Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

2018 Orlando Magic NBA Draft Preview: Josh Okogie, from scorer to role player

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 28: Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket freshman guard Josh Okogie (5) breaks away to score the game winning buzzer beater during the game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Yellow Jackets defeated the 14th ranked Fighting Irish 62-60 on January 28, 2017, at the Hank McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 28: Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket freshman guard Josh Okogie (5) breaks away to score the game winning buzzer beater during the game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Yellow Jackets defeated the 14th ranked Fighting Irish 62-60 on January 28, 2017, at the Hank McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next

The Good

Josh Okogie’s athleticism stands out first and foremost when he is on the floor. He has a good quick burst that gets him past his defender and to the basket with some explosiveness. Okogie is able to get off the floor quickly.

That helps him most in transition where he had a tendency to leak out and beat opponents down the floor for easy dunks and layups. That is hardly a sign of what kind of player he can be.

But that same burst is present in how he darts to the basket off the dribble or off cuts. Or even in how he rises up for jumpers off the dribble. Okogie can be in constant motion and get to the basket with that burst.

That was something he did at Georgia Tech more often than his usage rate would suggest. He is smart working across the lane and can finish quickly after he makes the catch. That is all important. Okogie’s speed in this respect is certainly strong.

He is a reliable enough shooter to keep teams honest. His solid 3-point shooting suggests he could work off the ball. Maybe even as a cutter. But that was not his game with the Yellow Jackets. With Georgia Tech, he was on the ball and looking to attack off the dribble.

That will be part of his transition to the NBA.

But Okogie has another skill that makes him extremely valuable. His defensive length and acumen suggest he can carve out a role in the NBA. That makes him valuable outside of his scoring.

His 7-foot wingspan was the fourth longest at the NBA Draft Combine among guards. That helped him accumulate nearly 2.0 steals per game in his time at Georgia Tech.

Okogie has a ton of speed and a ton of natural athletic gifts. That makes him extremely intriguing and promising as a player.