From the beginning, KZ Okpala stood as a Miami Heat outlier, the Heat buying and selling three second-round picks to accumulate his rights within the second spherical of the 2019 NBA draft. Typically, the Heat bide their time, then pounce on such prospects after the draft, with Duncan Robinson a part of such a delayed harvest.
From there, accidents and offensive limitations derailed the mission, Okpala dealt finally February’s NBA buying and selling deadline as a method of liberating wage cap area to signal Caleb Martin to an ordinary contract and add Haywood Highsmith. Okpala then instantly was waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder, out of the league the stability of the season.
But with the Heat finishing their three-game western swing Saturday in opposition to the Sacramento Kings at Golden1 Center, there was a well-recognized face on the opposing bench, Okpala not solely making the Kings’ roster, however taking part in as an opening-night starter.
“He got an opportunity, he took advantage of it and he seems to be having some success there,” Heat guard Gabe Vincent mentioned of his former teammate. “So I’m happy for him.”
The query, although, is whether or not, as with the Heat, it’s a fleeting success, going from that opening-night begin to miniscule ensuing minutes.
For Okpala and Vincent there may be one other widespread bond on the Kings bench, with the 2 guided by new Sacramento coach Mike Brown with the Nigerian nationwide staff on the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
It was out of that have that Brown took be aware of Okpala’s defensive disposition, Okpala arguably thriving to a higher diploma with the Nigerian nationwide staff than throughout his tenure with the Heat.
“A lot of the league is opportunity,” Vincent mentioned. “A lot of the guys are talented. Outside some of the top premier talent, the gap is not very vast. Some of it is opportunity and situation. And hopefully this one is a better fit for him.”
Ultimately, Okpala was merely an opening-night placeholder for coveted Kings No. 4 first-round choose Keegan Murray. But the chance nonetheless is there.
“KZ’s a very capable and good defender,” Vincent mentioned. “And I know Mike’s high on him with that. So hopefully he’ll find some opportunity and find a niche and go from there.”
As with the Heat, Okpala, nonetheless simply 23, has been inspired to stay to the fundamentals.
“Cutting, offensive rebound, spot-up shots, 3-and-D, defensively really get up,” mentioned the No. 32 select of Stanford in that 2019 draft.
To Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, Okpala has already considerably crushed the percentages.
“Just look at the stats of second rounders,” Spoelstra mentioned. “The overwhelming majority of them don’t make it. And he’s preventing for his profession proper now and actually creating a pleasant area of interest. And I believe his years with us, sure, there have been some accidents that he needed to overcome, however I believe by way of actually discovering what his identification must be on this league, I believe he took nice strides in that space.
“His player development and his work capacity got better each year with us. I saw improvement on his overall skill set offensively.”
As was the case with the Heat, the 6-foot-8 ahead mentioned he embraces the position of defensive stopper.
“I like guys who try to score on me one on one,” he mentioned. “I like that one on one, no help, it’s just me and another person. I like that.”
Together, Vincent and Okpala had their moments with the Nigerian nationwide staff, significantly in defeating Bam Adebayo and Team USA in a pre-Olympic exhibition.
Now it’s concerning the former Heat second rounder making an attempt to maximise this second likelihood beneath Brown, after showing in 70 video games for the Heat over three seasons and beginning 9.
“We’re rooting for him,” Spoelstra mentioned, “as a result of he actually put in plenty of time with us and we noticed enchancment, and that’s a tricky factor to do on this league is to carve out a distinct segment, the place you may see a imaginative and prescient of the place you may make an influence.
“You also have to have the right fit and a coaching staff that values what you bring, and that’s clearly what he has there with Mike.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com