Draft Profile: Onyeka Okongwu
Pos: Center (University of Southern California)
Age: 18
Height: 6 ft 9
Wingspan: 7 ft 1 in
Weight: 245 lb
The Sales Pitch: The stats, models, and advanced metrics love this man and put him in the company of guys like Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns in terms of collegiate production. He owns the paint to the tune of 3-plus blocks per game and a 7-foot-3 wingspan. Built more like Karl Malone or LeBron James than a center, he’s already coordinated enough to face up and take one to two dribbles, break off a eurostep, and even hit an end-of-shot-clock J in a pinch. Can defend in space like no one who weighs 245 pounds should be able to. Not a liability from the line at over 70%. Violent dunker on rim runs thanks to explosive hops and a good first step. Knows his role, but has upside as face-up big. Highest floor in the draft.
Check out The Strickland’s 2020 NBA Draft Big Board here!
Elite Traits/Skills: Shot-blocking ability and athleticism.
The Devil’s Advocate Argument: Centers are, as a rule, overrated and Okongwu’s no exception. What is Bam Adebayo without passing? A great athlete and defender, but nothing special, and not something hard to find in free agency; certainly not something to spend a top pick on. Okongwu is a good free throw shooter, but the shot won’t translate to three, so spare me your stretch five fever dreams. His handle is OK, but if he’s facing up and attempting eurosteps as part of your offense, it’s probably a bad offense. Just because he threw in a eurostep and a jump hook once every few games doesn’t make him the next Amar’e Stoudemire. He’s not a great passer right now and there’s not much reason to project plus passing other than “Bam was about the same size and magically transformed into a point center.” Finally, he wasn’t even a good post defender in college (55th percentile).
The Misconception: He was just a solid player in college. He was more than that: INCREDIBLY effective, and his reputation didn’t match his impact (not unlike recent draft steal Brandon Clarke).
Important Numbers:
10%: His block rate.
2%: His steal rate.
73%: His free throw percentage.
.50: His free throw rate.
65%: His TS% on 10 shots a game.
Knicks Fit: If you think he’s the best player available, then you look aside from his awkward overlap with Mitchell Robinson and just draft him. But the fit is awkward, if only because eventually you pretty much have to trade one of them for less than full value (think the Sixers with Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, and Jahlil Okafor all on the roster at once a few years back).
Educate yourself on some other potential Knicks: Killian Hayes, LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards
