NBA Draft 2020: Auburn star Isaac Okoro chosen with No. 5 overall pick
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The Auburn Tigers have experienced a renaissance under coach Bruce Pearl. Two seasons ago, they made their first Final Four in school history. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s the last Final Four that has been played.
This past season, the Tigers were looking like a team that could potentially make another deep NCAA Tournament run, and freshman forward Isaac Okoro was a big part of that success.
The talented defender and budding offensive prospect decided to leave school after only 1 season, and it proved to be the right choice, as the Cleveland Cavaliers chose him with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Now, Okoro will head to a team with a mix of veteran players and rising youth. Kevin Love and Andre Drummond man the post, and Okoro figures to work into the rotation alongside those guys. Meanwhile, former SEC stars Collin Sexton and Darius Garland man the backcourt.
At Auburn last season, Okoro appeared in 28 games, averaging 12.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest.
He’ll be counted on more for his defense at the NBA level, but he can become a true star if he can develop his offensive game and knock down his threes. He shot 28.6% from beyond the arc in 2019-20.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
