Kezie Okpala

King Ken · Post #1 » by **King Ken** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 2:09 am

One of my favorite prospects in this class. I call him Giannis as prospect lite. Now he is far more polished than Giannis was as a prospect as well as older but he doesn't have as big of hands, as long as a stride and or as gifted as him but other than that, he reminds me a lot of Giannis before the 6'11 growth spurt. I think he is a top 10 pick in this class.

Height: 6'9
Weight: 220
Wingspan: 7'2 maybe longer now.
Handsize from what I see: Big but not ATG (Leonard, Giannis, MJ, etc)
Frame: Boxy, not the ideal but has potential to put on at least 10-12 pounds.

Watch on YouTube

CP War Hawks · Post #2 » by **CP War Hawks** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 4:08 am

He apparently grew 10 inches in high school while playing pg. Tmac lite!? He doesn't have the wiggle, handle, or explosiveness of Mcgrady, but his ceiling is right up there with anyone in the class.

He's Nigerian just like Okogie, so you know he has to those Stretch Armstrong limbs.

Stillwater · Post #3 » by **Stillwater** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 4:44 am

Had him in first round for awhile, but he's earning a late teens consideration even without the higher than most in this draft ceiling so he could easily sneak into 10-14 range for some teams

King Ken · Post #4 » by **King Ken** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 5:03 am

CP War Hawks wrote:He apparently grew 10 inches in high school while playing pg. Tmac lite!? He doesn't have the wiggle, handle, or explosiveness of Mcgrady, but his ceiling is right up there with anyone in the class.

He's Nigerian just like Okogie, so you know he has to those Stretch Armstrong limbs.

He was 6'8 with a 7'2 wingspan, he grew an inch last summer. He might have a 7'3 wingspan now. Giannis had the same length and height as a prospect.

Stillwater wrote:Had him in first round for awhile, but he's earning a late teens consideration even without the higher than most in this draft ceiling so he could easily sneak into 10-14 range for some teams

His ceiling will be his calling card. I really think his ceiling is as high as anyone in this class not named Zion.

clyde21 · Post #5 » by **clyde21** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 5:57 am

i wanna try hard to like him because of Stanford but I'm still so-so on him. reminds me a little of Kelly Oubre coming out.

No-Man · Post #6 » by **No-Man** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 8:47 am

He is like bad Brandon Ingram, and Ingram is pretty meh himself

Dat2U · Post #7 » by **Dat2U** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 10:45 am

I see Josh Childress with a better jumper. A little Otto Porter as well. He's 10-14 in the draft to me as well.

916fan · Post #8 » by **916fan** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 11:35 am

I don't see Giannis at all. He's nowhere near as athletic nor explosive. His movement and gathers toward the rim look slow almost Kyle Anderson-like. Only thing he has in common with a young Giannis is that they're both lanky SFs who like to attack inside. Other than that...nothing. Giannis is arguably the most athletic player in the league, so I'm just not seeing it.

However, I do think he could be worth a 1st round pick if the shooting is legitimate.

Nazrmohamed · Post #9 » by **Nazrmohamed** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 1:16 pm

All I had to go off with Giannes were those videos of him against weak competition but what you saw even then was this mastery of the eurostep, his ability to gather,spin and get anywhere he wanted and push the ball. I don't see that in this player. That's not to say he isn't a good player, I just think Giannes is so unique.

NBA Fan 1234 · Post #10 » by **NBA Fan 1234** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 3:06 pm

Big fan of KZ, but I can’t see him going lotto right now. - outside lotto to late first, sure. Need to watch last night’s game today.

King Ken · Post #11 » by **King Ken** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 3:27 pm

Fischella wrote:He is like bad Brandon Ingram, and Ingram is pretty meh himself

A less athletic Ingram, I can see this to a degree but Okpala has a superior frame. Ingram was 185 as as a HS Sr. So was Okpala. Ingram right now as a 3rd year pro is 198 pounds. Okpala a year later is 215. Okpala has a superior frame. He can handle the gains. Just flat out better genetics for building mass.

Also, not seeing this Kyle Anderson like athletic ability another person is talking about. He is quicker and faster than Slow-Mo. Look at the ground he covers in a short period of time. Kyle could never do that. Ingram and Giannis can.

No-Man · Post #12 » by **No-Man** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 4:07 pm

Ingram is a smarter player with way more skill and way more game than Okpala, Okpala probably a better jumper and yeah he is wider but he is a mediocre athlete

Ingram was also ~6 months younger than KZ in terms of class

I just don't see it with Okpala, he would need to be an elite shooter

Yeah, the other comps in this post are offensively bad

King Ken · Post #13 » by **King Ken** » Mon Jan 7, 2019 4:48 pm

Fischella wrote:Ingram is a smarter player with way more skill and way more game than Okpala, Okpala probably a better jumper and yeah he is wider but he is a mediocre athlete

Ingram was also ~6 months younger than KZ in terms of class

I just don't see it with Okpala, he would need to be an elite shooter

Yeah, the other comps in this post are offensively bad

Agree to disagree on this one. I see him in a much higher light but Ingram was a tremendous prospect. He just never could grow into the frame he needed to be overly effective at this level.

patman52 · Post #14 » by **patman52** » Fri Jan 11, 2019 6:37 pm

I hate that we don't get much pac ten in Boston. I realy like the kid, he reminds me of tatum

Stillwater · Post #15 » by **Stillwater** » Fri Jan 11, 2019 6:49 pm

Fischella wrote:Ingram is a smarter player with way more skill and way more game than Okpala, Okpala probably a better jumper and yeah he is wider but he is a mediocre athlete

Ingram was also ~6 months younger than KZ in terms of class

I just don't see it with Okpala, he would need to be an elite shooter

Yeah, the other comps in this post are offensively bad

Not sold on that so much.
I think he is'nt very explosive which is disappointing but not really what I would call mediocre athletically.
His body control seems decent enough matched with the ball on a string handles ,great size and length for a 2 guard
with the ability to defend the 3, I don't see any reason why he isn't at least in consideration for the late lottery
given the lack of comps in the draft.

clyde21 · Post #16 » by **clyde21** » Fri Jan 11, 2019 6:50 pm

patman52 wrote:I hate that we don't get much pac ten in Boston. I realy like the kid, he reminds me of tatum

doesn't have the ISO game of Tatum, and not as smooth of an athlete.

he's more Kelly Oubre.

NBA Fan 1234 · Post #17 » by **NBA Fan 1234** » Fri Jan 11, 2019 6:50 pm

patman52 wrote:I hate that we don't get much pac ten in Boston. I realy like the kid, he reminds me of tatum

That's an odd, and IMO very off, comp. How does he remind you of Tatum?

patman52 · Post #18 » by **patman52** » Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:02 pm

Tatum in school, not in the pros. I just like the way he puts the ball on the floor and explodes to the basket.

NBA Fan 1234 · Post #19 » by **NBA Fan 1234** » Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:03 pm

patman52 wrote:Tatum in school, not in the pros. I just like the way he puts the ball on the floor and explodes to the basket.

I get that and still don't see it because they're still two completely different prospects with different skill sets.

Kalela · Post #20 » by **Kalela** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 6:27 am

clyde21 wrote:
patman52 wrote:I hate that we don't get much pac ten in Boston. I realy like the kid, he reminds me of tatum

doesn't have the ISO game of Tatum, and not as smooth of an athlete.

he's more Kelly Oubre.

He does have a similar game to Oubre. But Oubre is way more athletic than Tatum. :lol: