The Minnesota Timberwolves guard is looking like a Draft-day steal.
Basketball in Minnesota right now is brutal. From their two young stars failing to provide their next step in development to their veteran superstar reportedly sitting out in hopes of a near-trade, you can definitely say that there is drama brewing in the Great Lakes.
With everything exploding in chaos, there has been a silver lining that no one has seemed to pick up. That lining has been the guard play of rookie Josh Okogie.
To be honest with you, I was unaware of Okogie until the T-Wolves selected him 20th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft.
I say this because there has never been any sort of media attention surrounding the twenty-year-old. To my surprise, he was a phenomenal player in college. For the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Okogie averaged 18.2 points, and 6.3 rebounds during his sophomore season.
Any statistical performance like over a season should’ve put his name into fan’s eyes come draft day, especially in colleges’ best basketball conference, the ACC.
Unfortunately, there was little said about the prospect. Besides the reporting of his pro day and team workouts, no extensive coverage was ever made by the NBA media.
It looks like so far, Josh Okogie is showing us why we should “know his name.”
Through the first two weeks of the NBA season, here’s how he’s fairing amongst his rookie class. He is sixth in points per game, fifth in rebounds, and first in steals per contest. Having the versatility to be efficient in three statistical groupings is very intriguing as he heads into his rookie season.
If we look ahead to his continuous contribution for the T-Wolves this season, we can expect some real optimism and success from the young prospect. When looking at his game as a whole, you can picture why he’s a great fit with this T-Wolves roster.
The first reason is his offensive potential. Despite his small statue of 6-4, 210, Okogie makes up for it in the athletic department. He has explosive speed with and without the ball and can find ways to draw contact inside. This willingness to bang around with the centers of the NBA is just what head coach Tom Thibodeau wants in his offense. Having this athleticism is also key because of the team’s personnel. He’s able to run in transition with the team’s younger, more lengthier forwards and blend into a great combination piece amongst the team’s rebounders Taj Gibson and Gorgui Dieng.
Luckily, he isn’t just an inside scorer. Okogie has been able to constantly knock down the open three, both open and contested shots. In college, he averaged 38 percent from three, and that number will most likely translate in the NBA early on. Having another perimeter shooter is a whole that the T-Wolves have been searching for a while now. The team has many inside scorers who get their offense exclusively in the paint. But, having a guy who can spread the floor, even if it may be small, will be beneficial into how the offensive flows when he’s on the court. Pairing him and fellow guard Jeff Teague in the backcourt, and the T-Wolves could possibly have all five guys on the court be multi-dimensional scorers on the court at the same time.
Most importantly for coach Tom Thibodeau, Okogie has been an excellent defender through the years. The athleticism he possesses allows him to switch and ultimately suitable to guard both guard positions. His one-on-one ability gives him the advantage if his opponent intends to slash inside, as he has the frame to steady his load. This gives the team an extra element when creating different lineups depending on the situation.
Think of him as Iman Shumpert once was with the New York Knicks. He provided the instant spark for the team on both ends of the floor. By guarding the opposing team’s best guard while finding ways to create his own shot, Shump was a key sixth man for the playoff Knicks teams in the early 2010s.
Like Shumpert, if there were one thing I would criticize Okogie it would have to be his passing ability. Even though he’s supposed to off-guard, he should be able to create more for others with the ball in his hands. Especially if he’s matched up with spot shooters Anthony Tolliver and Luol Deng. If he can increase his assists to even three per game, then I could see an even more expanded role on the T-Wolves rotation.
With all this efficiency at the early mark of the year, I can see Okogie being the team’s sixth man or even placed in the starting lineup if his teammate Jimmy Butler is in fact traded.
Whatever the case may be, we must remember that Josh Okogie is one of the top players in this year’s rookie class.
