Before signing with an agent, Okongwu submitted his name to the NBA’s Undergraduate Advisory Committee. When he showed his mom the committee’s report indicating he was certain to be a top pick, her eyes filled with tears. “After all he’s been through, and not being hyped much, I’m so happy for him,” she says. “I always told him to work hard and pray and things will be fine.”
Onyeka Okongwu Rumors
Okongwu finished the semester at USC, and pulled out a 3.0 GPA. He went home after the season ended, and with the help of his agents at Excel Sports Management, he moved into the Westwood apartment last month. Not surprisingly, Kate wasn’t thrilled about that decision, but she gave him her blessing. If Onyeka gets drafted by an NBA team that is far from California, Kate’s plan is to move with her other children and stay with him until he gets settled. “He’s too young to be so far away,” she says. Inevitably, though, Kate knows she is going to have to let go. “As a mom you’re worried, but you know at some point they have to be on their own,” she says. “You know they’re going to make some mistakes, but you pray they’re not going to make big mistakes.”
Though the Warriors are higher on USC big man Onyeka Okongwu than Wiseman, a league source told The Chronicle that they are unlikely to use a top-5 pick on Okongwu — especially when they’re not sure he’d be ahead of Chriss on the depth chart. Odds are that, if Golden State traded down into the mid- to late-lottery, Okongwu wouldn’t be available.
Believe it or not, the Warriors are actually higher on Southern Cal’s Okongwu than James Wiseman. If they end up taking a big man in the top five, it’ll almost definitely be the 6-foot-9 Okongwu. His game is well-suited for the Warriors’ style. Unlike Wiseman, Okongwu can shuttle between multiple positions with ease. Believe it or not, the Warriors are actually higher on Southern Cal’s Okongwu than James Wiseman. If they end up taking a big man in the top five, it’ll almost definitely be the 6-foot-9 Okongwu. His game is well-suited for the Warriors’ style. Unlike Wiseman, Okongwu can shuttle between multiple positions with ease. Hayes is also extremely left-hand dominant, which is a concern of some scouts and not of some others. I tend to be in the latter camp — John Stockton had a 20-year career as an all-time great NBA point guard and took maybe four dribbles with his left hand — but I could see how overplays could become a problem for him.
Believe it or not, the Warriors are actually higher on Southern Cal’s Okongwu than James Wiseman. If they end up taking a big man in the top five, it’ll almost definitely be the 6-foot-9 Okongwu. His game is well-suited for the Warriors’ style. Unlike Wiseman, Okongwu can shuttle between multiple positions with ease. Believe it or not, the Warriors are actually higher on Southern Cal’s Okongwu than James Wiseman. If they end up taking a big man in the top five, it’ll almost definitely be the 6-foot-9 Okongwu. His game is well-suited for the Warriors’ style. Unlike Wiseman, Okongwu can shuttle between multiple positions with ease. Hayes is also extremely left-hand dominant, which is a concern of some scouts and not of some others. I tend to be in the latter camp — John Stockton had a 20-year career as an all-time great NBA point guard and took maybe four dribbles with his left hand — but I could see how overplays could become a problem for him.
Onyeka Okongwu: To my family, coaches, teammates, fans, and everyone else whose been supporting me on my journey, thank you 🖤 #21Forever #FightOn
25 Jan
