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Minnesota Timberwolves: Josh Okogie rookie recap

By James Grieco

TARRYTOWN, NY - AUGUST 12: Josh Okogie #20 of the Minnesota Timberwolves poses for a portrait during the 2018 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on August 12, 2018 at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
TARRYTOWN, NY - AUGUST 12: Josh Okogie #20 of the Minnesota Timberwolves poses for a portrait during the 2018 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on August 12, 2018 at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

The Ugly

Josh Okogie’s energy is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s amazing to watch a player going that hard; on the other, it leads him into untenable situations far too often. This has mostly manifested itself in his 3-point shooting as mentioned above, but it bears repeating.

Far too often Okogie is not set or is trying to take 3s on the move with different body parts flying in different directions. While he hasn’t had really any pick-and-roll or playmaking chances to speak of, when he does get the ball inside he gets tunnel vision, which results in him putting up awkward floaters looking like a wacky waving inflatable tube man half the time.

It may be that contortionist ability that makes his dunks so spectacular and him so lovable as a player, but this season he has routinely failed to properly and consistently harness his energy.

He’s just 20 and has plenty of time to learn how to harness his frenetic activity (which, for the record, is an elite skill and hard to do), but this season has been full of Jekyll and Hyde moments for the rookie. He makes too many heads-up plays to not have a good basketball IQ, but his youth and rawness put him in so many awkward spots where you know what he’s trying to do but wince at how he’s doing it.

Likewise, despite only great reports on his makeup as a person, this moment against the Golden State Warriors in late March was worrying:

Frustrated by a non-call on the other end, Okogie appears to slap Stephen Curry‘s ankle as he shoots. That’s a dangerous play, and while I don’t think Okogie meant to injure Curry, he was clearly overwhelmed by emotion at the moment.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been a rollercoaster this year, and it all will culminate in a losing season, so hopefully Okogie does not let the losses get to him. He has played as well as anyone could have expected this season, and should be proud of what he’s achieved so far.

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One play doesn’t make him a dirty player and one flaw doesn’t make him a bad player, but he does need to continue learning and growing if he is to reach his full potential.

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