Dynamic scorer Ebuka Okorie could be a Sixers pick. But will he fit into the Philadelphia 76ers' established guard rotation?
In a mock draft done by USA Today, the Philadelphia 76ers are projected to select Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie with the 22nd pick in the draft.
Okorie is one of the most dynamic scorers in the class, as he led the ACC conference in scoring with 23.2 points per game and finished the season with 719 points, the third-most in a single season in Stanford history. He also had eight games of 30 points or more, a sign of how much he was leaned on for offensive production.
What stands out most is how he gets those points. Okorie is great at attacking the rim, as he has fantastic burst off the dribble and a smooth handle to create angles to attack. This was shown off in a 40-point outing against Georgia Tech, where he shot 12-21 from the field and a perfect 13-13 from the free-throw line. He also erupted for 36 points and nine assists against North Carolina, showing that he can score and create when the lights are bright and the attention is on him.
That production is exactly why he is appealing, but it also explains the concern. Okorie is a smaller guard and serves as the team's primary engine. This produced great results at the collegiate level, as Okorie's 8.0 offensive box plus-minus (OBPM) ranks in the 94th percentile. In Philadelphia, his role would almost certainly shrink with Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and VJ Edgecombe already on the roster, which means Okorie would be put off the ball far more.
That does not mean the fit would be horrible. In fact, the appeal is clear: the Sixers need more guards who can create their own offense when Maxey is off the floor or is having a bad game. He also showed signs that his jumper is coming along, shooting 35.4% from three and 83.2% from the free throw line, which helps ease some of the spacing concerns.
The question is not whether Okorie can score. The question is whether he would accept a smaller, more specialized role early in his NBA career.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at dixonwesley286@gmail.com.