AUBURN, AL (EETV)- The NBA is back, so this week it’s only right to highlight a former Tiger in the Association. Specifically, former Auburn star and current Cleveland Cavalier, Isaac Okoro.
The former four-star athlete from Powder Springs, Georgia, committed to play for the Tigers after an illustrious high school career. His resume included numerous individual awards, as well as helping McEachern High School win its first state championship in school history. After his legacy was cemented in the state of Georgia, it was time for him to shift west to the state of Alabama.
After receiving an impressive list of offers from the likes of Georgia, Alabama, and Purdue, Okoro understandably fell in love with the Plains and signed on to lace up for the Tigers. This was a huge get for Bruce Pearl and his staff, as they were looking to continue the success that they would get a taste of in Auburn’s sensational Final Four run in 2018-2019.
In the 2019-2020 season, Okoro would go on to average an efficient 14 points in his first and final year with the Tigers and was named Second Team All-SEC, SEC All-Freshman Team, as well as SEC All-Defensive Team. With all of this going for Okoro, he had a chance to make history.
The opportunity presented to Isaac Okoro was to become the very first “one-and-done” player in Auburn Men’s Basketball history. Coming in as a four-star recruit, this wasn’t expected of a player like Okoro, but he made it happen. With his first collegiate season in the books, Isaac Okoro declared for the NBA draft.
The 2020 NBA draft was underway, and it didn’t take long for Auburn to be represented. The projected top-ten pick went fifth overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers! This was the same slot that Auburn’s own Charles Barkley was selected at, all the way back in 1984, creating some "deja vu” for Auburn’s tenured fans. As Cleveland was still in the early years of the post-LeBron James era, all eyes were on Okoro to help restore the success the fans had become more than accustomed to.
Fast-forward a few years down the road, that hopeful wish from Cavs fans came true. Isaac Okoro is one of the core pieces of Cleveland’s successful young roster, and they’ve paid him accordingly. Just this off-season, Okoro signed a three-year $38 million contract, which is seen as a sign of appreciation from the front office for all of his contributions to the team. As Cleveland looks to make the playoffs for the third consecutive year, Isaac Okoro’s future is as exciting as it was all those years back in Powder Springs.
