A thread looking at Onyeka Oknogwu, one of the most exciting prospects in this upcoming draft

Pros:

One thing I immediately noticed when watching some of his tape is his ability to disrupt the passing lanes. He knows how to get the most out of his physical stature. He also uses his quickness to beat guys down the court on transition plays

He’s also a plus-level defensive rebounder with a high motor. Has the ability to snatch the ball one-handed. He also doesn’t require much loading time or space. Furthermore, his extended reach and strong hands allow him to pull the ball down from behind a crowd

Onyeka fills the role of a rim protector and for his archetype, boasts plus-level acceleration, top speed, and a vertical leap. While he does have some areas to address, Onyeka could realistically guard up to three to four positions

He also generates loose balls by being proactive in the perimeter passing lanes. He’s demonstrated proper execution with verticality to alter shot trajectory. His reflexes are on the quicker side too

Cons:

The main negatives come on the offensive side of the ball. He has poor ball-handling skills which often results in turnovers in the paint. He catches the ball, holds it, and then waits for the play to develop. While not terrible in spurs, he consistently stalls the offense

He also doesn’t trust himself to defend in space yet: too often self-relegates by readily entering “retreat” mode, involving flat feet. In a one-versus-two situation is more often affecting zero than two. Does not get in the space of the defender until a shot is imminent

Relents too much space by not bodying up the ball-handler, especially in the post–needs to utilize chest bump and would benefit from proactively lowering center of gravity

Finally, I’d like to see better execution versus the double team in recognizing the rotation earlier, avoiding pass turnovers, and hitting the open man

End of thread. If u read this far ur a legend

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