KZ Okpala - 2019 NBA Draft Prospect

[timvp]

https://i.imgur.com/cSmkUPE.jpg

KZ Okpala

School: Stanford
Position: SF/PF
Age: 20
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 215
Wingspan: 7-foot-2
Draft Range: 18 to 30

Why: Great size and length for a rangy small forward. Add 10-15 pounds and he'd have the body of the prototypical modern day three. Uses his long limbs well to snake his way to the basket. Smart, aware passer. Could potentially develop into a playmaker, as he reads defenses well and is improving dribbling-wise. Shows flashes of being a plus defender.

Why Not: Mediocre athlete with sub par explosion. Movements are deliberate and doesn't have much bounce. Poor form on jumper. Shot well enough (37.5% on threes) but questionable whether he can get his current shot off in the NBA. Shot is even uglier off the dribble. Not a Day 1 defender; has a lot to learn. Solid college stats but nothing really jumps out as extraordinary.

Spurs Fit: He'd be exclusively a small forward on the Spurs. Probably two years away because he'd need a lot of skill to make up for his lack of athleticism.

Spurs Comparison - Ceiling: Regular Speed Kyle Anderson

Spurs Comparison - Floor: Marcus Williams

College Stats (http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4278521)
Highlight Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHWJmU6ls8o)
Tankathon Profile (http://www.tankathon.com/players/kz-okpala)

[wildbill2u]

We gotta do better than this

[Chinook]

Not at 19. But 29 may well be worth the gamble. If it's true that he'd only be a three, then the team has time to let him get there. I don't anticipate them needing an SF until DeRozan's contract is up. The lack of hops doesn't scare me if the shooting can get to a stable level. You don't need crazy athleticism to be a good defender. You just need to know the gameplan and be able to make the right decisions to get your man to play into it. Seeing as size isn't going to be his match-up problem, he can make up for a lot of speed by position and length.

[TrainOfThought5]

We desperately need athletes on the perimeter that can defend. That’s gotta be priority number one.

[kobyz]

He reminds me Sean Elliott

[RC_Drunkford]

Mediocre athlete with sub par explosion.

:pop: get him RC

[cutewizard]

Hmmmmmm

[Gordy58]

Disagree on his athleticism, he looks very mobile and his length compensates for his lack of “explosion”

[exstatic]

Disagree on his athleticism, he looks very mobile and his length compensates for his lack of “explosion”

You can disagree all you want. When they talk about athleticism, they’re talking about NBA level, not NCAA level. There’s a big difference. You can do real well in college with a 30” vert. You’d need a 38-40” vert to do the same stuff in the NBA. The NBA is just so much faster and above the rim than college, that watching college games tells you almost nothing.

[phxspurfan]

I'm not as low on this as some. He seems to fit our needs pretty well. Consider where we're drafting he'd be a solid pick

[Gordy58]

You can disagree all you want. When they talk about athleticism, they’re talking about NBA level, not NCAA level. There’s a big difference. You can do real well in college with a 30” vert. You’d need a 38-40” vert to do the same stuff in the NBA. The NBA is just so much faster and above the rim than college, that watching college games tells you almost nothing.

We don’t even know what his vertical is, in comparing verticals kawhi’s and KD’s are super weak. But yet they compensate with length. At 6’9 you really don’t need a high vertical.

[Seventyniner]

Not at 19. But 29 may well be worth the gamble. If it's true that he'd only be a three, then the team has time to let him get there. I don't anticipate them needing an SF until DeRozan's contract is up. The lack of hops doesn't scare me if the shooting can get to a stable level. You don't need crazy athleticism to be a good defender. You just need to know the gameplan and be able to make the right decisions to get your man to play into it. Seeing as size isn't going to be his match-up problem, he can make up for a lot of speed by position and length.

So......Kyle Anderson 2.0?

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

So......Kyle Anderson 2.0?

Nothing wrong with a Kyle Anderson who’d actually shoot.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Bismack Biyombo without the athleticism. I know a lot of people seem to be sold on him, but I'm not.

[pad300]

Bismack Biyombo without the athleticism. I know a lot of people seem to be sold on him, but I'm not.

You think Biyombo shoots 37.5% from 3 (as 20 year old in college)? ... Don't know what to say.

[DPG21920]

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/kz-okpala

Pretty shocking difference in evaluation for nba draft net :lol. They seem to love his athleticism but I have not seen “great” athleticism in the highlights.

[kobyz]

a lot compare him to brandon ingram, i compare him more to sean elliott, hard to believe he's gonna slide to #19...

[DPG21920]

You know who he reminded me of watching the highlights? Evan Turner. No where near the passer that Turner is, but similar overall movements and game. Except KZ seems more aggressive on offense than Turner.

