Emeka Okafor thread

[slinslin]

One of the probably biggest prizes in the draft is Emeka Okafor.

At 6'10 he is a little undersized at center. Although the height with the new defensive rules doesn't matter that much and great players like Olajuwon and Mourning weren't bigger either.



http://www.nbadraft.net/profiles/emekaokafor.asp

Leads the best team in the NCAA.

Averages

18ppg 12rpg 5bpg 1apg 1spg 60%FG in 30mpg

One triple double this season 19pts 15reb 10blk against Army.

Will graduate early and definately be in the draft.

Likely the most ready big man coming to the NBA since Elton Brand or possibly even Tim Duncan.

 

[F-Dog]

If the Suns get really lucky and wind up with the #1 pick, I've been thinking that Okafor will be their guy.

The only question in my mind is, will he be able to play center night in and night out? If he can, then he's the obvious pick, since he's very good and very ready, and I don't see anybody like Milicic whose potential would scare me if the Suns passed on him.

Oh yeah, he's supposed to be a very smart guy with high character, as well.

 

[creed]

We have Amare....

What would we do with Okafor besides trade him?

 

[slinslin]

I think there is just one center he can not defend. That is Shaquille O'Neal.

On the other hand Ben Wallace does a pretty good job against Shaq despite his height.

Okafor is a great shotblocker so he would be a presence and especially in a zone defense his size won't matter as much.

 

[slinslin]

Re: We have Amare....

Originally posted by creed
What would we do with Okafor besides trade him?

Play him 30-40 minutes at center against 29 teams in the league and less minutes against one team?

 

[hcsilla]

Re: Re: We have Amare....

Originally posted by slinslin
Play him 30-40 minutes at center against 29 teams in the league and less minutes against one team?

Yes, that may be possible but when I have seen Okafor play he looked thinner than Mourning and Wallace.
He would be very fine at PF.

At C?
I do have some serious doubts about that.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by slinslin
I think there is just one center he can not defend. That is Shaquille O'Neal.

On the other hand Ben Wallace does a pretty good job against Shaq despite his height.

Okafor is a great shotblocker so he would be a presence and especially in a zone defense his size won't matter as much.

Ben Wallace is the guy he has been most often compared to. He may not be a full time center, but he would be tall enough most nights.

Howard has more upside, but he is going to be small forward and maybe play some at little PF.

Both guys are likely to be taken as "best players" available. In terms of need, I think Okafor would contribute more in the first few years.

 

[creed]

Re: Re: We have Amare....

Originally posted by slinslin
Play him 30-40 minutes at center against 29 teams in the league and less minutes against one team?

Yeah sure put him on Ming for year after year...that should be a laugher. Putting him on Duncan would be equally funny

We need a center for individual defense and TEAM defense.

The only way I see it is playing Okafor SOME at center and letting him back up Amare and get his value even higher for a trade. Then maybe we trade Okafor or Amare...keep who we like better.

 

[slinslin]

If you shouldn't doubt something about Okafor it is defense.

I am sure if you put him on Duncan he will do as good of a job as anyone could.
Okafor is a defensive monster.

And Yao? Yao has a size advatange on anyone anyway. Theo Ratliff is undersized but he defended him very well. Amare blocked Yao like 4 times in one game. Amare had a ton of blocks against Yao already.

Okafor is athletic, can run, can defend, is intelligent and a bright young man.

 

[F-Dog]

Re: Re: Re: We have Amare....

Originally posted by hcsilla
Yes, that may be possible but when I have seen Okafor play he looked thinner than Mourning and Wallace.
He would be very fine at PF.

At C?
I do have some serious doubts about that.

Are you talking about Mourning in college or Mourning in his prime?

 

[George O'Brien]

Re: Re: Re: We have Amare....

Originally posted by creed
Yeah sure put him on Ming for year after year...that should be a laugher. Putting him on Duncan would be equally funny

We need a center for individual defense and TEAM defense.

The only way I see it is playing Okafor SOME at center and letting him back up Amare and get his value even higher for a trade. Then maybe we trade Okafor or Amare...keep who we like better.

You can never have anough great players. Guys get injured, there are chances to set up matchuop problems for opponents, and no one has to get burned out with 40+ minutes very night. Its called depth.

Right now the Suns have a hole at SG. JJ may someday be the guy, but he isn't yet. The Suns need a super elite guard more than a backup PF or a mid level veteran center.

However, I would not trade an Okafor just because he is not better than Amare. I'd rather have Okafor than Havey coming in off the bench.

 

[hcsilla]

Re: Re: Re: Re: We have Amare....

Originally posted by F-Dog
Are you talking about Mourning in college or Mourning in his prime?

In his prime, I haven't seen him in NCAA.

Did he bulk up a lot after his college years?

 

[Joe Mama]

I love Okafor's game, but he is a power forward in the NBA. He could play some center against smaller teams though. There's no doubt the player he should be compared the most to is Ben Wallace. He's probably already be better offensive player however. He is not 6-10. He's 6-9 at most.

Joe Mama

 

[creed]

Re: Re: Re: Re: We have Amare....

