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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) /
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The Bad

Josh Okogie had a high usage rate at college and was the main guy for Georgia Tech. That would be all well and good and his production was solid. But the Yellow Jackets were not a winning team.

Georgia Tech struggled to get much traction the last two years with Okogie leading the way. And no one sees him being the main player on a team moving forward. That is why Okogie will have to ease into a new role. And that will be a difficult thing to do.

Okogie is a decent shooter, but not an overly accomplished one. He shot just 41.6 percent from the floor with 13.3 field goal attempts per game. That is probably a lot more to do with the role he had to play for the Yellow Jackets.

He is a good enough shooter that he might find a role off the ball. But that will be a big adjustment for him.

Okogie at 6-foot-4 is a bit undersized for a shooting guard. And his point guard skills are not particularly developed. He averaged just 2.5 assists per game. His playmaking leaves a lot to be desired. His passing is not particularly strong, especially in traffic.

That leaves a question with where he fits on the floor.

Finding his role will be the biggest question he has to answer in his rookie year.  Where does he fit in with the modern NBA. If he is not a great shooter or playmaker, where does he fit on the floor.

The defensive ability undoubtedly will stand out most. That will get him some playing time. And he is a great athlete in space and can slash to the basket. But he will have to show he can hit spot-up 3-pointers more effectively to find a comfortable place in the NBA.