It's no secret that the Grizzlies have a logjam of guards that they must resolve. However, if they remain at #16 and Ebuka Okorie is available, the Grizzlies should absolutely consider selecting him. The Grizzlies have found multiple steals in recent seasons, and Okorie could be the draft steal they're hoping for in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Similar to Cedric Coward last year, Ebuka Okorie appears to be another late draft riser, and the Grizzlies could benefit for a second straight year. As a true freshman at Stanford, Okorie had an extremely impressive season despite not having the strongest supporting cast. Before diving into stats, Okorie was simply one of the most impressive scorers in all of college basketball last season.
The ACC featured Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson, who are both set to go top 4 in this draft. Okorie joined both players in being a part of the first-team All-ACC team for the 2025-26 season. He averaged 23.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 stocks (steals and blocks) per game and led Stanford to a 20-13 record.
The logjam shouldn't stop the Grizzlies from picking him
Besides the pivotal decision to be made on Ja Morant this summer, the Grizzlies still have multiple decisions to make in the backcourt. It also can't fully be ruled out that Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. are included in trade talks despite performing well. Both players fit the Grizzlies perfectly, but at least one of them could potentially be impacted by a roster crunch.
Rookie Walter Clayton Jr. struggled after being traded to the Grizzlies, and Javon Small, who is currently on a two-way deal, could potentially earn himself a standard contract soon. Regardless, any decisions made to deal with the guard logjam shouldn't prevent the Grizzlies from being interested in Ebuka Okorie.
Even though it's understandable to prioritize other positions in the draft, the Grizzlies should still be looking to raise the talent level of the roster. Nothing should be off the table, especially if someone like Okorie is available at #16.
There is a lot to like about Okorie's game in Memphis
Listed at 6 foot 2 and 186 pounds, many fans will likely have concerns about his size, but fans shouldn't be discouraged. Okorie possesses a 6 foot 7.75 inch wingspan and is an impressive athlete despite any size concerns.
Okorie is able to score well in different play types and generates extremely impressive rim pressure despite any height concerns. Okorie is also another capable pick-and-roll ball handler that can thrive in Tuomas Iisalo's offense immediately.
He still recorded solid 46.5/35.4/83.2 shooting splits and could potentially shoot with more efficiency in the NBA. Despite having a 31% usage rate, Okorie did a great job taking care of the ball despite having a heavy scoring responsibility as a freshman. Okorie can be more disciplined on his drives, but it is already encouraging to see how many fouls he was drawing.
It still remains to be seen if the Grizzlies trade up from the #16 pick or not. However, if they select Ebuka Okorie 16th overall, the Grizzlies could be getting one of the biggest steals of the entire draft.
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