Originally posted by George O'Brien
You can never have anough great players. Guys get injured, there are chances to set up matchuop problems for opponents, and no one has to get burned out with 40+ minutes very night. Its called depth.

Right now the Suns have a hole at SG. JJ may someday be the guy, but he isn't yet. The Suns need a super elite guard more than a backup PF or a mid level veteran center.

However, I would not trade an Okafor just because he is not better than Amare. I'd rather have Okafor than Havey coming in off the bench.

It depends on getting both guys enough minutes to keep them happy because there is such a thing as EGO and Minutes=Money thing going on in the NBA. High draft picks arnt known to like playing second fiddle for very long....

 

[creed]

Originally posted by slinslin

And Yao? Yao has a size advatange on anyone anyway. Theo Ratliff is undersized but he defended him very well. Amare blocked Yao like 4 times in one game. Amare had a ton of blocks against Yao already.

One can usually cite individual instances of success here and there but that doesnt always equate to having success over a four game season or a seven game playoff series. Can they have CONSISTANT success?

Are you really suggesting Amare can guard Ming on a consistant basis??

 

[slinslin]

Emeka Okafor is not some kind of immature rookie who wants to play 40mpg right away.

He stayed in college 3 years to graduate and win a NCAA championship.

 

[F-Dog]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: We have Amare....

Originally posted by hcsilla
In his prime, I haven't seen him in NCAA.

Did he bulk up a lot after his college years?

Mourning was sleeker in college, just as Duncan and Shaq were.

Of course, they got around that by listing him as 6'11" , but IIRC there were serious questions about whether Mourning would be a center or a power forward when he came out of Georgetown...

Anyway, I'll have to tape the next UConn game so I can get a really, really good look.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by slinslin
Emeka Okafor is not some kind of immature rookie who wants to play 40mpg right away.

He stayed in college 3 years to graduate and win a NCAA championship.

I've heard nothing but good things about his temperment.

As for whether he can play center, I'm guessing yes. He is about 255 with a good wing span and excellant strength. White is only 6'9" and did fine against Shaq and Yao (considering). Strength and quickness are at least as important as heigth.

With luck, in a few years the Suns could start Lampe at C, Stoudemire at PF, Marion at SF with Okafur backing up the C and PF position and Carbakapa backing up all three. (Voskuhl and maybe Harvey would be kept in reserve.)

 

[BMF]

I can't see him as a permanent centre. He is much closer to 6'9 than 6'10. I do love the guy, he plays defence, stayed in college and definitley has more offense then Ben Wallace. Unfortunatley I just believe he would have to switch to 4, and we have Amare....

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by BMF
I can't see him as a permanent centre. He is much closer to 6'9 than 6'10. I do love the guy, he plays defence, stayed in college and definitley has more offense then Ben Wallace. Unfortunatley I just believe he would have to switch to 4, and we have Amare....

The real question is "can he get the minutes?" If the starting center (Lampe?) played 30 and Amare played 35, that would leave 31 minutes.

 

[slinslin]

So did anyone watch #1 UConn rout #7 Oklahoma?

Lead by Okafor who fell 1 block short of a triple double?

21pts 10reb 9blk
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=240110041

 

[Dan H]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: We have Amare....

Originally posted by F-Dog
Mourning was sleeker in college, just as Duncan and Shaq were.

Of course, they got around that by listing him as 6'11" , but IIRC there were serious questions about whether Mourning would be a center or a power forward when he came out of Georgetown...

Anyway, I'll have to tape the next UConn game so I can get a really, really good look.

Didn't Zo play the 4 in college for a couple years, though, while Mutombo was playing the 5?

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by slinslin
So did anyone watch #1 UConn rout #7 Oklahoma?

Lead by Okafor who fell 1 block short of a triple double?

21pts 10reb 9blk
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=240110041

What matters is arm length, hop, and strength. An athletic 6'9" will beat a slow 7'0" every every time.

There have been several effective centers that were only6'10" Hakeem Olajuwon was listed at 7'0" but was probably only 6'"10. Mouring is another example and I'm sure we could find many others. They may not be ideal, but they can be very effective.

Can Okafor be a small center in the NBA? I'm sure of it. Can they win it all with him as the starting center? Maybe not. But he could be super backup at both the #4 and #5 positions.

If Lampe proves to be the Suns long range solution at center, the Okafor would be a perfect complement.
If he isn't, maybe they would need to find a 7'+ guy in the draft.

 

[slinslin]

I read somewhere that Okafor grew from 6'9 to 6'10 1/2 since his freshman season. That's probably just a rumor.

He had 27pts 11reb 5blk last night
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=240140041

 

[SirStefan32]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: We have Amare....

Originally posted by Dan H
Didn't Zo play the 4 in college for a couple years, though, while Mutombo was playing the 5?

I think so.

Anyway, Okafor is an outstanding player. He is a very good defender/ shot blocker, and has some offensive moves. He can contribute immediately.

I think he and Amare could cover 4 and 5 easily. My only concern is that neither one of them has a short jumper.