Tag: Chuma Okeke

Rookie Wire Power Rankings: Flynn, Hampton impress in expanded roles

Rookie Wire takes a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2020-21 season.

By this point of the year, teams around the NBA have a good idea if they are battling for playoff positioning or pingpong balls as the season begins to wind down.

With more clarity on their prospective paths, some organizations have started to prioritize the development of rookies and other younger players. As a result, several rookies have emerged with strong performances in their expanded roles.

To make sense of it all, we took a look at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the latest edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.

Magic rookie Chuma Okeke a late scratch on Sunday due to hip injury

Okeke is averaging 13.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals in eight games since entering the starting lineup on March 26.

Orlando Magic rookie Chuma Okeke on Sunday was a late scratch from the lineup versus the Milwaukee Bucks due to a sore right hip, according to the team.

Okeke entered the contest initially listed as questionable to play but was eventually ruled out about one hour before tipoff. He apparently suffered the injury on Friday in a loss to the Indiana Pacers and the team is hopeful it is not too serious.

“We are hoping it’s just minor and that he got hit and it’s just really sore,” Magic head coach Steve Clifford said. “He tried to do stuff this morning. We are hoping it will be one night, a couple of nights and nothing that will be lasting.”

Following several moves at the trade deadline, Okeke has been featured more predominantly for the Magic. He has become the starting power forward with Aaron Gordon now with the Denver Nuggets and has performed well in that role.

Since entering the starting lineup following the trade deadline, Okeke is averaging 13.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals in eight games with the Magic.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Rookie of the Year Race: Can LaMelo Ball win after injury?

Despite preseason expectations, basketball fans have seen surprisingly good campaigns from several rookies around the league in 2020-21.

Despite middling preseason expectations, basketball fans have seen some surprisingly good campaigns from several rookies around the league in 2020-21.

Even the most casual observer will knowΒ LaMelo BallΒ has had an excellent year. But there are many others who have played very well while on the floor as well. As such, this will be an exciting race for the 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year.

Like ourΒ weekly MVP rankings, every member of our team voted on their personal Top 10 rankings for Rookie of the Year. We averaged out the results to get a cumulative ranking from the HoopsHype staff.

Every month, we will release our updated rankings for the Rookie of the Year race.

All relevant statistics are accurate as of April 8, 2021 and are pulled from Basketball-Reference, RealGM or NBA.com unless noted otherwise.

Chuma Okeke starring for Orlando Magic, surprising no one

Chuma Okeke is getting his chance and now shining for the Orlando Magic after sitting out all of last season with an injury.

Things were going quite well for Chuma Okeke and the Auburn Tigers in spring 2019.

The Tigers defeated Tennessee 84-64 to win their first SEC Tournament championship in 34 years thanks in large part to 18 points, 3 steals, and 13 rebounds from Okeke. His NBA draft stock was surging and all signs indicated that he would be Auburn’s next lottery pick.

Auburn entered the 2019 NCAA Tournament as the No.5 seed in the Midwest region. After the Tigers narrowly escaped defeat at the hands of New Mexico State it appeared to many that their road to the Final Four would be near impossible with 4-seed Kansas, 1-seed North Carolina, and 2-seed Kentucky standing in their way.

The morning that Auburn faced off against Kansas in the second round of the tournament there were three perfect brackets remaining. Unfortunately for one of those brackets, the Tigers couldn’t miss and Kansas fell 89-75 thus ruining that individual’s perfect bracket.

The Jayhawks season came to an abrupt end at the hands of Bryce Brown, Jared Harper, and Okeke. Kansas head coach Bill Self struggled to scheme around the Tigers’ sharpshooting point guard duo in Brown and Harper who combined for 43 points, 3 rebounds, and 8 assists against the Jayhawks. It was a futile effort on Self’s part as Auburn’s offensive firepower surged through Okeke who was averaging 12.5 points, 3.5 steals, and 5 rebounds per game.

As the Tigers headed into the Sweet Sixteen to take on North Carolina there was one perfect bracket remaining. The bracket belonged to 40-year-old neuropsychologist Gregg Nigl who had managed to correctly pick 49 games in a row. His bracket would have been busted by Auburn’s victory over North Carolina, but it was the Purdue Boilermakers thrilling overtime win over Tennessee that occurred first.

I watched the Auburn vs North Carolina game with my father. With 8:08 remaining in the second half we knew Auburn was up big, but had somehow lost at the same time. Okeke collided with UNC’s Cameron Johnson beneath the basket before falling hard to the floor. I don’t remember the fall, I just remember Okeke screaming while grabbing his knee before he was escorted to the locker room and taken for x-rays.

Okeke exited the game with 20 points, 2 steals, and 11 rebounds. I knew then that was the last time we’d see Okeke play in an Auburn uniform.

The Tigers went on to defeat Kentucky in the Elite Eight to advance to the first Final Four in program history. I vividly remember shots of Anfernee McLemore shooting free throws against Virginia and mouthing to himself, “do it for Chuma.” The Tigers fell to Virginia in Minneapolis, but the benchmark for success within Auburn basketball was officially set and Chuma Okeke was an integral part of it.

As the dust of the NCAA Tournament had settled and the NBA Draft drew closer, it was apparent that Okeke’s torn ACL would hurt his chances at being a lottery pick. The Orlando Magic knew exactly what type of player they would get in Okeke and took him 16th overall in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft.

ESPN analyst Mike Schmitz announced that it was, “the steal of the draft.”

And boy was he right. After a one year stint with Orlando’s G-league affiliate in Lakeland, the Orlando Magic announced that they had officially signed Okeke. In the last five games Okeke has recorded a total of 79 points (22-point career high vs Portland), 6 steals, and 29 rebounds (10-rebound career high vs New Orleans). The Magic have gone 3-2 in those five games proving Okeke as a catalyst for success at the professional level.

He’s back to where he was before that tragic fall in the second half against North Carolina. For Okeke the road to where he is now has consisted of two years of rehab, perseverance, and patience. The opportunity that Chuma Okeke has worked and prayed for is now.

Welcome back big Chum!

Chuma Okeke, Magic complete 16-point comeback win over Clippers

Okeke produced a team-high 18 points to help the Magic win, which snapped a 14-game losing streak to the Clippers.

Orlando Magic rookie Chuma Okeke on Tuesday produced a team-high 18 points to help his team complete a 16-point come from behind victory over the Los Angles Clippers.

The Magic closed out the game on a 21-5 run and outscored the Clippers by 21 points in the second half to pull out the improbable 103-96 win. Terrence Ross scored 15 points to lead the Magic’s second unit, which outscored the Clippers’ bench 56-20.

The win by the Magic snapped a 14-game losing streak to the Clippers, which dated back to Jan. 6, 2014.

“It’s always nice to get a win,” Okeke said. “The way that we won, we played together, we played hard. Each game, we just keep getting better as a team so it felt really good.”

Orlando trailed by double digits for much of the first half after scoring just 13 points in the first quarter. The group entered halftime down 14 points and appeared to be on the verge of losing a third straight game since changing up the roster at the trade deadline.

Instead, Okeke scored 14 points in the second half and the Magic buckled down on defense to slow the Clippers, who were without Paul George and Marcus Morris. The play of Okeke, on both ends of the floor, helped the Magic stay within striking distance.

“Chuma has always been a great player,” said Wendell Carter Jr., who finished with 11 points, six rebounds and three blocks. “He has this unorthodox (ability) to him where he can make tough, 2-point shots. He is a great defender and a great rebounder. He has a feel for the game that a lot of players don’t. His potential is through the roof.”

Just moments after picking up the impressive win, Okeke earned more praise from a teammate. Cole Anthony, who is working toward returning from a rib injury, immediately hopped on Twitter to let his 61,000-plus followers know about Okeke.

The gesture by Anthony, along with Carter’s words, meant a lot to Okeke.

“It shows that they are happy for me,” Okeke said. “It shows that we are (bonding) every day. We are just getting closer. The closer teams play better on the court. The closer we are off the court, it’s just going to translate on the court. It’s just a good feeling, overall.”

With the Magic now building toward the future, Okeke has come on strong as of late for the team. Over his last four games, Okeke is averaging 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists on 63.2% shooting (12-of-19) from beyond the arc.

The opportunity to log heavy minutes now will go a long way in Okeke’s development. He often played behind Aaron Gordon in the rotation, but Okeke now projects to be a full-time starter following the trade of Gordon to the Denver Nuggets.

“He is going to continue to grow because of his attitude,” Magic head coach Steve Clifford said. “He works. He has got good instincts. He competes naturally. It’s too early to be saying he can be this or he can be that, but he has a chance to be a very good player.”

