USC's Onyeka Okongwu Declares for 2020 NBA Draft

Onyeka Okongwu has declared for the 2020 NBA draft on Wednesday, he told Evan Daniels of 247Sports.

"I honestly have a lot of confidence in myself and I think I established my name this freshman year and I've shown that I can play with anyone," he said. "It gives me more confidence in this decision because I feel like I can develop my game on the next level and really be successful."

"I feel like I can go anywhere in the first round if I keep working during this pre-draft stuff and never lose focus," he added.

Okongwu spent one season at USC. The former 5-star center prospect averaged 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in 30.6 minutes across 28 games (all starts) for the Trojans in 2019-20. 

The Chino Hills, California, native put everybody on notice when he recorded eight blocks in his USC debut on Nov. 5 against Florida A&M alongside 20 points and 13 rebounds. Okongwu posted nine double-doubles and led the team in points per game, rebounds per game and field goal percentage.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman listed Okongwu as the top-ranked center in the 2020 class in a Nov. 2019 evaluation: 

"At 6'9", 245 pounds, Okongwu has unleashed a combination of strength and quickness that's translating to high-percentage finishes and putbacks. His motor also creates opportunities at the rim.

"He hasn't faced anyone physically equipped to match up yet, and he can still be somewhat choppy. His one-on-one game might not look as smooth once USC starts facing stiffer competition. And for an NBA center who won't be interchangeable as a 4, he'd ideally be taller than 6'9"."

Wasserman's February mock draft projected Okongwu to go seventh overall to the Washington Wizards.

The last USC prospect to be selected in the first round of an NBA draft was forward Kevin Porter Jr. in 2019. The 19-year-old went 30th overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers.