Chuma Okeke drafted #16 by the Orlando Magic

pinoynurse · Post #21 » by **pinoynurse** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:55 am

nymets1 wrote:He's not out the whole NBA season. His recovery timetable is 6 to 9 months, considering his age is 20 years and technology/medicine is continuing to get better and NBA regular season doesn't end until April. There's no way he's out the whole season. He suffered the injury in March that's the 3rd month of the year and say his recovery does take the full 9 months, Chuma Okeke will be back on the court in NBA regular season EITHER December or January but probably January. Again Okeke is exactly 20 years old so he is still very young. Okeke is not really a high flyer above the rim so he might not lose any quickness/ athletic for now.

Why did the Magic take him? It's apparently because they are factoring in him projected as a top 10 pick if he didn't get injured. So I'm thinking that's why the Magic had Okeke #1 on their board at the 16th pick over anybody we liked at 16( Naw, Little, etc)

I'm guessing also the Magic are confident about Markelle Fultz this upcoming year ready as the starting PG for game 1 of the regular season playing 30 minutes+ per game.

I did watch the NCAA tournament and I was aware of Okeke watching Auburn's games but I had no idea he was going in the 1st round.

WEHAM have a shown a tendency to be overly cautious with injuries and are not opposed to letting players have the entire year off to heal. IMO he wont play with us this season

KingRobb02 · Post #22 » by **KingRobb02** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:55 am

Love it

Ducklett · Post #23 » by **Ducklett** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:56 am

so... our summer league team is going to be an all time joke, right?

nymets1 · Post #24 » by **nymets1** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:57 am

pinoynurse wrote:
nymets1 wrote:He's not out the whole NBA season. His recovery timetable is 6 to 9 months, considering his age is 20 years and technology/medicine is continuing to get better and NBA regular season doesn't end until April. There's no way he's out the whole season. He suffered the injury in March that's the 3rd month of the year and say his recovery does take the full 9 months, Chuma Okeke will be back on the court in NBA regular season EITHER December or January but probably January. Again Okeke is exactly 20 years old so he is still very young. Okeke is not really a high flyer above the rim so he might not lose any quickness/ athletic for now.

Why did the Magic take him? It's apparently because they are factoring in him projected as a top 10 pick if he didn't get injured. So I'm thinking that's why the Magic had Okeke #1 on their board at the 16th pick over anybody we liked at 16( Naw, Little, etc)

I'm guessing also the Magic are confident about Markelle Fultz this upcoming year ready as the starting PG for game 1 of the regular season playing 30 minutes+ per game.

I did watch the NCAA tournament and I was aware of Okeke watching Auburn's games but I had no idea he was going in the 1st round.

WEHAM have a shown a tendency to be overly cautious with injuries and are not opposed to letting players have the entire year off to heal. IMO he wont play with us this season

This is totally different than the Markelle Fultz injury. Fultz can't shoot with the injury he had. I was getting upset seeing people on here saying Okeke is out the whole year.

MasterGMer · Post #25 » by **MasterGMer** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:59 am

That means... Oh well....

jayrehme · Post #26 » by **jayrehme** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:01 am

AG and Okeke going at eachother in practice should make both better

Message Boar · Post #27 » by **Message Boar** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:06 am

I don't doubt he could very well be ready to play ball before the end of next season, but is he really going to be able to compete at the NBA level without summer workouts, summer league, training camp, and practices against veteran players immediately, all while coming off a serious injury? Doubt it, but if it happens it would be a great sign that we have something here.

Post #28 » by **UCF** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:07 am

Would have liked to go with a SG for this pick but this guy is a legit. If it wasn’t for the injury he could have gone higher.

OrlandO · Post #29 » by **OrlandO** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:14 am

Read on Twitter

ezzzp · Post #30 » by **ezzzp** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:14 am

Ducklett wrote:so... our summer league team is going to be an all time joke, right?

what?! green font?

PrimeThyme · Post #31 » by **PrimeThyme** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:15 am

Feels like a huge reach and questionable fit at 16 but he is part of this team now and will have my full support.

Post #32 » by **SD2042** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:15 am

UCF wrote:Would have liked to go with a SG for this pick but this guy is a legit. If it wasn’t for the injury he could have gone higher.

