him.
On October 16, Auburn freshman Isaac Okoro will likely be the Tigers’ first-ever one-and-done prospect. On Monday, the 19-year-old small forward officially announced that he would be keeping his name in the NBA Draft and would not return to The Plains for a sophomore season.
https://twitter.com/AuburnMBB/status/1290434775401062407
As much as Auburn fans would’ve loved to have the star forward for another year, Okoro’s decision is probably the right one as he is currently seen as one of the better prospects in the 2020 draft class and at only 19 years old, Okoro’s potential has already enticed many scouts and draft experts.
In his one season at Auburn, Okoro, who came to Auburn as the No. 36 recruit in the class of 2019, averaged 12.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 51.4 percent from the field.
Okoro was also a major part in Auburn putting up a 25-6 record last season but going into the next chapter of his career, what is being said about Auburn’s star prospect?
Mock draft: No. 10 to the Phoenix Suns
NBA comparison: Justin Anderson/Caron Butler
Scouting: Done by Jorrye Nixon
"Okoro is a young prospect coming off a promising Freshman season for a very good Auburn team, putting up averages of 12 ppg, 4 rpg, 2 apg, and 1 bpg … He is a good athlete with good size and strength, and will be able to play and defend multiple positions at the next level … His defense is currently ahead of his offense at this stage in his development, and he will need to improve upon his shooting and overall effectiveness in a half court offense to reach his potential as a prospect … Still, he put up 12 ppg in his 1st season in major college hoops with a raw skill set on a veteran team, offering optimism that he can build his budding skills into even greater production … At the least, he should develop into a prospect who has value as a solid, versatile NBA defender but he could potentially develop into a valuable player if he can stick some open shots and continue to finish well in the paint."
NBADraft.net has Okoro going to Phoenix with pick No. 10 which would give Auburn its first top-10 pick since Chris Morris in 1988.
The Suns are a below-average defense and already have proven offensive stars such as Devin Booker and Kelly Oubre. With former No. 1 overall pick DeAndre Ayton controlling the paint, Okoro could become the player the Suns thought they were getting with Josh Jackson fourth overall in 2018.
Mock Draft: No. 7 to the Chicago Bulls
Analysis: done by Kyle Boone
"In Isaac Okoro, the Bulls land a 3-and-D wing whose 3-point shooting remains a work-in-progress but whose D remains strong. So for a Chicago franchise already brimming with potential stars in Coby White and Zach LaVine, who command a lot of touches, he could step in immediately as a role player on the wing who can make an impact without requiring a high usage rate."
Chicago is also one of my personal favorite landing spots for Okoro as like, Phoenix, the team already has plenty of offensive talent (LaVine, White and Lauri Markkanen) which would take the pressure off Okoro as he develops his offensive game.
Despite being a bad team overall, the Bulls also ranked first in the entire league with 10.0 steals per game which could mesh well with Okoro’s defensive mindset.
Mock draft: No. 4 to the Atlanta Hawks
Analysis and scouting: done by Rob Dauster
Dauster is a bit higher than Okoro than most other experts and he readily admits that in his latest mock draft. However, even with Atlanta drafting defensive-minded wing De’Andre Hunter fourth overall in 2019 and other wings like Cam Reddish and Kevin Huerter on the roster, Dauster is confident that Okoro has top-5 potential.
"I don’t think it’s crazy to say that Okoro was the best perimeter defender in college basketball this season. He can guard up, he can guard down, he can move his feet, he’s already built like a pro, he’s shown the ability to block shots as a help-side defender. It’s what he hangs his hat on. But he’s also proven to be particularly adept off the dribble, where he’s a nightmare to stop once he gets a step. He can finish above the rim, but perhaps his most underrated skill is his ability to read defenses and pass the ball. He definitely is a capable and willing playmaker."
Despite their recent draft picks, I do believe Atlanta would be a good fit for the Georgia native. The Hawks were one of the worst defensive teams in the league last season and while they weren’t very efficient beyond the arc as a team, the Hawks have plenty of shooters (Trae Young, Huerter, Hunter and John Collins) already on the roster to cover up Okoro’s biggest weakness.
Prospect ranking: No. 7 overall player and No. 2 overall small forward
Analysis: done by Mike Schmitz
Pros: physical tools, rim attacking, ball handling & passing, rebounding for his position and excellent approach to the game
Cons: lack of offensive game, no SEC or NCAA Tournament experience, free-throw shooting and perimeter shooting.
Projected role: Versatile two-way role player
While it’s not in a mock draft format, ESPN analyst Mike Schmitz has Okoro at No. 7 on his big board of top prospects in the 2020 draft.
Schmitz makes a fair point that he is not sure if Okoro is a risk as a top-10 pick due to his lack of scoring process stating that “His 16 points per 40 minutes is the lowest scoring rate of any college player currently projected in the top 20.”
Still, Schmitz also points out that Okoro can impact the game without scoring and fills a role that is hard to find in today’s NBA.
Overall, Schmitz is not sold on Okoro being a future star (likely due to lack of scoring) and projects him to be a role-player (but a versatile one at that.)
Mock Draft: No. 7 to the Chicago Bulls
Pro comparisons OG Anunoby, Andre Iguodala
In his most recent mock draft from July 29, Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman has Okoro going seventh overall to Chicago.
Wasserman notes that Bulls SF Otto Porter could opt out of his contract for 2020-21 which would give Okoro a chance at being a starter for the team early in his career.
Wasserman also praises Okoro’s ability to drive the basketball and score efficiently (60.7 percent on two-point shots) would give a major boost to a Bulls squad that finished their season ranked 27th in the NBA in both points per game and offensive efficiency.
As for the pro comparisons, Wasserman compares Okoro to current Toronto Raptors wing OG Anunoby. The 23rd overall pick in 2017, Anunoby has quickly become a major part of the Raptors’ rotation despite the lack of scoring ability.
Anunoby has served as Toronto’s starting SF this season and has averaged 10.8 points per game to go along with strong defense. Anunoby (6-foot-7, 232 pounds) and Okoro (6-foot-6, 225 pounds) have similar frames and athleticism.
As for the comparison to Iguodala, that is probably close to Okoro’s NBA ceiling. Now nearing the end of his career, young fans today may not know just how good Iggy was in his prime.
A former All-Star and two-time All-Defensive team selection, Iguodala was once a legitimate star and one of the best all-around players in the league. Not known for his shooting early in his career, Iguodala made his money on the defensive end, as a playmaker and as a slasher.
"“He didn’t average a made three-pointer per game until his fourth season. If Okoro can continue to improve his shooting the way Iggy did, he can be a similarly versatile forward who can slash, serve as a playmaker, defend at a high level and knock down open jumpers,” Wasserman said"