Fansided

NBA Draft 2019: 5 potential sleepers to watch

By Brandon Jefferson

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - MARCH 23: Mfiondu Kabengele #25 of the Florida State Seminoles dunks the ball against the Murray State Racers in the second half during the second round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at XL Center on March 23, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - MARCH 23: Mfiondu Kabengele #25 of the Florida State Seminoles dunks the ball against the Murray State Racers in the second half during the second round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at XL Center on March 23, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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LEXINGTON, KY – FEBRUARY 23: Chuma Okeke #5 of the Auburn Tigers goes up for a dunk during the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on February 23, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY – FEBRUARY 23: Chuma Okeke #5 of the Auburn Tigers goes up for a dunk during the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on February 23, 2019 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

3. Chuma Okeke, Forward, Auburn

Chuma Okeke was on his way to securing a spot in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft thanks to his performance for Auburn during the team’s extended runs in the SEC and NCAA Tournament this spring. Over the seven-game stretch, Okeke averaged 12.6 points per game, 7.1 rebounds per game, and 1.6 assists per game. His breakout moment coming in a 20-point, 11-rebound performance in 25 minutes against North Carolina in the Sweet 16.

The Tigers weren’t the biggest team so many thought that the Tar Heels size advantage would be too much for Auburn to withstand. However, thanks to the play of Okeke, Carolina’s size had little impact on the game and Auburn’s fast-paced style of play was too uptempo for the Tar Heels. Yet, in the midst of Okeke’s coming out party he would suffer a torn ACL with 8:08 left in the Sweet 16 game.

With the injury occurring at the end of March it is possible that whichever team drafts Okeke on Thursday night could have him sit out the entirety of his rookie season next year. Typically, recovery from a torn ACL can take around eight months. If all goes well for Okeke he has a shot of coming back sometime around the new year.

Okeke was finally starting to come through on the promise and potential that he showed in high school where he was Mr. Basketball in the state of Georgia in 2017. Not known as a basketball hotbed, Georgia has produced its fair share of NBA talent in recent years — Al-Faroq Aminu, Malik Beasley, Malcolm Brogdon, Jaylen Brown, Wendell Carter Jr., Dwight Howard, Jeremy Lamb. Okeke could fall in the Aminu and Brown range in the league, but as a potential 3-and-D wing he could provide a team with the most scarce prospect in the NBA today.

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