What NBA scouts are saying about Magic forward Chuma Okeke’s future: ‘He does a little bit of everything’
The quotes:
The 23-year-old forward is earning a reputation as a diligent worker and a superb teammate — a rare youngster who, through the very nature of how he plays and sees the game, innately comprehends how to fit in within an offense. “He knows how to play,” said a scout who works for another team. “He’s one of those guys that’s going to be a really solid pro, a guy that coaches will trust. He does a little bit of everything.”
Okeke knows his strengths and his weaknesses. On offense, he knows when to shoot and when to pass. On the other end of the floor, he has a strong sense of team-defense concepts, such as when to help and when to rotate. Scout B said Okeke “has an uncanny feel of how to play.” This may seem like the most basic of skills, but it isn’t basic for players early in their NBA careers.
Okeke moves the ball enthusiastically, as Scout C noted, and he does so in part because he understands how the game works. If there’s a defender in his face, he’s unlikely to force a shot. If he sees the potential to swing the ball to an open teammate, he’ll make the pass because he recognizes that the pass could help the Magic generate an open shot.
He also has a clear potential to space the floor at a high level. He made 34.8 percent of his 3-point tries as a rookie. That figure may not seem very impressive at first glance, but his shooting stroke is smooth. In 13 games in February, he sank 40.6 percent of his 3s on 2.5 attempts per game. In 13 games in March, he drained 43.2 percent of his 3s on 3.4 attempts per game. Those monthly splits hint at the shooter he might become consistently. “He could make shots,” Scout D said. “You can run pick-and-pop for him. He looks confident. He’s got some girth to him. And he’s a sneaky athlete. He had a few plays where he finished with high-level plays. I’ve got to say he’s skilled. He can score it, especially from the midrange.”
Okeke is listed as 6 foot 8, and television broadcasts don’t provide a sense of his accurate size. He’s listed at 235 pounds, and he’s a sturdy 235 pounds. It’s not easy for opponents to push him around, and that’s a clear positive.
“I like Chuma,” Scout B said. “It just depends on how his body will hold up from a health standpoint.
“He’s got good size. He knocked down some 3s. He looks like he could be a solid piece down the line. It’s just more of him getting more comfortable in his skin, being out on the floor and being able to continue to make his 3s.”
The most intriguing question about Okeke’s future is how he fits positionally with another 23-year-old forward, Jonathan Isaac. Three of the scouts have doubts that Okeke is suited to playing extensively at small forward. All three of those scouts mentioned speed or lateral quickness as a concern on the defensive end. “I think he’ll be able to guard wings, but I don’t think it’s something he’ll be able to do consistently,” Scout A said. “He would be a guy that you match up and say, ‘Hey, can you guard LeBron for a few possessions?’ (You can do that with Chuma) because he’s strong and he’s got the size to do it. I think he’ll struggle with quicker, more athletic wings. But for wings who are more power-based, I think he’ll be a good matchup for them. “I think he’s a four — more of a small-ball four,” Scout A added. “I don’t think you want to play him at the three a lot just because teams are going smaller, so you don’t want him having to chase smaller guys. I think he can play the three at times for you if you want to go bigger, but I like him at the four where he’s able to stretch the floor
Scout C lauded Okeke’s ability to find open shooters on offense and pass to cutting teammates, but Scout C also noted that NBA teams typically want their small forwards to be able to create off the dribble and create their shots. The scout said Okeke doesn’t have creation skills on par with natural small forwards in the league, but also noted that Okeke’s skills are more in line with NBA power forwards’ creation skills. In Scout C’s opinion, the Magic would be making a mistake if they play him extensively at the three because it doesn’t take the best advantage of Okeke’s skill set. “He’s not a three,” Scout D said. “He’s a four. He’s not mobile enough to be a three, in my opinion. He’s just not mobile enough. He’s a ‘new NBA’ four.
