Stanford Basketball Star Ebuka Okorie Up for Another Big Time Award

After a crushing loss to Pittsburgh in the first round of the ACC tournament, Stanford basketball is playing the waiting game, hoping someway, somehow it ends up in the NCAA tournament for the first time in over a decade.

A lot has to go their way, but the possibility of the Cardinal making a March Madness appearance is still faintly alive. But while the Cardinal wait, their biggest star continues to earn award recognition, adding onto the historic freshman season he put together.

On Thursday, March 12, Stanford star freshman Ebuka Okorie was named a finalist for the Kyle Macy award, which is given to the nation's top freshman. Averaging 22.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists and a big reason why the Cardinal won 20 or more games for the second straight season, it is no surprise to see Okorie receive such a big honor.

One of 25 finalists for the award and one of five in the ACC, Okorie ranks fifth in the nation in scoring (second among freshmen) and is behind only AJ Dybantsa of BYU while leading the entire ACC in scoring, even ahead of Duke star Cameron Boozer.

Okorie's future

Raising his NBA draft stock all year long, Okorie could depart for the league after this season but with his draft projection spot still unclear, with some analysts still projecting him as a late first or early second round pick, he could also return to The Farm for another season in order to rise on draft boards even more this time next year.

Scoring 30 or more points in seven games this season, Okorie tied the ACC record for most 30 point games by a freshman in a season, tying current NBA star Marvin Bagley while being fourth in the conference's overall history.

If the Cardinal end up playing more basketball this season, Okorie could raise his scoring average more to be on pace to pass Duke’s RJ Barrett (22.6)for the top mark in ACC history by any freshman player.

He would be the first freshman to meet his averages in points, rebounds, assists and steals, nationally, since Oklahoma's Trae Young and Howard's RJ Cole in 2017-18. Okorie already owns Stanford basketball's scoring records for a freshman player.

A four-star recruit out of Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, Okorie originally committed to play college basketball at Harvard, but after putting together a dominant senior year and winning New Hampshire Boys Gatorade Player of the Year, he flipped to Stanford in order to play Power Four basketball while still getting high level of education.

Immediately upon joining Stanford, he emerged as a starter and has been a focal point all year long.

But it is very possible that Okorie's Stanford career is nearly over. The Cardinal's chances of making March Madness fell even further with a loss to Pittsburgh and while they have around a 20% chance of still making the tournament, a lot has to happen to reach the tourney.

They will be watching Selection Sunday very closely. Regardless of the outcome, Okorie has cemented himself as a Stanford legend in his one year onThe Farm.

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