The development of Okeke, Anthony and others on the roster over the final 20-plus games of the season will be crucial now for the Magic. They each represent a huge part of the future and the performance on Tuesday likely gave fans a small glimmer of hope.

This post originally appeared onΒ Rookie Wire! Follow us onΒ Facebook!

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Chuma Okeke posts back-to-back career performances for Magic

Amidst significant roster changes, Magic rookie Chuma Okeke has produced his best two-game stretch of the season.

Amidst significant roster changes, Orlando Magic rookie Chuma Okeke has produced back-to-back career performances for his best two-game stretch of the season.

Okeke kicked off the recent surge on Wednesday with 17 points to help the Magic to a win over the Phoenix Suns. He went a perfect 6-of-6 from the field, with four 3-pointers, in that contest for his third double-digit performance.

He followed that up on Friday with a career-high 22 points to lead the shorthanded Magic in a narrow loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. He also added six rebounds, four assists and two steals in a career-high 37 minutes of work.

The Magic were down to just eight available players on Friday following three separate trades on Thursday. The moves figure to open up significant playing time for Okeke, and others on the roster, after playing behind Aaron Gordon this season.

Okeke said this week that he has grown increasingly comfortable with the Magic as the season has progressed and that has shown recently. He has proven to be a strong player in the post while he can step back and shoot from deep.

With the Magic in a full-fledged rebuild now, Okeke figures to be a huge part of the future and the 16th overall pick from 2019 has given the team some hope to build around.

This post originally appeared onΒ Rookie Wire! Follow us onΒ Facebook!

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Chuma Okeke turned in an odd 6-point possession in first NBA start

The Magic rookie finished with eight points in his first career start as six came on one possession alone.

With the Orlando Magic dealing with several injury issues, rookie Chuma Okeke earned his first career start Friday night on the road against the San Antonio Spurs.

Okeke produced eight points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one blocked shot in 27 minutes of work during the 104-77 loss. He shot 2-of-9 from the field, including 1-of-7 from 3-point range, as the Magic have now dropped seven consecutive games.

The Magic jumped out to an early 13-point lead in the first quarter but the Spurs eventually climbed back into it and carried an eight-point lead into halftime. San Antonio extended the lead to 14 points in the third period but Orlando, aided by Okeke, went on a run to cut into the deficit.

Okeke produced all eight of his points in the third quarter, and scored six of them in a rather odd manner.

On a 3-point attempt, Spurs guard Keldon Johnson was whistled for an aggressive closeout on Okeke, who made each of his three ensuing free throws. Orlando managed to keep the ball and Okeke then hit a 3-pointer to complete the 6-point possession.

The rare play by Okeke was one of a few highlights for the Magic, who had just nine players available to play. Magic head coach Steve Clifford took the blame for the loss after stating the playcalling has to improve, which starts with him on the sidelines.

In any case, Okeke continues to play a large role with the team this season. He missed time himself this season with a knee injury but has given the Magic some strong performances throughout the season since returning.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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‘He made a bunch of big shots’: Chuma Okeke’s career night powers Magic to victory

Chuma Okeke turned in a career night to help lead the Magic to a comeback win over the Warriors on Friday.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Chuma Okeke finished with a career-high 11 points, and hit some timely shots to help the Magic overcome a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors, 124-120.

Orlando built up a 17-point advantage in the third quarter on Friday, but the Warriors staged a furious comeback to not only tie the game, but build up a 13-point lead of their own in the final period.

Then Okeke strung together several impressive plays for the Magic.

The sequence first unfolded when Okeke blocked a shot attempt by Stephen Curry with just over four minutes left. Then, on the other end, Okeke hit a corner 3-pointer to cut the deficit to three points.

A few minutes later, Okeke hit another triple to give the Magic a two-point lead with 2:19 left in the period. From there, the Magic finished off the victory as Okeke scored eight points alone in the final quarter.

“I’m proud of the work he is putting in,” said Terrence Ross, who finished with 24 points off the bench. “He is a really good basketball player on both sides of the ball. He made a bunch of big shots tonight, especially (being) at the end of the rotation. He did a good job of knocking those shots down.

“Those are big shots and you need a lot of poise to hit those shots. He has done a great job with his work ethic and he deserves all of the stuff coming to him. He is getting better each day. We are going to need him to keep playing the way he is. Shout out to Chuma.”

