NBA Draft 2019: 5 most surprising picks from draft night

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 16: Jordan Poole #2 of the Michigan Wolverines looks on in the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the semifinals of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 16, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 17: Chuma Okeke #5 of the Auburn Tigers shoots the ball during the 84-64 win against the Tennessee Volunteers during the final of the SEC Basketball Championships at Bridgestone Arena on March 17, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

4. Chuma Okeke – No. 16 Orlando Magic

I am actually a big fan of Okeke and think he will do really well in the league, but this pick certainly came as a surprise. He was projected to go late first round or early second.

Had Okeke not torn his ACL in the NCAA Tournament, he probably would have been projected to go in this range. He is a 6’8 forward who can play both the three or four for the Magic. He is a terrific shooter, making 55 threes at 39 percent clip for the Tigers during his sophomore year.

Traditionally, Orlando has a history of taking players with high upside and length. They haven’t drafted a guard in the first round since 2015. With a hole at the guard spot experts thought they might take a guard like Nickeil Alexander-Walker or Kevin Porter Jr., but the trend of taking forwards continued.

Okeke is different than previous picks like Mo Bamba or Jonathan Isaac in the sense that his game is more refined. When healthy, Okeke can make an impact from day one with his shooting. But due to the injury, it remains to be seen when Okeke will be able to play. If he can get healthy by the middle of the season then this could go down as good pick for Orlando as they try to make the playoffs for the second straight season.

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