2020 NBA Draft Prospect Spotlight: Daniel Oturu

Daniel Oturu is the next draftee in out 2020 NBA draft prospect series. Oturu dominated at Minnesota and is looking to continue building on his success at the next level. The 6’10 big is not a top prospect on many people’s boards but is good enough for the first round and good enough for a spotlight article. But exactly how good is Oturu? Can his game translate to the NBA?

Strengths: Low Post Scoring, Rebounding

Oturu is a high volume scorer. He led the Golden Gophers in scoring, 20.1 ppg, and shot an efficient 56% from the floor. A lot of his points came from a set Minnesota ran that involved a multitude of screens, with Oturu eventually getting the ball on the block and getting a score. If you watch even a little bit of a Minnesota game, this type of play was a staple in their offense and Oturu the lifeblood. Oturu has great instincts on finding rebounds and getting into position. Position is key when getting rebounds. Horrible positioning leads to the other teaming getting too many offensive rebounds and second-chance points, which could mean the difference.

A small but important part of Oturu’s game is his shooting. He doesn’t shoot outside of the paint or from 3 often, but his efficiency taking those shots isn’t bad. Having your 6’10 big shooting 36.5% is just enough to keep the defense on their toes. Oturu has also found a love for a face-up jump shot. He’s been greatly affective with it just a few feet away from the block and is a skill that can carry him a long way.

Minnesota's Daniel Oturu took just two three-pointers as a freshman. This year he's 9-for-24 from three, plus 13-for-27 from mid-range & 4-for-9 from short range. He's been on a steady climb as a prospect. Terrific rebounder that's adding to his offensive package. @InStatBasket: pic.twitter.com/XuwKwh6nbu

— Evan Daniels (@EvanDaniels) January 13, 2020

Minnesota's go-to set (Horns Screen-the-Screener) for Daniel Oturu:

Pin –> DHO –> Cross Screen –> Post Entry pic.twitter.com/qT8Vm4aX1d

— Eric Shapiro (@eric_shap) January 12, 2020

Weakness: Physicality Outside the Paint, Playmaking

I know that sounds odd, but hear me out. Trey already went on a long rant about this and I tend to agree with him. In the second Twitter video, you’ll the “screens” set by Oturu. Truth is they aren’t really screens but a minor inconvenience for defenders. Screens are set to disrupt the defense and open lanes up or create mismatches. But in order to do that, you have to hit someone. NBA offenses will struggle to get into a flow if Oturu continues to set screens like this. Centers are not the greatest of playmakers, but it is becoming increasingly more important that they have some playmaking ability. Oturu is not a great passer and turns the ball over at a high rate. He has to clean it up if he wants to continuously have a home at the next level.

Oturu is defiantly a work in progress, but he has already shown the willingness and ability to grow. His growth in the NBA will all depend on where he goes in the draft. I had Oturu going to Miami at 24. Miami is a well-run franchise and Oturu would have the chance to grow and play effective minutes while not having much respectability. There are a lot of teams in the latter part of the draft that could use a big with Oturu’s skill set It’s all about the coach and the system.

Best Fit: Miami, OKC, Boston, Philadelphia

Current NBA Comparison: Bam Adebayo

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