Elie Okobo

[coutournant]

His passing has improved a lot too. His ast/to ratio was 1.4 in the first half of the season, it raised at 2.3 in the second half of the season.
His vision and passing is extremely accurate with his left hand.

[Dr Positivity]

What made Ntilikina a much better prospect other than size?

Frank got picked higher because he was younger and bigger. He is a better defensive prospect than Okobo but offensively it's not close to me. Frank put up 11/5/3/.53 TS% per 40 minutes in the French League, he shot 38% from 3 on SSS but 59% from the line. Average athleticism and ballhandling. He had done nothing to show he's a good offensive prospect in my opinion and PG/SG is not an important enough defensive position to go defense only with a top 10 pick. Forgetting everything else, taking a player who's like the 9th best player on a French league team and around the 95th best player out of 114 qualified players in the league (95th in PER, 94th in minutes played) seems like something you should not do. It doesn't matter if you're 18, 95. Out of 114. In the French League. The Knicks Knick'd

[916fan]

My only issue is he is slightly older than I would like (21 later this year), I have Musa and Bitadze ahead because they are so much younger. Other than that his numbers and skillset look really good. Lotto caliber

21 is old, but not all that old. He's only 1 year older than most of the freshman this year.

[916fan]

I don't care anymore, here's my hot take. He's a better player and prospect than Ntilikina. Fans are sleeping on him because they only follow the major draft guys instead of scouting on their own. He's both young AND productive in Pro A. Smh

[Nyce_1]

Kid had an amazing game.

[Ruzious]

Okobo unreal tonight against Monaco (top team in France this season) in the first game of the playoffs :

44 points record of the season in France, 8/12 at 3pt 12/12 FT. Unfortunately Pau lost 99-97. Okobo scored 23 points in the fourth quarter

He was defended by Aaron Craft, best defender in France this year and and in every championship he played .

And France is a great championship in defense, it has produced some of the best european defenders over the past decades at each positions with Ntilikina, Pietrus brothers, Batum, Gobert, Mahinmi etc.

Okobo reminds me a bit of Gilbert Arenas

Nah, Arenas had tremendous physical tools - explosion, strength, speed, quickness - and skills. He just wasn't the sharpest tie in the tool-shed... er something like that.

[8305]

Nice size, will ultimately be stronger than most pg’s in the league. Looks like ag good shooter and finisher. Offensively he reminds me of Dragic? Also, looks like he might be a capable defender.

[GimmeDat]

This game will probably blow him up among more mainstream draft circles. And for good reason, what a line. But he's been playing awesome for a while now.

My question is what is his defense really like and how will it project to be. He's got the length but I've seen some stats that suggest he's not that good on that end.

[LuessiT]

This game will probably blow him up among more mainstream draft circles. And for good reason, what a line. But he's been playing awesome for a while now.

My question is what is his defense really like and how will it project to be. He's got the length but I've seen some stats that suggest he's not that good on that end.

He's not. He's terrible. Can be okay in spurts but loses focus and doesn't have the greatest motor. Physically he should be fine.

[remi_222]

Watch on YouTube

FG 12 - 17, 3FG 8 - 11, FT 12 - 12, 3reb, 4ass

[Mirotic12]

I don't like that he has production in French league though. It's good that he is producing, but French league is very notorious for being a league where none of the teams play defense against point guards. Pretty much any decent point guard or combo guard tears up French league.

That's a concern, because it makes his production seem much more impressive than it really it is.

Didn't help Frank who was a 12 PER 9th man

He was not a decent level guard for European standards.

[stitches]

Here are my notes from the first Okobo game I saw:

Elie Okobo vs vs Elan Chalon

Watch on YouTube

Q1:

-first possession - rejects a screen on the left wing with a crossover and attacks the rim - great finish over the help defender. Great quickness!
-his handle looks tight. Clear PG handle.
-great read out of the PnR - passes to the spot up shooter in the close corner for an open 3.
- after a good chase around a screen of his man, his secondary effort seems a bit lackluster, overall doesn't look overly engaged on D, a bit upright, not in a stance.
- doesn't move much when he gives up the ball.
- doesn't look physical on D, allows his man to run around a screen and go to the rim uninterrupted.
- gets trapped on the sideline but manages to pass out of it
- unselfish in transition - makes the right pass to the open shooter on the wing
- he seems to do the bare minimum on defense. Example - he would make the rotation, but then would give no resistance or contest on the shot.
- I love his dribble. It's really tight and seamless. Crossover into spin move hesi jimbo, drains it from the FT line. This is advanced stuff and more than anything - it looks natural, it looks easy.
- this was better on D - decided to be pesky and interrupted his man and deflected the ball. So he CAN do it. After the inbound - chases his man around screens with good effort. I wonder if his coach told him something... he seems able defensively when he tries.
- weird TO on an easy pass... I don't know if it was his or the big's fault.
- picks his guy at halfcourt 2 possessions in a row.
- oh wow! great touch on a lob pass to his big after defender hedged hard on the PnR. Beautiful! There was a shorter defender right there. He put the ball where only his teammate can get it.
- not great technique in fighting through screens on D.
-great speed in semi transition after a basket, pushes the ball down the court, decided to take advantage of the opponent not being set, went to the basket, but his shot was a bit wild and missed.