If the Magic keep the #46 pick, they need to use the opportunity to grab a SG, preferably a scorer who can boost up the offense a bit. Hopefully they will draft such a player.

Post #33 » by **Bensational** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:17 am

I'm intrigued AF about this guy, mostly because I don't know much about him, but everything I do see screams positive.

I think his future lays on the wings, though. And he'll be a bull at those positions, too!

ezzzp · Post #34 » by **ezzzp** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:21 am

Watch on YouTube

Audi · Post #35 » by **Audi** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:22 am

Orlando Magic - Chuma Okeke, F, Auburn
Grade: B+
Okeke tore his ACL during the signature performance of his career in Auburn’s upset win over North Carolina in the Sweet 16. While the Magic will have to be patient as he recovers, he offers a rare combination of size, skill, and smarts to project as a perfect fit in the modern NBA. Okeke doesn’t have takeover scoring ability, but he makes shots, can attack a defense off the dribble, and put up monster block and steal rates this season as a sophomore.

Okeke was my pick for the draft’s biggest sleeper. The ideal comparison here is a player like Robert Covington. The Magic just got another long, athletic forward to pair with Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac.
www.sbnation.com/platform/amp/nba/2019/6/20/18693450/nba-draft-grades-2019-first-round-zion-williamson-trades-pelicans-ja-morant

Chuma Okeke
Okeke, an Auburn forward, was having the game of his life against North Carolina in the Sweet 16 when he tore his ACL. It’s a devastating injury that will set back the start of his NBA career.

But his performance in that game is also the reason Okeke is in this draft. As scouts went back to look at his tape, they saw a 6’8 combo forward who feels like an ideal fit in today’s NBA.

Okeke has an advanced feel for the game that translates on both ends of the floor. Defensively, he has the size, quickness, and technique to guard up to three positions in the NBA. He put up monster block and steal rates this season as a sophomore, and has value not only at the point of attack, but also as a help defender.

Offensively, Okeke hit 39 percent of his threes and was an efficient scorer on a variety of play types, according to data from Synergy Sports. He finished in the 91st percentile of half-court scorers, in the 81st percentile in transition, and graded out as “excellent” on cuts, post-ups, and in limited isolation opportunities.

Okeke has lottery talent for a player who should be available late in the first round. He’s a prospect worth being patient for.

MasterGMer · Post #36 » by **MasterGMer** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:23 am

I believe in our FO's choice

I hope we can draft some wing player with the 46th pick

Message Boar · Post #37 » by **Message Boar** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:24 am

Doing a little draft grade roundup here (may edit more in later)

The Ringer - Grade: B "... an interesting value pick for the Magic."

SBNation.com - Grade: B+ "Okeke was my pick for the draft's biggest sleeper."

SI.com - Grade: A- "I like this fit for the Magic, who can take their time and develop him into a versatile piece who can defend the perimeter and also stroke from outside."

CBS sports - Grade: D "If you told me four minutes before he tore his ACL that Okeke would be drafted this high, I would have believed you."

Bleacher Report - Grade: B "....he'll offer significant versatility at both ends once he's healthy. He's strong, he's long, he's accurate from distance..."

Sportingnews.com - Grade: B "Had Okeke not torn his ACL in the NCAA Tournament, there's a reasonable chance he would have been selected higher than this."

Uproxx.com (DIme magazine) - Grade: C "Make no mistake, it isn’t the reach that some will say, as Okeke would’ve been a top-20 prospect if not for the ACL tear."

Tennessean.com - Grade: D "It's bad value. ...Okeke would be a fringe first round pick without the injury.

Walterfootball.com - Grade: F "It seems like there was much better value available here, as I had Okeke as an early second-round prospect."

Masslive.com - Grade: D+ "Okeke feels like a reach -- he was projected to go in the second round, and Orlando already has plenty of big men."

MasterGMer · Post #38 » by **MasterGMer** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:24 am

So he can play both Forward positions?

ezzzp · Post #39 » by **ezzzp** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:25 am

The Stepien had him ranked 17th

NotACat · Post #40 » by **NotACat** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:27 am

MasterGMer wrote:So he can play both Forward positions?

yes, could even guard 2s maybe. Send extremely agile