Atlanta Hawks: With the 6th pick in the NBA draft, the Hawks select…

The wait is almost over. Wednesday night we will finally know who the Atlanta Hawks will select with the 6th pick in the NBA draft.

The Atlanta Hawks will finally be on the board on Wednesday night with the sixth pick in the NBA Draft. There have been trade rumors for weeks now involving their pick, but as of now, it looks as if the Hawks will be staying pat.

The big question that needs an answer is who will they be picking sixth overall? Well, let me paint a picture for you.

Adam Silver comes up on your television screen, probably in his house, with the infamous draft music playing in the background. And then he says the magic words:

“With the 6th pick in the NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks select…..”

This is where I come in. After weeks of studying different prospects, looking at mock drafts, and watching NBA draft montages on YouTube, I’ve come to the conclusion that the Hawks will select forward Isaac Okoro from Auburn University.

Well I know you’re probably asking, what makes Okoro so special for the Hawks to draft him 6th overall?

Standing at 6’6″, 225 lbs, Okoro might be one of the most NBA-ready players coming into the draft. His calling card is his defense, as he’s been noted as possibly being the best defender in the draft. His body frame and size allows him to guard positions 1-4, and his active hands and athleticism allow him to get into passing lanes and block shots.

Okoro averaged 0.9 blocks and 0.9 steals as a freshman, which shows the potential he has as a good defender.

Another thing Okoro is good at is driving to the lane. With an NBA-ready body that he already possesses, it’s easy for him to get into the heart of the defense and make a play.

If it’s two things the Hawks need on the team, it’s a defender and somebody that can finish. Luckily, Okoro does both.

Isaac Okoro could fit the direction the Atlanta Hawks are headed

Cam Reddish and De’Andre Hunter showed during their rookie season that they can be solid wing defenders, but it’s never too much to ask for more help. Trae Young was the worst defender in the NBA last season, and it would be great to have another defender on the court with him so he won’t become a target.

As a whole, the Hawks were not a good defensive team, so adding Okoro should help improve in that category, especially if they deploy a small ball-lineup of Young-Cam-Okoro-Hunter-Collins.

Though Okoro helps the Hawks with one of their weaknesses, he doesn’t help in another category, which is 3-point shooting.

Trae Young might be a good 3-point shooter, but outside of him and John Collins last season, there was not much to be excited for.

The main thing that Okoro struggled with was putting the ball in the basket from the perimeter. He shot just 29 percent from the 3-point line, and 67 percent from the free throw line. If you look at his shot, you can tell it’s his mechanics that may need fixing to help improve his shooting.

Luckily for him, the Hawks have a player development group that has done wonders for a number of players over the years, and they could do the same with Okoro.

Another thing Okoro lacks that the Hawks need is another ball-handler. Young needs that secondary playmaker to help take the pressure off of him, and Okoro won’t be able to do that.

The Hawks could have gone with a player like Tyrese Haliburton or Killian Hayes with the sixth pick, but I believe that they’ll find an already experienced playmaker in free agency or via trade.

For the most part, Okoro fits what the Hawks need, and he can make an immediate impact on the team from day one with his defensive ability. Like any player he has weaknesses, but with the right team, he can improve on those things.