Los Angeles Lakers: 3 underrated NBA Draft options at No. 25

Josh Okogie, SG — Georgia Tech

Right now, Josh Okogie’s stock appears to be all over the board. Some folks are convinced he’s a late first round talent, while others like Sports Illustrated‘s Jeremy Woo have him as the No. 52 overall prospect. Hence, his standing as an “underrated” talent.

Personally, I think Okogie would be more than worthy of the No. 25 overall selection.

There’s a very good chance the Lakers will need an influx of talent at shooting guard this offseason. I don’t see Kentavious Caldwell-Pope being re-signed, which would leave Los Angeles with Josh Hart and not much else at the 2-guard spot. Well, Okogie would certainly help upgrade Luke Walton‘s backcourt depth heading into 2018-19.

The Georgia Tech product offers serious intrigue as a two-way wing with quality outside shooting (38 percent in 2017-18). His defense is outstanding, as he uses his absurd seven-foot wingspan and plus athleticism to make life difficult for opponents (1.0 blocks and 1.8 steals per game in 2017-18).

Despite scoring 18.6 points per game for the Yellow Jackets a season ago, I don’t think Okogie will ever be a big-time scoring threat at the next level. However, the potential he possesses to develop into an elite defender and capable long range threat make him a talent worth considering at the end of the first round.