No. 31: Elie Okobo, France
At No. 31, the Suns were even able to get their hands on a guy they had been considering at No. 16, France’s Elie Okobo. Most commonly known for his recent 44-point explosion overseas, Okobo has some serious upside at 20 years old.
Because he wasn’t brought up as a traditional point guard, he needs to work on his handle and take better care of the ball. However, Okobo has the potential to be one of the best guards in the draft if he reaches his ceiling. He’s crafty with the ball in order to get his shot off, though he’s not undersized as a 6’3″ point man either.
Okobo is interesting prospect. Had 44 points in game recently. Suns like potential as a scorer, believe he can develop into someone who can run a team. Could be instant scoring threat off bench
— scott bordow (@sbordow) June 22, 2018
Okobo is a good finisher with a surprising amount of bounce, he can work the pick-and-roll, and at worst, he could be a turbo-charged scorer off the bench for a team that badly needs someone reliable in the backcourt to help Booker.
With developing passing ability, court vision and decent promise on the defensive end when he’s engaged, Okobo is a terrific selection at a spot where he probably shouldn’t have been available. Even if he never pans out as the Suns’ long-term solution to the point guard spot, he should be considered a part of a tantalizing young core moving forward.
Grade: A-