Ebuka Okorie Earns ACC Rookie of the Week

The Stanford freshman has evolved into one of the biggest rising stars in the country.

Feb 28, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) slaps hands with forward Aidan Cammann (52) during the second half against the Southern Methodist University Mustangs at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Stanford basketball may be a bubble team this season, but the program can sleep comfortably knowing that it has one of the nation's premier freshmen. On Monday, Stanford basketball freshman Ebuka Okorie was the recipient of the ACC Rookie of the Week award, adding yet another big-time award to his already dominant campaign.

Averaging 22.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists, Okorie quickly emerged as Stanford's top player this season. While the Cardinal have experienced some growing pains this season in the aftermath of the departures of Maxime Raynaud and Jaylen Blakes, Okorie has helped make up for the lost production by being a one-man scoring machine night after night.

Leading the Cardinal to wins over SMU and Pittsburgh this past week and keeping Stanford in the mix for a late March Madness push entering the final week of the regular season, Okorie scored 34 points in the win over Pittsburgh and 22 in the win over SMU, continuing to be the star that Stanford has needed all year long.

His 34 point, six assist and six rebound game in the Pittsburgh matchup is the sixth time this season that he has scored at least 30 points in a game, which leads the entire ACC. But Okorie is also the nation's leader in 25 point games, achieving the feat 13 times this season.

Okorie, a New Hampshire native, originally committed to play college basketball for Harvard out of high school, but after he was named the player of the year in New Hampshire following his senior season, he opted to commit to a Power Four program.

Stanford, having very similar academic rigor to Harvard but being in a top athletic conference like the ACC, ended up being the perfect fit for a guy like Okorie.

But even though Okorie has played elite basketball all season long and is a major reason why Stanford is still alive for a March Madness berth, his NBA Draft projection has not been favorable, with his draft position projected to be anywhere from a late first round pick to a second round pick. ESPN ranked him as their No. 45 draft prospect in mid-February.

Unsure of whether or not he will enter the draft this year, Okorie will reassess after the season and see where he is at.

Okorie still has time this season to prove that he belongs in the same category as those big name NBA draft prospects though. Entering the final week of the regular season, Okorie and the Cardinal take on Notre Dame on Wednesday, March 4 before playing NC State in their regular season finale on March 7.

After that, the Cardinal will travel to Charlotte, North Carolina to take part in the ACC postseason tournament, with the winner earning an automatic berth to March Madness.

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