The Miami Heat have really seen their own, KZ Okpala and Precious Achiuwa, excel early under Mike Brown’s Nigerian National Team regime.
Brown has really been gushing over Okapala’s defensive ability. “KZ is a remarkable talent . . . He has a chance to be, obviously, an elite defender.”, he’s said.
He says he could be an eventual contender of Defensive Player Of the Year. “His upside is tremendous.”, remarked Brown.
To my knowledge, I haven’t heard a Miami Heat coaching staff member talk about Okpala in this way. Okpala still has a long way to go on the other side of the ball, but for Brown to talk about Okpala’s defensive potential like that, when he has coached Draymond Green and has been in the San Antonio system, it’s a compliment of the highest magnitude.
Brown knows what a Defensive Player Of The Year looks like. But the confidence that Brown has given Achiuwa has really caught my eye too, as mentioned.
Achiuwa has been making threes, putting the ball on the floor, and scoring with fluidity. At times, getting the rebound and going full court to the cup.
Achiuwa struggled last year with the Miami Heat, but due to him being a rookie and a weird COVID year, you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. With Miami running their franchise like a military, but only for the best results, it can be a challenge for young guys to get their feet set in the program.