[EricB]

if You gave Kyle Anderson regular speed he’d be a big NBA name. Would love Okpala

[Blackhaus]

Says fat head with reg speed but still has a jacked up shot? Anyone seen him play?

[Dejounte]

Bismack Biyombo without the athleticism. I know a lot of people seem to be sold on him, but I'm not.

Wrong thread?

[pad300]

His measurements held up at the combine.

[BWS-1994]

His measurements held up at the combine.

:tu rooting for the Spurs to take him, if available, at 29.

[Dennis the Menace]

Nothing wrong with a Kyle Anderson who’d actually shoot.

Pass

[timvp]

https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1129106224824410112

Impressive verticals by Okpala. That should help his stock.

[Immortal Spur]

May need the 19th pick to get this guy. I really like his skill set.

[RC_Drunkford]

https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1129106224824410112

Impressive verticals by Okpala. That should help his stock.

so Okpala is 4th but a mediocre athlete?

[Gordy58]

so Okpala is 4th but a mediocre athlete? my thoughts exactly at 6’9 jumping that high is pretty elite.

[Gordy58]

You can disagree all you want. When they talk about athleticism, they’re talking about NBA level, not NCAA level. There’s a big difference. You can do real well in college with a 30” vert. You’d need a 38-40” vert to do the same stuff in the NBA. The NBA is just so much faster and above the rim than college, that watching college games tells you almost nothing. lmao

[ZeusWillJudge]

You think Biyombo shoots 37.5% from 3 (as 20 year old in college)? ... Don't know what to say.

No, I'll give you that. He made some 3's this year. Did you watch him shoot though? He won't be making them at that rate with that stroke and NBA defenders closing out on him. But if he makes any 3's he'll be ahead of Biyombo.

I was talking about a 6'9", totally overhyped guy with a cool name who's going to have the occasional good game and keep people thinking that he's going to break out any day now. If he goes as high as people are saying, somebody is going to regret the shit out of that wasted draft pick - just like Biyombo. But at least it won't be the Spurs.

I have to admit, that vertical surprised me. But he's not going to be driving on anyone at the NBA level, and he can't defend shit right now, so I don't know what he's going to be doing with it.

As for you not knowing what to say... we're used to it.

[kobyz]

He Is like a cross of Sean Elliott and SJax!!! Him and Goga are my favorites for #19!

[Truth4sale$]

Interesting prospect but he is very thin. He can shoot but his defense is not close to NBA ready. Has the tools but dont use them. Does not have a NBA body and likely 2 years away. So a stop gap would still be needed. Hard to say where he falls, seen him taken before #19, and after 29 in different mocks.

[DPG21920]

Little & KZ would be one heck of a draft.

[timvp]

The more I watch, the less I like his offense. He takes bad shots and doesn't know how to use his on-paper athleticism to his advantage. His teammates sucked so difficult to get a good read, though.

Defensively, he's probably somewhat closer to being ready to consistently help.

Tbh, he looks like a second round talent that the Spurs could take at 29 since they have a need for someone like him. I wouldn't be thrilled because I don't see a whole lot of upside -- even at 29 -- but his size, length and intelligence is enough to gamble on at that point.

[timvp]

Okpala is the last possible first round pick who has to decide if he's staying in the draft. IMO, he is probably only a 50/50 first round pick if he stays in. His stock seems to be heading the wrong way even though his athleticism tested out well at the combine.

[cd021]

Really hope he stays in. Like him or Roby at 29.

[timvp]

1133877182932094976

More good news for the Spurs :tu

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1136299042521198594

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

His projections are all over the board, so to speak. But his stock seems to be falling.

[look_at_g_shred]

Claxton and KZ would be orgasmic

[timvp]

Okpala measured well. His athleticism tested out better than expected. He's a smart kid.

But............ his film is really damn underwhelming. He just looks straight up looks bad a lot of the time -- particularly in games later in the season.

He had horrible teammates and that didn't help but he doesn't look like a first round talent based on his production at Stanford. That said, how much can you overlook what he actually did and go off what you project him to do based on his length, his athleticism, his character and his improved teammates? That's the question with Okpala.

[kobyz]

he's high floor/low ceiling type prospect, he doesn't have star potential but he probably gonna be very good complementary player with his tools and intangibles...

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

29.

[Jsmythe]

Here's an interesting article on KZ Okpala:

https://fansided.com/2019/06/07/kz-okpala-application-physical-tools/

It basically says that his defense may be better than his stats would indicate.

[kobyz]

i think he's becoming one of the most underrated guys in this draft, last year Mikal Bridges went top 10, Okpala who is similar prospect only bigger and younger, they have him drop to 20's, to me if he fall to #19, he might be a no-brainer...

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/MarcJSpearsESPN/status/1141575831476756480