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When it comes to this year’s NBA rookie class, things need to be taken with a grain of salt. The 2020 NBA Draft took place a little over a month ago in what is turning into an unprecedented season due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This group of young prospects did not have the ability to experience Summer League play to get them acclimated to NBA-level basketball and were instead thrust into training camp and preseason play. So there’s bound to be some growing pains with this crop of players and you’ve seen it so far with the up and down play of rookies like Anthony Edwards or LaMelo Ball.
But, there is an exception to a fairly lackluster showing from some of the rookie players so far. Isaac Okoro, who the Cleveland Cavaliers selected fifth-overall out of Auburn, has made a strong impression in preseason play. In four games, Okoro averaged 11.3 points on 50.0% shooting to go along with 2.3 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. Not only have his strong statistical outings impressed, but his maturity and ability as an NBA player have as well.
“Isaac’s been great,” said Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland. “He’s really active on both ends of the floor. He’s knocking down shots - he was really criticized about that coming into the league saying he can’t make shots. But, as y’all can see he’s making shots, corner threes, getting to the rim, he’s guarding Victor Oladipo. I mean, he’s doing well to me.”
What Garland says about Okoro is true. Coming out of Auburn, Okoro was not considered a reliable three-point shooter and that would limit his upside offensively in the NBA. But, with the luxury of playing next to All-Stars like Kevin Love and Andre Drummond along with three-point marksmen like Garland, Collin Sexton and Dylan Windler gives Okoro something he never had in college: spacing. It also took a little encouragement from his teammates too but Okoro has been able to showcase that he’s a lot better of a three-point shooter than his college numbers have led on and has converted on 45.5% of his attempts with the Cavaliers. Having that luxury in their rookie only unlocks Cleveland’s offense further, and that’s on top of what Okoro was expected to bring offensively.
“Coming in, I didn’t know much about him,” said Cleveland guard Dante Exum. “But, obviously he’s impressed me a lot. Just in training camp what he’s shown me is he’s a strong kid. So, I think he’s going to have hopefully a long career in the league. Once he starts to use his body and knows where he can use his body, it’s going to be free baskets every time. We’ve had an emphasis on kicking the ball ahead and I think he’s part of the reason why. If we can kick it ahead to him, he’s quick enough to go downhill and strong enough to go against the strongest.”
The safest thing to translate for Okoro from college was his defensive upside. While with Auburn, Okoro averaged nearly a steal and a block per game. He also was Auburn’s most versatile wing defender - and he showed the potential to be someone that you could put on an opponent’s best offensive player. With the Cavaliers, he’s done exactly that so far defending the likes of Victor Oladipo, Malcom Brogdon and R.J. Barrett.
“Again, you talk about the caliber of the opponent,” said Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff after a preseason win over the Indiana Pacers. “You talk about his ability to stay in front, defeat screens, navigate different offenses that he hasn’t seen before against the best players on the planet. When you watch him and you scout him, that’s what everybody talks about. Because it stands out for a guy that’s that high level of a recruit, that high of a draft pick, and it’s very rare that they excel defensively and take pride on the defensive end of the floor. Normally those guys are high scorers or offensive weapons.”
“I don’t think I can talk about him any more, man. I’ve said too much about him I don’t want to keep boosting his head,” said Cavaliers big man Andre Drummond. “He’s an incredible player and incredibly smart, first and foremost. He knows the game and he’s NBA ready and his body’s ready. There’s not much work he really needs to do besides staying patient with himself and really just learning the NBA speed of the game. He only gets better and better each and every day. It’s so exciting to watch him grow and for him to use me as a crutch and to ask me for advice makes me feel good.”
According to Action Network, Okoro currently has the eighth-best odds to win Rookie of the Year next season at +2000. If he were to start, those chances would only improve thanks to his steady, albeit stellar, preseason play. With so many accolades from his teammates and coach, it seems like Okoro has done more than enough to earn a starting position on opening night against the Charlotte Hornets. The only player ahead of him is Cedi Osman, who is ideally best suited to serve as an offensively versatile, high-energy wing off the bench for Cleveland. The Cavaliers already have plenty of offensive firepower in their starting unit, so adding Okoro as a defensive option to compliment them only makes even more sense.
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December 22, 2020 at 06:30PM
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Isaac Okoro Has Done More Than Enough To Start For The Cleveland Cavaliers - Forbes
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