It’s no secret that defense is the main draw to Isaac Okoro’s game, but I’m a big fan of his offensive abilities and upside as well.

Specifically his IQ. He’s a very smart basketball player, that’s what I’m going to highlight in this thread.

Overall offensively, Okoro graded out at the 86th percentile per Synergy. That’s... really good. He doesn’t have a reliable jumpshot YET, but he made up for that in basically every other aspect of the game.

First off, Okoro was a freshman. He had the 2nd most minutes/game out of anyone on that Auburn team. The other 5 highest minute-getters were seniors. Isaac was on the team to play his elite defense and stay the heck out of the way on offense.

He rarely held onto the ball, often quickly moving the ball to the open teammate. Okoro accepted his role & excelled at it. This led to a very Rockets-esque looking shot chart for Okoro... He took extremely minimal mid-range shots, almost solely shooting it at the rim or from 3.

Per Synergy, he ranked at the...
- 56th percentile for spot-ups
- 92nd percentile for cuts
- 78th percentile for post-ups
- 79th percentile for put-backs
- 80th percentile for transition

At the rim, he was elite. From 3? Not so much. However, he was willing to launch if it was an open look. I have little doubt Okoro will fix this area soon enough. He knows it’s an area he has to work on and he has the work ethic to act on it.

But due to Isaac’s role in Auburn’s offense, his most intriguing ability was shut down. Rarely did Okoro have a chance to make plays himself, but when he did, he showed real flashes. He ranked at the 97th percentile in isolation.

From watching film, it’s evident that he has a surprisingly quick first step and the vision to find the open teammate if a 2nd defender commits. If Okoro develops a solid 3-pt shot, he should be stellar at attacking closeouts.

With how CLE’s offense is structured, Okoro fits in great. He doesn’t need the ball, which compliments the Cavs’ ball-dominant backcourt. He won’t force shots, he’ll make the right plays, push it in transition. Most importantly, he’ll WORK. Him & Sexton aren’t buds for no reason.