STANFORD, Calif. — Dating back to his early prep school days, Ebuka Okorie has always been mature beyond his years. Cushing head coach James Cormier once said that even as a true eighth grader, Okorie held his own against players four and five years older because of his high IQ and feel for the game. Eventually, the point guard’s physical attributes caught up to make him a high-major recruit.
Now a freshman at Stanford, the theme is continuing for Okorie. Despite the Nashua, N.H. native’s youth, he’s thriving – and he looks like he’ll be an impact player in his first college season.
“He’s consistent every day. It’s hard to do as a freshman,” Stanford head coach Kyle Smith said after a recent practice. “I mean, he’s been consistent to where I can coach him really hard. If he dips a little bit, you can give him a little, he responds well.”
Could Okorie – last year’s New Hampshire Boys Gatorade Player of the Year and a standout at Brewster Academy and BABC – even start as a freshman? It’s not out of the question.
