KZ Okpala's 2019 NBA Draft Scouting Report: Analysis of Miami Heat Pick

The Miami Heat selected KZ Okpala with the No. 32 pick of the 2019 NBA draft after acquiring the selection from the Indiana Pacers for three second-rounders.

Flashes of potential turned into sophomore production for the combo forward from Stanford. Okpala averaged 16.8 points per game by improving significantly inside the arc and making enough progress from behind it. He's still a project, but it's easier to see NBA potential than it was this time last year.

Quick hitters

Size: 6'9½"

Weight: 209.6 pounds

Wingspan: 7'1¾"

Reach: 8'10½"

Pro comparison: Chandler Hutchison

Offensive strengths

As a wing scorer, Okpala's size and length create mismatch potential. He improved on the ball this year, generating .896 points per possession as a pick-and-roll ball-handler (79th percentile), impressive for a forward who's nearly 6'10". His runner (21-of-54) in the lane has become one of his best shots. And after making just seven threes as a freshman, he hit 32 at a 36.8 percent clip. The small sample size should be taken into account, but his progress is encouraging. 

Weaknesses 

Okpala is still raw, lacking polish as a shot-creator and decision-maker. He was 12-of-32 out of isolation and just 9-of-35 on pull-ups. He generated just .803 points per possession on drives to the basket out of spot-ups, ranking in the 23rd percentile. Okpala's 67.1 percent free-throw mark kills excitement about his shooting improvement. And though he's flashed glimpses of playmaking, he totaled 83 turnovers to 58 assists.

Defensive outlook

Okpala wasn't an active defensive playmaker at Stanford, finishing with averages of just 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks in 32.7 minutes per game. It's not a deal-breaker, however, as Okpala has a promising mix of quickness and length. Coaches may want to use him against guards and small forwards, as opposed to bigs, given his thin frame. Either way, Okpala should be a multipositional defender who can give opponents a tough time around the perimeter.

Rookie year projection

Don't count on seeing Okpala much in 2019-20. At this stage, he doesn't offer any one translatable skill to consistently help the team, without strong shot-creation ability or shooting range. He'll presumably spend the year going back and forth from the NBA bench and G League.

Projected role: Reserve scorer

Okpala has both upside and bust potential. It's the idea of a near-6'10" forward who can face up and score that's appealing, but he'll need to make significant improvements for that idea to come to fruition. If he sharpens his off-the-dribble game and continues to add range to his shot, he has the chance to be a tough cover for smaller wings and heavier-footed bigs.

Stats courtesy of Synergy Sports, Sports Reference.