Note #040: Ebuka Okorie (The Nashua Natural)
Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie has entered the 2026 NBA Draft following his 2025-26 freshman season.
Okorie was more than OK in 2025-26. Let's start here:
- 5.5 2P/G, 2.0 3P/G, 7.3 FTA/G (31 GP, 35.1 MP/G)
Since 1980-81, there have been 48 NCAA Division I men's basketball players, including Okorie, to average 5.5+ 2P/G, 2+ 3P/G, 7+ FTA/G in a single season.
Of those 48, three were freshmen. Okorie, and:
1. Kevin Durant (2006-07) - 6.4 2P/G, 2.3 3P/G, 7.3 FTA/G (35 GP, 35.9 MP/G)
2. Jason Conley (2001-02) - 7.4 2P/G, 2.8 3P/G, 7.5 FTA/G (28 GP, 34.3 MP/G)
For fun, the three sophomores to hit those marks:
1. Mike Daum (2016-17) - 5.6 2P/G, 2.3 3P/G, 8.3 FTA/G (35 GP, 32.7 MP/G)
2. Allen Iverson (1995-96) - 6.1 2P/G, 2.4 3P/G, 8.6 FTA/G (37 GP, 32.8 MP/G)
3. Alphonso Ford (1990-91) - 8.5 2P/G, 3.1 3P/G, 8.4 FTA/G (28 GP, 33.4 MP/G)
If we remove FTA/G entirely, there were two other players besides Okorie in 2025-26 to put up 5.5+ 2P/G and 2+ 3P/G:
1. Darius Acuff Jr. - 5.5 2P/G, 2.5 3P/G
2. Dominique Daniels Jr. - 5.9 2P/G, 2.0 3P/G
Durant debuted in Note #039 on 2026 Draft declarant Kingston Flemings.
Daum dabbled in Note #012 (Eian Elmer) and Note #034 (Jaylin Sellers).
AI first appeared in Note #021 on BYU baller Robert Wright III.
Firstly, he averaged 23.2 PPG.
Since 1947-48, only 28 NCAA DI freshmen have averaged 23+ PPG.
Continuing: Okorie averaged 3.6 APG in 2025-26 as well.
That list of 28 freshmen narrows to 12 (23+ PPG, 3.5+ APG).
Okorie also averaged 3.6 RPG. The freshmen list is now six (23+ PPG, 3.5+ APG, 3.5+ RPG). The other five are:
23-25 PPG
1. Markelle Fultz (2016-17) - 23.2 PPG, 5.9 APG, 5.7 RPG (25 GP, 35.7 MP/G)
2. R.J. Cole (2017-18) - 23.7 PPG, 6.1 APG, 3.9 RPG (33 GP, 37.9 MP/G)
3. Rodney Stuckey (2005-06) - 24.2 PPG, 4.1 APG, 4.8 RPG (30 GP, 33.0 MP/G)
25+ PPG
4. AJ Dybantsa (2025-26) - 25.5 PPG, 3.7 APG, 6.8 RPG (35 GP, 34.8 MP/G)
5. Trae Young (2017-18) - 27.4 PPG, 8.7 APG, 3.9 RPG (32 GP, 35.4 MP/G)
If we added Okorie's notable 1.6 SPG as a threshold too, we'd only lose one from the five above (Dybantsa, 1.1 SPG).
To note, Okorie, the aforementioned Acuff Jr., and Dybantsa were three of nine players in 2025-26 to average 23+ PPG.
The only other two in 2025-26 to also average 3.5+ APG like the three above:
1. Deshaun Ruffin - 23.3 PPG, 5.3 APG
2. PJ Haggerty - 23.4 PPG, 3.8 APG
Ruffin was a senior, Haggerty (who debuted in Note #032 on 2026 Draft prospect Mark Mitchell) a junior.
Cole world, real Cole world: Note #003 (Keaton Wagler).
Stuckey is sticking around: Note #026 (Nolan Minessale) / Note #036 (Koa Peat).
Young's money: Wagler Note / Note #006 (Jake Hall) / Note #028 (Christian Anderson).
Anyway, to Okorie's shooting:
He was 171/325 from 2 (52.6 2P%) in 2025-26.
That season, five other freshmen besides Okorie shot 52.5%+ from 2 (min. 325 2PA):
300-350 2PA
1. Brandon Benjamin - 188/328 2P/2PA (57.3 2P%)
2. DJ Hall - 183/332 2P/2PA (55.1 2P%)
350-400 2PA
3. Koa Peat - 193/359 2P/2PA (53.8 2P%)
4. Cameron Boozer - 236/384 2P/2PA (61.5 2P%)
400+ 2PA
5. AJ Dybantsa - 259/456 2P/2PA (56.8 2P%)
What's especially notable is how Okorie stacks up height- and position-wise to his peers above:
Boozer - 6'9" forward
Dybantsa - 6'9" forward
Benjamin - 6'8" forward
Peat - 6'8" forward
Hall - 6'7" forward
Okorie - 6'2" guard
Of the 117 NCAA DI freshmen, since 1953-54, to shoot 52.5+ 2P% on at least 325 2PA, only ten (including Okorie) were 6'2" or shorter (less than 9% of the total).
Now, let's add on 3s: Okorie was 63/178 3P/3PA (35.4 3P%) in 2025-26.
Since 1980-81, only one other men's player shot at least 52.5+ 2P% (min. 325 2PA) and 35+ 3P% (min. 175 3PA) in their freshman season:
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (1988-89) - 275/523 2P/2PA (52.6%), 84/216 3P/3PA (38.9%)
Abdul-Rauf, formerly Chris Jackson, was the 3rd overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft.
If we add Okorie's FT/FTA and FT% numbers (188/226, 83.2%) as baselines, he becomes the only freshman since 1980-81 to hit those 2P/3P/FT benchmarks.
There have only been four instances of non-freshmen meeting those splits in a single season:
Seniors
1. Mike Daum (2018-19) - 219/378 2P/2PA (57.9%), 67/181 3P/3PA (37.0%), 196/234 FT/FTA (83.8%)
2. Hersey Hawkins Jr. (1987-88) - 290/499 2P/2PA (58.1%), 87/221 3P/3PA (39.4%), 284/335 FT/FTA (84.8%)
3. Bo Kimble (1989-90) - 312/563 2P/2PA (55.4%), 92/200 3P/3PA (46.0%!), 231/268 FT/FTA (86.2%)
Sophomores
4. Mike Daum (2016-17) - 195/344 2P/2PA (56.7%), 79/189 3P/3PA (41.8%), 251/289 FT/FTA (86.9%)
Yep, Daum did it twice.
Benjamin has been busy:
Note #016 (Eric Reibe) / Note #027 (Massamba Diop) / Note #037 (Chris Cenac Jr.)
Hawkins Jr. was heavily-involved in Note #032 (Mark Mitchell) and Note #035 (Aaron Nkrumah).
Kimble was coronated in Note #034 on Jaylin Sellers, and was in our previous Note (#039 on Kingston Flemings) with Abdul-Rauf.
Statistics via Sports Reference
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