In the lead-up to the NBA Draft on June 21, BSN Denver is taking an in-depth look at prospects the Nuggets might target in the first round. Each draft profile will be accompanied by a podcast available on BSNDenver.com and wherever you normally download your podcasts from. To submit questions for the podcast, reply in the comments section at the bottom of this story.
BSN Nuggets Podcast: Josh Okogie
THE BASICS
Josh Okogie — Shooting Guard — Georgia Tech
NBA Role: High-energy reserve who contributes everywhere
Player Comparison: A mix of Tony Allen and Aaron Afflalo
Few NBA prospects did more to help their stock than Josh Okogie at the Draft Combine last month in Chicago. The 6-foot-4 guard recorded the fastest three-quarter court sprint at the event (3.04 seconds) and tied Donte DiVincenzo for the best max vertical (42 inches). Not long after, Okogie decided to remain in the NBA Draft for good, which ended his college career after two seasons at Georgia Tech.
Athletic wings who contribute in multiple areas of the game are in high demand right now.
“That’s something the NBA is going towards,” Okogie said at his pre-draft workout with the Nuggets earlier this month. “Guys who are 6-foot-7 and guard all positions. Every workout you go to, you see kind of the same body type.”
Okogie isn’t quite that tall, but in college he showed the ability to make contributions everywhere. That versatility — a product of his athleticism and motor — is why most draft pundits consider Okogie a late first-round pick heading into the draft Thursday.
LOVES TO GET INSIDE BUT NOT A GREAT FINISHER
Nearly 40 percent of the shots Okogie took last season with the Yellow Jackets came at the rim. Okogie has a 7-foot wingspan and a quick first step. In the clip below, he knifes through Duke’s zone defense using a single dribble.
Okogie zooms down the runway, takes it right at Wendell Carter Jr. and lays it off the glass for an old-fashioned three-point play. Sequences such as this one illustrate why Okogie led the ACC in free throw attempts: He attacks relentlessly, and he doesn’t hold back when he’s outnumbered.
Curiously, though, Okogie is not an efficient finisher. He converted only 54.5 percent of his shots at the rim as a sophomore, according to Hoop-Math, a mark nearly equal to what the diminutive Trae Young shot. Okogie should be better given his 42-inch max vertical, 211-pound frame and long arms.
Part of his struggles might be related to shot selection. There were times when Okogie tried to score inside against the trees when a better option was available.
Another theory: Okogie’s incredible leaping ability doesn’t translate all that well to actual games. Okogie looks explosive when he’s attacking horizontally. The same can’t be said about the way he moves vertically.
Okogie should be capable of going over and through opponents, but he doesn’t.
He’s still only 19 years old. Maybe it’s a skill he can work on.
CONTRIBUTES EVERYWHERE
The Yellow Jackets struggled in ACC play last season, going 6-12. If it wasn’t for Okogie, their conference record might have been somewhere between Wake Forest’s (4-14) and Pittsburgh’s (0-18). Okogie ranked first on Georgia Tech’s roster in scoring and steals, second in rebounding and assists, and third in blocks. He did a little bit of everything as one of the few bright spots on Josh Pastner’s underwhelming squad.
Okogie, who played more than 36 minutes per game, was the rare guard who made his presence felt as an on-ball defender and as a shot blocker. He averaged 1.8 steals per game to go along with 1.0 blocks per game.
He can capably slide his feet, and he did a nice job of using his wingspan to pry away basketballs. For someone who’s 6-foot-4, he’s got great shot-blocking instincts. Okogie and Texas Tech’s Zhaire Smith were probably college basketball’s best two shot-blocking guards last season. Okogie swatted three shots during Georgia Tech’s Feb. 20 game against North Carolina alone.
Additionally, Okogie was a threat on the offensive glass. He averaged 2.3 offensive rebounds per game, a number nearly identical to the 2.2 Smith averaged.
Smith is expected to go higher than Okogie in Thursday’s draft, and for good reason: His freaky athleticism translates better during games. But the two prospects aren’t that dissimilar.
HITS JUMPERS BUT FORM IS A CONCERN
Okogie shot 38 percent on 4.2 three-point attempts per game last season. That’s a respectable mark. But when you turn on the tape, it’s fair to wonder if he’ll have the same success at the NBA level with such unorthodox mechanics.
Okogie shoots the ball out in front of his body. His release point is low. He pushes the basketball as much as he shoots it. Will he have trouble getting it off when the competition is bigger and faster?
That funky form also leads to some ugly attempts off the dribble. He shot 29.3 percent on two-point jump shots, per Hoop-Math. Adopting a more traditional up-and-down motion could help him work out the kinks.
THE VERDICT
The Nuggets need wing depth more than anything. They could stand to add athleticism and players whose motors run hot. Okogie fits that bill. Picking him at 14 would be a reach, though. Smith would be a much better option at that position if that’s the direction Denver wants to go.
However, if the Nuggets do trade back in the first round as a way to offload Kenneth Faried’s salary, which they’re reportedly interested in doing, Okogie could be an option. The Hawks have three first-round picks: Nos. 3, 19 and 30. Swapping the 14th pick and Faried for the 30th pick is a deal that could be on the table. That’s right around the range Okogie is expected to go in.
