Francis Okoro to Oregon
Normal West center Francis Okoro has been an elite prospect since he first stepped foot in the state of Illinois to start his freshman season in the central part of the state. Okoro is a consensus national top 40 recruit and one of the top big men prospects we have had in the state in recent years. Today Okoro ended his recruitment with his commitment to Oregon he tells PrepHoopsIllinois. The post told us why the Ducks were his choice.
“It was a hard decision, but I picked it because I have been watching them for so long and I like the way they play. Me and the coaches have been talking ever since. I see myself fitting in their system.”
So what makes Okoro such a huge get for Oregon? At 6’9” with a grown man body he is college ready from the time he steps foot on campus. Tremendous upper body strength. He is a good athlete that runs the floor very well and has vertical explosion finishing monster dunks. On the offensive end he is still improving as a low-post scorer. Okoro has definitely made major strides over the last couple years in his offensive game. He garners deep post position and the footwork has shown improvement. At times he displays a face up mid-range jumper which is something that could be developed more at the college level.
Where he is an elite prospect is as a rebounder. Probably the best in-state rebounder since Cliff Alexander in the 2014 class. Okoro high points them in traffic with his strong hands and rips them out of the air. Consistently wins 50/50 balls. This is an area that he can hang his hat from day one at the collegiate level. His aggressiveness, physical mentality, and athleticism make for a great combination as a beast rebounder! Defensively he can block shots as well and is a presence with his big body on the interior.
Through the first two sessions of the Nike EYBL with Brad Beal Elite Okoro averaged 13.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per contest. The finalists for Okoro’s services were Oregon, Illinois, and Purdue.