Okongwu and Achiuwa along with Vassell are some of the names floated if the Suns pick is slotted 10-12.
Per Athletic:
Mizell: You have Okongwu going sixth in your most recent mock draft, so him falling to 10 here feels like a nice get for Phoenix. As another big man, how would you compare and contrast Okongwu’s playing style with Achiuwa’s?
Vecenie: The games are actually somewhat similar. I just think Okongwu is a bit better. He plays with more force and power than Achiuwa. He’s a better rim protector and is equally as good at switching and playing defense on the perimeter because while Achiuwa has better pure quickness, Okongwu has better flexibility and can really sit down in a stance and slide for his size.
Then on offense, he’s not quite as developed as a shooter in terms of his range, but I think there is a case to be made that he might have better touch. Achiuwa was a sub-60 percent free-throw shooter this year, where Okongwu hit 72 percent of his shots from the line, and actually hit about the same number of midrange jumpers at a better percentage.
The rest of their games aren’t really all that close to me. As a finisher, Okongwu’s power really shines through. He’s an elite scorer at the rim. He hit 64.5 percent of his shots within five feet of the basket in halfcourt settings this year, an elite number. He’s not a great passer, but he’s much more adept at making decisions in short-roll settings. Whereas Achiuwa’s main inclination is to short roll, drive and finish, Okongwu is much better about doing what the defense gives him. He’s more efficient in his choices.
Still, I will note that the same questions here remain. Is it worth taking a guy whose best position is likely going to be at center? Or is the value just a bit too good to pass up here with Okongwu falling?
On Achiuwa:
Where this is an interesting pick, however, is on defense. Achiuwa is a terrific, switchable defender who can deal with players across the board from one through five. Again, the motor shows through here in a substantial way. He’s a legitimate potential difference-maker on that end of the floor, with great size, a near-7-foot-3 wingspan, and a 9-foot standing reach that should give him the ability to shift to both the four and five spots on this end of the floor. He also anchored one of the best interior defenses at the center position. Memphis allowed teams to shoot only 43.5 at the rim, which was the second-best mark in the country.
Personally, if I was Phoenix, I would take a few guys over Achiuwa. But I can see a team selling themselves on Achiuwa’s skill level improving to match his motor and athleticism.
On Vassell:
Vecenie: Yeah, I just don’t think you can ever have enough wings in today’s NBA. And particularly, I can see Vassell appealing to James Jones, given his elite level as a shooter. You want to see a burning building? Here is a look at Vassell’s shot chart from this past year, per Synergy Sports. It is quite literally engulfed in flame.
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Vassell averaged 12.7 points for a Florida State team that really spread it around, but he did so while shooting 49 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from 3, and 74 percent from the line. And as you can see from that chart, it’s filled with a ton of diversity, too. He can hit shots out of spot-ups or on the move. He can hit shots off of the catch, and even improved dramatically as a pull-up shooter this year. Last season, Vassell played nearly 400 minutes and hit just one of his 11 pull-up jumper attempts. This season, he finished 14th in points generated off of pull-up jumpers in the ACC, and did so at an above-average clip. I wouldn’t call him the world’s best passer or anything, but he posted a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and generally makes the right decision. Really, the only thing I think there is to be concerned about is the fact that he’s not a particularly strong ballhandler. Most of his shots at the rim come off of cuts or in transition, and he isn’t quite strong enough on the ball yet to drive forward and collapse defenses to score or pass.
That’s fine, though, because honestly, I’m not even sure if Vassell’s offense is the best part of his game. The Georgia native is an absolutely tremendous defender. Since the turn of the decade, Vassell is one of eight guards or wings who have posted a block rate over 4.1 and a steal rate over 2.8. His on-ball defense is terrific, but where he really excels is using his plus-five wingspan to hassle teams in help defense either contesting shots, crashing from the weak side for a block, or getting into passing lanes. He was one of the best defensive players in the country on the wing this year, and that should translate.
I’m at the point where I think there is a pretty real case for Vassell over Isaac Okoro in this class. I’m not sure which side of that line I’ll fall on, but it’s much more of a conversation than what I think others believe. I’d like this pick a lot if Phoenix falls out of the top 10.