The 2020 NBA Draft will be an important event for teams to build for their future. Here is the Onyeka Okongwu 2020 NBA Draft Profile.

Background

Position: Forward/Center

Size: 6-foot-9, 245 pounds

School: USC

Class: Freshman

Okongwu was a five-star recruit who had offers from all over, but chose to stay close to home for his one year in college. After a year at USC, he has proven to be one of the best big men in the draft class.

His talents made him the best player on USC’s roster from day one. This was clear when he had double-doubles in his first two games and he didn’t play in more than 25 minutes in either contest. He scored a career-high later in the nonconference schedule with 33 points against Pepperdine. His best college performance came against Oregon, when he poured in 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. He averaged 16.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Okongwu’s play helped USC have a 22-9 record, which could’ve had them in the NCAA Tournament if the season was able to continue.

After his one year at USC, Okongwu knew his value and decided to enter the draft. As one of the best big men in the class, Okongwu will not have to wait long to hear his name called by the commissioner.

Strengths

His athleticism sets him apart from other players in the class. He may be 6-foot-9, but he can jump and play well above the room. Without the ball in his hands, he can separate from defenders. Because he is athletic, he can finish at the rim with dunks and he can also block a lot of shots on the defensive end. This also helps him rebound decently on both ends of the floor.

Okongwu is very effective in pick and roll situations. He sets good screens and rolls to the basket very well. When it isn’t there initially, Okongwu is patient and finds open spaces to make plays. He finishes well at the rim once the ball does get into his hands. With the NBA becoming more of a pick and roll league, it is good for Okongwu that he has this skill.

He is a good finisher in the low post. Okongwu can finish with a variety of moves and has a nice hook shot. When he gets a little bit of space he is able to finish with nice layups and dunks. It is a lost art to score in the low-post, but if a team wants to throw it into Okongwu, he will be able to convert and be productive.

Weaknesses

The most glaring weakness for Okongwu is his lack of range. While he hit 25 percent of his shots from deep, he didn’t take very many. In today’s NBA, players need to be able to shoot from deep to stay on the floor. There is room for him to develop a 3-point shot, but until then he may be left off the floor at the end of games.

He could be a bit of a tweener in the NBA. His ball-handling doesn’t allow him to beat his man off the dribble, but he isn’t the biggest player to match up on the interior with some of the league’s tallest players. He can be a small-ball center, but to really be a better offensive threat, Okongwu needs to dribble the ball better to put pressure on defenses.

His passing needs to improve for him to be a better all-around offensive player. He had 1.1 assists per game, but also had 2.0 turnovers per game. When he is double-teamed, he needs to find the open man. Okongwu should also focus on moving the ball more in general if he doesn’t have a clear opportunity at the rim.

Projected Draft Range: Top 10 Pick

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