On Saturday, Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Isaac Okoro recorded a career-high 17 points during a 115-101 loss to the Miami Heat and earned some high praise from Jimmy Butler afterward.
Okoro finished the contest by converting on 5-of-7 shots from the field, including 5-of-7 from the free-throw line, en route to his career performance, which topped his previous high of 15 points. The team wanted Okoro to be more aggressive and he did just that throughout the contest.
The performance by Okoro caught the eye of Butler, who the rookie was tasked with guarding throughout the evening. Butler even recalled a conversation with teammate Udonis Haslem regarding the play of Okoro after the game.
“I was talking to UD at the end of the game and we agreed the kid is going to be really good,” Butler said. “He plays within the game. He takes all of the right shots. He gets stops and rebounds. He is always passing the ball to the open guy. I really like his game.
“Obviously, he is matched up against me and he plays incredibly hard. He is going to be in this league for a long time and he is going to make a lot of money in this league, too. … His potential is out of this world. Hopefully, he is 10 times better than I am. If he keeps working, the sky is the limit.”
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Okoro, throughout the season, has flashed his potential with the Cavaliers. He has emerged as a strong option on both ends of the floor and figures to only get better the more he plays in the NBA. His numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page, but it’s evident how impactful he can be on a nightly basis.
Certainly, Butler thinks so and is a fan of his work.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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