6’5” 2018 Mike Okauru
North Raleigh Christian (Raleigh, NC)
By Jamie Shaw
Every basketball prospect develops at their own pace. Some burst out of the gates and immediately make an impact and some take their time waiting until later in their high school careers to burst on the scene.
Nevertheless, these late bloomers are every bit as talented as the ones who develop early. Sometimes they even pan out at a higher level than many of the prospects who develop earlier. In North Carolina, this is no different, recently look at the likes of Jerome Robinson, Jay Huff, Chris Clemons, Kentrell Barkley and many others. Going into their junior years, Phenom Hoops was really the only people ranking them highly or even talking about them, now each are showing out in college.
It looks like Sam Okauru will be next in line of these late bloomers. The 6’5” junior shooting guard has taken his game to an entirely new level this season. He is averaging 26 points per game while shooting over 50% from the field.
Okauru is a strong bodied shooting guard, one who is able to create his shot as easily as he can score off the catch. Through 17 games this year, Okauru has already exploded for games of 47, 45, 40, 37, and 35 points. Not only is he scoring at a record clip, he is also producing across the stat sheet. After his performance during Phenom’s High School Jamboree we wrote, “North Raleigh Christian relied on Sam Okauru consistently throughout the day and he produced every time his team was in need; he finished with 26 points in the final game, canning six three-pointers and doing everything to will his team to victory.”
Along with his 442 points, through 17 games this year, Okauru is averaging 8.4 boards, 3.7 assists, and 3 steals per game. After watching him play against Cannon School earlier this year Phenom Hoops wrote, “Sam has matured his game and demeanor. He is now a 6’5” combo guard who has chosen to rip apart any ceiling placed on him by others. Phenom Hoops caught up with Okauru after watching him pour in 45 points against Cannon School on Friday night.”
Sam is putting up monster numbers, and doing so while he is the focal point of the opposition’s entire defensive game plan, each time out. Yet his recruitment does not match his production, not even close. He has no offers right now, a 6’5” shooting guard who creates off the bounce and scores off the catch. He defends, rebounds, sees the floor with a lengthy and strong frame … no offers'!'!