Georgia Tech Basketball: Josh Okogie struggles but shows flashes in Summer League debut
Former Georgia Tech basketball star Josh Okogie struggled in his NBA Summer League debut on Friday but flashed his overall potential to Minnesota fans.
Former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Josh Okogie made his NBA Summer League debut on Friday night as the Minnesota Timberwolves took on the Denver Nuggets. Okogie started for the Timberwolves at shooting gaurd and ended up logging 33 minutes in the Timberwolves 70-69 loss.
In his 33 minutes of action, Okogie seemed to be rusty offensively as he was an uncharacteristic 2-for-10 from the field including 1-for-5 from beyond the arch. He did however go 5-for-8 from the free throw line as he finished with 10-points. He also had five turnovers on the night, which Tech fans often saw when he tried to do too much offensively.
While he didn’t shoot like Tech fans were accustomed to seeing and Minnesota fans wanted, he did find a way to make up for it as he contributed four assists on the night and was stellar defensively. A strong two-way player for the Yellow Jackets in his two seasons at Georgia Tech, Okogie flashed his potential the most on Friday night defensively.
Defensively, Okogie was everywhere for the Timberwolves and created plenty of fast break opportunities. On the boards, the 6-foot-4 shooting guard recorded seven rebounds with six of them coming on the defensive side. He also contributed three blocks and two steals defensively with is three blocks leading the team.
Overall, Okogie’s night showed that even when he has an off night offensively he can still be a highly productive player for the Timberwolves. He summed that up in a post-game comment that Dane Moore of Zone Coverage supplied on Twiter;
"Offensively, it wasn’t my best game. I was able to get some steals, blocks on the defensive end. And that’s what it’s all about. That’s what coach Thibs is all about…. Defense is something I feel like I can always control." -Josh Okogie-
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) July 7, 2018
Despite the off night shooting, Okogie’s hustle and defensive play left Minnesota fans with a good first impression. The 20th overall pick may have struggled but the flashes were enough to show he was worthy of the first round selection.
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Okogie and the Timberwolves Summer League squad will return to the court on Sunday when they take on the Toronto Raptors. The former Yellow Jacket will look to improve on his offensive effort from Friday but continue to maintain his strong defensive play as the Timberwolves look to grab a victory.