In the coming weeks, we will be looking at several under-the-radar prospects that were primed to use the travel circuit to boost their recruiting stock this summer. Now, with grassroots basketball on hold as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, these prospects may not get the exposure in the coming months as they would have otherwise.
Today, we take a look at Chisom Okpara.
WHO IS HE?
Okpara just finished up his sophomore season at Vermont Academy where he played all over the floor and 16 points and five rebounds per game.
Named his team's MVP, he was the only sophomore to earn All-NEPSAC AAA Honorable Mention honors. During the summer, Okpara plays in the Nike EYBL with the New York Rens.
"Chisom Okpara is the first sophomore to start at Vermont Academy since Bruce Brown who now plays point guard for the Detroit Pistons," said Vermont Academy head coach Alex Popp. "What separates Chisom from the rest of the 2022 class is his competitive nature. He rebounds everything, he lives at the free throw line, he blends quickness with relentless physicality.
"Offensively, he is a special playmaker who hunts the paint for assists and above the rim finishes. His jump shot range extends behind the arc, and his highest % location from three happens to be in the increasingly popular corner (44%). What ties it all together for Chisom is his elite attitude and work ethic. I believe he has the talent and maturity to be special. "
RECRUITING SNAPSHOT
So far Okpara has earned scholarship offers from DePaul, Providence, UMass and Yale.
Others who have been showing increasing attention include Arizona State, BYU, Clemson, Marquette, Maryland, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Seton Hall and Virginia.
Okpara has seen Providence and Yale unofficially.
WHY I LIKE HIM
Pushing 6-foot-8 with a strong 215 pound frame, Okpara is a very versatile forward who is capable of playing multiple positions on offense and defending multiple spots on the other end of the floor.
In today's game it's important to have players who can be moved up and down a lineup and that's why I like Okpara so much. If you want to play small ball he can operate as a four man who is a decision maker and handler from out of the high post and if you want to go big, he's a good enough shooter to play out on the wing and serve as a threat to shoot all the way out to the three point line.
Okpara has a great motor, appears to be very coachable and looks to be a leader on the floor.
