NBA Draft: Five Draft Prospects the Charlotte Hornets Should Desire Most

Onyeka Okongwu

USC freshman big man Onyeka Okongwu is a name that has caught quite a bit of steam recently on draft boards.

There is a chance he will not fall to the 8-12 range, but right around 8 or 9 (the Charlotte’s two most likely landing spots) seems to be a safe bet.

Okongwu is another candidate to fill that athletic big man role if Wiseman or Toppin are both unavailable. At 6’9 245, Okongwu is a bit undersized but makes up for it with length and athleticism.

Okongwu averaged 18.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, and 1.2 steals in his one year in Southern California. Much like Wiseman, he is crafty in the post with an arsenal of moves to get to the rim as well as an adept ability to protect it on the other end.

His biggest concern is his shooting. Though he shot 61.6% from the floor, he was only 15-for-35 on jump shots and made just 25% of his three-pointers. These numbers are not great, but they are not hopeless.

Though he will likely never be an ace from the outside, a few years of development could help Okongwu improve enough to stretch the floor like so many modern bigs are asked to do.

If the Hornets chose to play him at the center spot, he would certainly add to the athleticism that would be around him. Okongwu could easily be the rock down low that helps this young core get better.