With the Magic down several players, Okeke has been thrust into a larger role. The performance was just his second game in double figures, as he is often relied on for his defense.

On Friday, it was his offense that took center stage when it mattered most.

“I’m really happy for Chuma,” Magic head coach Steve Clifford said. “(He hit) two huge 3s in the last five minutes and a big, big blocked shot, which he recovered. He is just a basketball player. He is smart. He has natural instincts, a high IQ and we needed all of that.”

Outside of the locker room, Okeke is quiet and reserved, but to his teammates, he is energetic and always in a good mood. That’s why his performance on Friday meant that much more to them, and they were there to congratulate him after finishing the comeback win.

“(They were just) happy for me, excited for me hitting big shots and making big plays in a big-time moment,” Okeke said. “It meant a lot knowing they are happy for me. A happy team is a team that is always winning, even when we are losing, we always see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

After that victory, the Magic certainly will be a happy team this weekend…

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Magic’s Chuma Okeke hoping to guard Carmelo Anthony in first matchup

Magic rookie Chuma Okeke will play Carmelo Anthony and the Trail Blazers for the first time Tuesday on the road.

On Tuesday, the Orlando Magic hit the road and begin a four-game West Coast trip with the Portland Trail Blazers first up on the schedule at the Moda Center.

The meeting will be the first of the season between the two teams,Β and the first opportunity for rookies Cole Anthony and Chuma Okeke to play the likes of Damian Lillard and Carmelo Anthony.

Okeke often watched Anthony growing up through his various stops in the NBA so the Magic forward is excited about the matchup and the potential chance of guarding him throughout the game.

“It’s going to be very fun being that [Lillard and Anthony have] been in the league for so long, especially Carmelo,” Okeke said on Monday. “I grew up watching him so it’s going to be fun. Hopefully, I get to guard him and see where I’m at.”

Okeke recently returned from a 16-game absence due to a knee injury. He has played in three games since returning and is still working to get back into the flow of the game, but has experienced no issues.

“I feel good, everything is feeling real good,” Okeke said. “I’ve been feeling real comfortable out there on the court. I feel like I’m still moving a little bit too fast but I will get better as I continue to play.”

The addition of Okeke to the lineup comes as Aaron Gordon is expected to miss time with an ankle injury. Okeke now returns to fill a key role off the bench and his presence gives the team a solid two-way contributor on both ends of the floor.

Once he enters the game on Tuesday, Okeke will likely draw the assignment of guarding Anthony, and that figures to be a memorable moment for the rookie.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Steve Clifford thought Chuma Okeke was ‘terrific’ in return from injury

Magic rookie Chuma Okeke scored a career-high 10 points in his return after a 16-game absence.

On Tuesday, Orlando Magic forward Chuma Okeke returned from a 16-game absence and produced a career-high 10 points during a 123-108 loss to the Toronto Raptors.

The Magic announced prior to the start of the contest that Okeke would be available to play after previously suffering a left knee bone bruise. Magic head coach Steve Clifford said Okeke would log 12-14 minutes, and the rookie finished with 18 minutes in the loss.

“I think on both ends, obviously, he was terrific for a guy that hasn’t played for a while,” Clifford said after the game. “He had a great first half. He also does a lot of the little things. He is very smart, high IQ, and not having him has been a hit for our team. It’s good to get him back.”

With Okeke back, the Magic received a big boost to the lineup with Aaron Gordon out 4-6 weeks with a severe ankle sprain. Okeke often played behind Gordon prior to his injury, and his addition will help fill a major hole on the floor.

After missing over a month of action, Okeke was glad to be back on the floor.

“It felt real good,” Okeke said. “It always feels good to play a sport that I love and have been playing for so long. I just felt comfortable out there and I just thank God for letting me have a complete, healthy game. Everything felt good.”

Unfortunately, the return of Okeke was perhaps the only positive for the Magic.

Orlando gave up a career-high 54 points to Fred VanVleet, who went 11-of-14 from 3-point range. His 54 points are the most by an undrafted player in NBA history, topping the 53 points scored by Moses Malone in 1982, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The Magic have now lost four games in a row and have gone just 2-12 since starting off the season with a 6-2 record. The team has dealt with a plethora of significant injuries to key players and has struggled to gain consistency on the court.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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