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Ebuka Okorie has an All-Star comp but even his floor is one the Pistons can embrace

Ebuka Okorie's ceiling offers different comparisons, but the one dream comp is Kemba Walker.
Mar 11, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) reacts after a play during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Mar 11, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) reacts after a play during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Detroit Pistons clearly have high hopes for Ebuka Okorie, and trading up four spots to select him in the first round proves that.

It's hard to pinpoint just how good the undersized guard can be at the next level, but it's safe to say that his lone season at Stanford proved there's enough potential to expect big things.

At his floor, Okorie seems to be a long-term spark plug scorer off the bench, maybe even a reliable scorer like Dennis Schroder.

However, thinking about his floor is the last thing Pistons fans want to do, so why not talk about his ceiling?

Of the draft comparisons for Okorie entering the league, arguably the one that continued to catch my eye was Kemba Walker.

Ebuka Okorie being the Motor City version of Kemba would be a dream

Comparing Okorie to Kemba may feel like a reach to some, but when you compare the guards' final season in college to one another, it's hard not to see the resemblance.

In Walker's final season at UConn, the eventual No. 9 overall pick averaged 23.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on 42.8% shooting from field goal range and 33.0% from three.

Okorie's lone season at Stanford brought eerily similar averages, posting 23.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, shooting 46.% from field goal range and 35.4% from beyond the arc.

Like Walker, Okorie is a shifty ball handler who can get to his spots at ease, uses his speed to his advantage to eliminate the lack of size, and he's a solid finisher around the rim.

The two guards' style of play is very close, and the craftiness is exactly why Okorie's ceiling could get to the point of being a Kemba Walker-like player at the next level.

Many scouts argued that Okorie belonged in the lottery, and securing him at No. 17 for the Pistons could be a steal looking back in a few years.

Worst case Okorie will be a key off the bench

Okorie has a long way to go before he reaches the star-level that Walker was during his prime, but he has the tools to get there.

Still, to temper expectations, it's safer to consider what the worst-case scenario would be rather than the dream.

The good news, though, is that at Okorie's worst, it feels like the chances of him being a solid bench scorer for years to come seem extremely high.

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