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So today I did a deep dive on Isaac Okoro, watching a lot of raw film, reading scout reviews, and looking through some statistics.
After it all, I was very pleasantly surprised and deeply intrigued with his fit for the Cavs in this upcoming draft...
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After it all, I was very pleasantly surprised and deeply intrigued with his fit for the Cavs in this upcoming draft...
(Thread
)
First off, his body... Okoro is BUILT. At 6’6” 225 lbs, he can seamlessly fit into the 2, 3, or 4 spot in the NBA. Isaac’s an explosive athlete with a surprisingly quick first step.
He showed no problem standing firm against bigs in the post or locking down guards on the perimeter. He can get around screens effectively, and he doesn’t take a moment off on defense. Okoro takes great pride in his D. He’s a pest. He’ll be in his opponents airspace.
He’s a very smart player. Defensively he rarely makes mistakes. He’s much more raw offensively; however, a lot of that can stem from his limited role as a bruiser inside, pre-college.
Auburn was a senior-dominated team. Okoro, a freshman, was the only non-senior to get more than 14 minutes per game. He got 31.5/game and started every one. Isaac was on the floor for his defense, but he made the offense flow.
Okoro rarely held on to the ball, often finding a teammate & passing it on quickly. He was brilliant off-ball, cutting & normally being in the right place. When able to showcase his abilities more, he displayed a solid slashing game & above-average passing for his position.
Among the main rotation guys for Auburn, Isaac Okoro was:
• 2nd in FG%, eFG%, TS%, & Box +/-
• 3rd in Points Produced & Win Shares
• 2nd in FG%, eFG%, TS%, & Box +/-
• 3rd in Points Produced & Win Shares
Okoro’s glaring weakness is his 3-pt shot. It’s not a trainwreck, though. The form isn’t bad and he’ll occasionally take and make open ones. He even surprised with a few clutch triples or difficult pull-ups off the dribble.
Okoro in an interview with Mike Schmitz:
“Yeah, just putting up thousands of shots...Everyday, you know, just working on different things I know I’m gonna do in a game...With all the hard work that I’m gonna put in, whenever I get to the NBA team, it’s just gonna translate.”
“Yeah, just putting up thousands of shots...Everyday, you know, just working on different things I know I’m gonna do in a game...With all the hard work that I’m gonna put in, whenever I get to the NBA team, it’s just gonna translate.”
He doesn’t get comparisons to Kawhi, Jimmy Butler & Iguodala just for his elite defense, athleticism & versatile abilty on offense. He has that same workhorse approach. Okoro will give his all, there’s no question. He has the brawn, brain, & motivation. What more can you ask for?
The Cavs desperately lack defenders. They need guys who will move off-ball. Secondary playmaking is a must. There is a lack of talent at the wing position on the team. With the countless questions surrounding Deni Avdija, the other top wing prospect, it feels too good to be true.