Q2:
- gets in with 6 minutes to go. Good patience off the PnR, pulls up and drains it. He's got quick release. Oh BTW, he's a lefty... which would explain the wild shot with the right hand above ^
- good effort on D, chases his guy off screens, doesn't let him get open.
- good efford on D again ^.
- PnR, a big gets switched on him. ISO pull up from 3 after threatening to drive with his dribble - scores it. His shot off the bounce looks real nice.
- he does this Dion Waiters thing where he waves his hands when he thinks he's open on the wing and wants the ball, lol...
- fights through screen but gets lazy and tries that poke from the back after he gets beat off the dribble(Harden does that a lot when he gets beat too)
- Good pocket pass off the PnR, his big misses the shot. He seems to be making the right reads overall on offense.
- Attacks the paint after a high PnR, sees the open shooter on the opposite corner and finds him with a bounce pass
- great rotation under his own basket, blocks the shot from a cutting opponent.
- runs in transition, gets the ball on the move in the paint and finishes through contact at the rim - good body control, and strength to finish it.
- I like how he attacks the paint and makes decisions. He threw a pass to a teammate who didn't expect it, so it counts as a TO for him, but... I love that he keeps all options open - he doesn't attack the rim predetermined what he will do. Reads and reacts.

Q3:
-weaves around the perimeter - has the quickness to turn the corner and break the paint... creates advantage that ends up with a layup for a teammate
- pulls up from 3 in transition - misses... but they get the rebound, the defense loses him and he launches another 3. He's not shy about shooting, but this is a good shot with nobody around him - scores.
- ball watches a lot and doesn't move much on rebounding opportunities.
- spot up 3 from the corner - misses
- gambles for a steal in transition defense, doesn't chase - opponent ends up with FTs.
- good pass to his rolling big in the PnR, he misses.
- good effort on the offensive glass, but this is followed again by a lazy D - trying to poke the ball from behind.
- OK, here we go - one of the few one on one defensive possessions - tries to slide his feet sideways, too slow, gets beat and takes himself out of the play. Urgh!
- pushes in transition, breaks the paint, gets caight mid-air - lucky to find a teammate with his pass
-makes the good pass to an open man - the defense is not great in this game on both sides - way too many breakdowns, way too many forgotten shooters.
- his man attacks him on the closeout and Okobo gives up penetration to the middle and a basket
- Sideline out of bounds play - great bounce pass to a cutting teammate right under the basket. Nice.
- Another great pass from the wing to a cutting big inside the paint, again puts it where he can get it, he gets fouled.
- Oh come on, man! COME ON! I really want to like you. You cannot do this - HORRIBLE effort in transition D. Was one the two men closest to halfcourt when the opponent got the ball - got outrun by 2 opponents down the court! This is just HORRIBLE.
-And of course the next possession he does something awesome again - great entry pass from 30 feet to a big inside the paint who had his defender sealed. Pin point accuracy of the pass and an easy bucket.
-bad closeout after he left his man unattended - gives up a 3.
- he has really good feel for the pass. Distributes the ball to a teammate running off a screen. Straight into his shooting pocket - scores.
- gets beat off the dribble again. deflects the ball out of bounds in the next sequence, I wonder what his length is? Anybody know? Might have good length, it shows in some areas defensively.
- good attack of a closeout, beats his man and draws to defenders - passes out to a teammate who scores.
- good effort to chase his man off a screen
-crosses his defender over, breaks the paint again, great read and pass to the open shooter in the corner. This is seamless. I just love his offensive game. There is very little he does wrong on offense.
-another deflection off ball on defense - he seems to have good length. Wish he had better fundamentals and effort.
-gets subbed out at the end of the Q

Q4:

