Mike Okauru is a dynamic lead guard. He has the size and skill set to affect the game and fill a stat sheet. Okauru carries a Rutgers offer and him in the Big 10 feels right.
The 6’4” Junior at traditional basketball power Ravenscroft first burst onto the scene at the prestigious 2014 North Carolina Top 80. In that event he finished 11-13 and showed a lot of promise with his quickness and length.
After his performance in that Top 80 we wrote, “Michael is another “3 S” guard that will garner immediate attention from D1 schools this spring/summer. Coach Andre’ Gould stated, “Michael is a guard with catlike skill, he is super quick and can really shoot the ball in transition.” More importantly, we were impressed with his high basketball skill and combined athleticism. He made one good play after another and his on-court maturity is beyond his years.”
Through the years, Okauru has continued to develop. From freshman to junior years, he has grown from 6’ to 6’4, filling out his body and keeping his immense length.
Okauru was able to parlay his upside into an invite to the NBA Top 100 camp this past season. After his showing there Phenom Hoops’ National Analyst Rick Lewis wrote, “Okauru has a nice combination of athleticism and skill set. He has good length and one can tell he has been well coached. He has a really good understanding of the game and played within the team structure. He fit in nicely with the constant half court sets and proved he can play at that level. While he had a solid offensive outing, we were more impressed with his play on the defensive side of the ball. He has good footwork and his lateral quickness is advanced.”
During the Phenom National Showcase Okauru scored 22 and 17 points in his two games against nationally recognized points guards. During the High School OT, Okauru went for 19 against Broughton. It was the way he went about getting his points that shows his game is rounding out. He was 2-3 from 3, he slashed in the half court, and dunked in transition.
Okauru carries a Rutgers offer, however he is hearing from the likes of Virginia, Xavier, Kansas St and others. With this turning the corner, be on the lookout for much more recruitment at this level.