Stanford Basketball: 2019 NBA draft profile of Cardinal forward KZ Okpala

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 12: KZ Okpala #0 of the Stanford Cardinal dunks against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 12, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 12: Coby White #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels fires a pass over Lukas Kisunas #32 and KZ Okpala #0 of the Stanford Cardinal during the second half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 12, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 90-72 (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Draft stock: slightly up

Throughout the draft process, Okpala’s draft stock has been relatively consistent, although the range in which he will be selected has widened some. Depending on which mock draft you look at, the 6-9 forward is being plucked off the board anywhere from the late teens to very early in the second round. Our latest NBA mock draft has Okpala landing with the Indiana Pacers at No. 18 and I agree that this would be a good spot for the young forward, as neither Thaddeus Young or Bojan Bogdanovich are signed for the upcoming season.

Other drafts have him going anywhere from No. 19 to the San Antonio Spurs to the Phoenix Suns in the second round at No. 32. The Spurs would be an intriguing landing spot for Okpala, given that Rudy Gay and Dante Cunningham are unsigned for the upcoming year but the rest of the Spurs’ forward rotation should be returning.

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However unlikely it is that Okpala would fall to Phoenix in the 2nd round, it would be a good spot for him, with a chance to replace the likely exiting Dragan Bender and Kelly Oubre, Jr. Wherever Okpala lands, most likely in the ’20s, the team is getting a young freakish athlete with a game they can mold into a solid NBA contributor.

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