-gets subbed in with 5 minutes to go in the game. OMG! What a pass. Whips it around defender and passes his teammate open under the basket.
-gets beat in semi-transition on D and gives up a layup after he got interrupted by a screen
- good patience going left in the PnR, waits for the hedge man to retreat, the primary defender runs past him, pulls the ball back and pulls up off the dribble. Beautiful! He just looks polished. Oh, BTW the 3 goes in.
- 4 minutes to go, he seems to be giving more effort on D again - picks up the ballhandler halfcourt, chases him around screens and tries to deny the ball(doesn't succeed but still good effort - opponent wasted almost all the clock).
-attacks left off the PnR, breaks the paint again - they just cannot stop him going anywhere he wants with the ball... nifty lefty layup + and-1. scores the FT.
-seems more focused on D again (I am not sure what the score is, they don't show it, but he seems to give more effort now). It's not anything amazing, but ieast he's in a stance and is defending more than 1 action.
- gets fouled in transition. Scores both FTs
- another transition opportunity - pulls up from 3 after both defenders who got back cloged the paint. Good read of the situation and scores again! Wish I knew what the score is - if it was close, he's winning the game for his team.
- sliding his feet well on D this time, but fouls the opponent on the shot in the paint.
- This time they trap him off the PnR, EASY and IMMEDIATE read and reaction - passes it right away. I love his decisionmaking on offense.
- again less than stellar transition D.
- fouled on offense - scores 1 of 2 FTs.
- another reach foul vs Okobo (game seems over(I think they are winning)) - scores 1 of 2 FTs. Gets annimated and pissed off for the miss...
- another set of FTs - makes 1 of 2.

Summary:

Offense - I'm in love with his offensive game. He's got it all. I'm not sure he's explosive athlete, but he has great handle, good pace to his game. Doesn't get sped up, doesn't get slowed down. He's in full control when the ball is in his hands. Makes the right reads off the PnR - be it to pass to either corner, to the roller or dump off to a big in the paint... or to pull up. He's got it all and he executes the offense very well. I don't think I saw anything I disliked really. His handle is tight and in some instances advanced, he has hesitations and hang dribbles, crossovers, step backs between the legs... he breaks the paint at will. His shot is quick and seamless and his %s suggest he will be a very good shooter both on the catch and on pull ups. He's got enough speed and enough wiggle for me to think he is a starting PG material in the NBA. His passing is great - he passes with both touch and pace, he does bounce passes and lob passes and all of them seem to end up exactly where he intends them to go. I love his game so much. WOW! I didn't expect this when I first heard his name and saw people talking about him. This is something else. IMO he might be the best PG in this draft. I'm really having hard time finding something to knock him for offensively. I don't think there is anything... maybe he's not the most explosive athlete... maybe he's not the fastest athlete... but it's not like he's slow or can't jump. I guess if I HAD to say something negative it's that sometimes(more than I would like) he doesn't keep busy when he's off ball - he just stays out on the perimeter and waits for the ball to come back to him.

Defense: Oh boy! This one is an adventure... You can see my frustration in my notes above I bet. The positives - he seems to have good length and he gets some deflections with it. But overall I was not impressed - he looked like he couldn't be bothered... he would give effort on the first action and if he doesn't get a stop, he would just kinda... give up and lazy it out for the rest of the possession. The prime example is what the laziest of the lazy defenders do even in the NBA - the poke from behind - this tells me "I cannot be bothered to stay in front of my guy, but hey... i will at least simulate interest by trying to poke the ball from behind once he's past me". I hated his effort in transition D on severla occassions. This will not fly with Quin if we draft him. So yeah... most of the time he looked very lackadaisical on D. In the end of both 2nd and 4th quarters though he seemed to lock in a bit more and he looked passable. I wouldn't say amazing or anything of that sort, but he looked like he was at least trying. There were several instances where he was sliding his feet well with the ballhandler, he also had some nice possessions chasing around screens. This shows that if not good he can be at least passable IMO, but he will need a more demanding coach that won't let him just coast on D.

[Ruzious]

Thanks stitches - that was great. I'm too lazy to go through the video, but one thing I noticed in an older video is - While he's GREAT going to his left, he had a lot of trouble going to his right. Did you notice him having any trouble going to his right?

[stitches]

Thanks stitches. I'm too lazy to go through the video, but one thing I noticed in an older video is - While he's GREAT going to his left, he had a lot of trouble going to his right. Did you notice him having any trouble going to his right?

He had a bad miss with the right in transition on one occasion and he definitely prefers going left, but I didn't notice him having pronounced troubles going right. I might have just not noticed. If I watch another game later I will look for it and share if I notice something.

[Ruzious]

Btw, I gotta say before I leave for a few days, the posting by pretty much everyone here througout the forum is... so good!!! I love that you guys take this seriously, enjoy it, and are thoughtful with your posts.

[The-Power]

Sounds like I should be looking into him. Haven't followed him at all before but it appears to be worth it.

[kobyz]

kinda reminds me Mario Chalmers...

[Catchall]

He should be a top 20 pick, imo. He has more potential on defense that he may tap if he's not asked to handle the ball on every possession. He's shown more than Khyri Thomas or De'Anthony Melton, imo. His compact shooting stroke with easy range is a bit similar to Lillard and he has the poise and vision of a lead guard.

[GimmeDat]

'If' he is able to pick up his defensive effort level at the NBA level, he's a starting NBA PG, imo. Tools are there. If not, still a very solid NBA player imo.

[stitches]

Are you guys ready for a hot-take? Elie Okobo is a better prospect than Trae Young. There. I said it.