By: Dean Smith

Photo: Madison Ogletree

Chuma Okeke Profile and Outlook

Chuma Okeke, PF, has risen to stardom in SEC due to his talent, defense, and big play ability. Before he became 650 Chum, he was a standout basketball player at Westlake where he led them to a state championship over Pebblebrook and won Georgia’s Mr. Basketball (over many other highly ranked players, including Collin Sexton). Before his freshman season, he was invited to the USA Basketball U19 World Cup Training Center, along with his teammate Austin Wiley, where he may have made the team if he was not hampered by an injury. He was a consensus high 4-star and ranked as high as 44th nationally by Scout. He averaged 7.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.1 APG, and 0.7 BPG in only 21.6 MPG as a freshman. This season, all starts, he has upped his averages to 11.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.7 SPG, and 1.2 BPG in 29 MPG. He boasts a 49.5/37.8/71.3 slash line with an eFG% of 57.3. He has even been better in conference play,

especially against tough competition. He is averaging 12.7/7.1/1.7 while increasing his 3PT% to .394.

A Deeper Look

Versatility is the name of Big Chum’s game. He is a 6’8, 230-pound Combo Forward that sports a 7’0 wingspan. He can handle the ball, handle pressure, is second on the team in dimes, and can guard all 5 positions on the court. He can beat a slower man off the dribble, post you up (had one of the prettiest post-moves I have ever seen against Grant Williams), and has range out to the NBA three-point line. He has a 23.9 Player Efficiency Rating (15 is league average) which is 8th best in the SEC. Chuma Okeke has 2.1 defensive win shares for the 2018-19 season which is second in the SEC. He is 10th in the SEC for offensive win shares and 5th in the entire SEC for total win shares (5.0). He is 4th this season in defensive rating (94.9). He ranks 14th in the SEC for

blocks and 6th in steals. His career Offensive Box Plus/Minus is 10.8 which 4th all-time in the Southeastern Conference. Maybe most notably, he is leading the SEC in offensive rebounds (99) and is 8th in the league at total rebounds (239). Chuma is 34th overall in threes made in the SEC (first by a PF or C), and is tied with Jared Harper for 16th place in 3PT percentage.

I do not know how Chuma has not made an All-SEC team, yet. These numbers are even more impressive considering that the SEC may has never had this level of individual or team talent. These stats do not tell the complete story, however, you have to watch him play. Whether it be hitting 5 threes and getting 13 rebounds against one of the top front court’s in the nation, or hitting a contested, deep three to win a game, he has the IT factor. When a guard switches onto Chuma there is no getting around him. The monster dunks and posters are there, too. The only problems that Auburn fans and even I can speak of is that he is too unselfish, he doesn’t force anything. He is one of the best locker room guys I have ever seen. He puts a smile on all of his teammate’s faces and they all have glowing things to say about him. Chuma also had one of the best quotes I have ever heard out of a player. “Our bench really doesn’t drop off. Danjel is me, and I’m Danjel. Malik is Samir, Samir is Malik.” Chuma can go by the eye tests, slash lines, and the analytical numbers.

Photo: AL.com

Draft Outlook

Do to his play this year, Chuma Okeke has put his name in play for the 2019 draft. NBAdraft.net has him 27th on their mock and 28th on their big board. Tankathon.com has him 30th on their big board and basketballinsiders.com even has him going 16th in the 2019 draft. A lot of these mock drafts haven’t been updated since his impressive showing against Tennessee in the SEC championship and they are all, still, speculation. However, he is the ideal combo forward for the ever-shrinking, spaced out, switch everything NBA. A lot of Auburn fans want him to stay but are hungry to see one of their own in the league. Auburn hasn’t had this caliber of a prospect since Chris Porter and hasn’t had a player in the league since Marquis Daniels. Unless he keeps doing what he is doing and explodes in the tournament I think he should stay. Teams are willing to still draft juniors and seniors high in the draft and many of them have had immediate success (Malcolm Brogdon, Caris Levert, Pascal Siakam, Mikal Bridges, and Jalen Brunson). There is a big difference in being a future role player and a future star. He needs to come back to a team who is losing their leading scorer (Bryce Brown) and show the scouts that he is a 20/10/4/2/2 guy. I know very well that he is capable of it. There is also a big difference in lottery pick money and end of the first-round money. He also does not need to risk falling to the second round and losing that guaranteed contract. Chuma needs to show that he can be Tobias Harris +, and not just an Anthony Tolliver type player. All the tools are there: shooting, athleticism, defense, work-ethic, High IQ, and overall skill-set. He just needs to tap into them all and become one of the best basketball players in the nation, not just the SEC. Chuma Okeke still has a lot of work to do in an Auburn uniform. He now turns his attention to a fantastic rebounding team, New Mexico State, in the first round of the NCAA tournament. I’m expecting a fantastic tournament run, an All NCAA first team for him as a junior, and a long NBA career for

Chuma in the future.