Memphis has earned its fifth commitment out of the transfer portal from George Mason transfer guard Baraka Okojie. The commitment comes after Okojie visited Memphis’ campus this weekend.
Okojie joins a Tiger portal class consisting of Texas transfer Tyrese Hunter, Tulsa transfer PJ Haggerty, Illinois transfer Dain Dainja, and Wichita State transfer Colby Rogers.
What is Memphis getting in the George Mason transfer?
Who is Baraka Okojie?
Baraka Okojie is a freshman guard with three years of eligibility remaining. He spent his freshman season at George Mason after reclassing up from the class of 2o24.
The Canadian guard played a big role in his freshman campaign with the Patriots. He played in 32 games, making 10 starts and averaging 24.5 minutes per game.
Okojie averaged 8.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game this season. He shot 46.8% from the floor, 25.6% from beyond the arc, and 72.8% from the free throw line.
His best performance came in the last game of the season in an A10 Quarterfinal matchup against St. Joe’s. In 32 minutes, he dropped 22 points, adding 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal on 9/15 shooting from the field.
Okojie’s Game
Baraka Okojie is a quick and shifty 6’3 guard that showcased plenty of promising flashes in his freshman season with George Mason. Okojie is very skilled with the ball in his hands and is an incredibly fast player on the court.
His pro-level arsenal of moves allows him to consistently put pressure on the rim throughout the course of the game, stopping on a dime to keep defenders off balance. Furthermore, his athleticism allows him to find avenues to finish and he has the flair and creativity to find openings for finishes around the rim. Okojie possesses soft touch with both hands and loves getting to an extended hand finish. He shot 58.9% at the rim this season, an impressive mark for a 6’3, 175 pound guard.
Okojie possesses high level feel in the pick and roll, especially for a freshman. He scored 0.87 points per possession as the PNR ball handler this season, continiously displaying his craft and IQ. Okojie also uses screens well and only needs a small opening to zoom by defenders to the basket. He can put defenders in jail and get to runners and floaters in the paint.
Okojie can use his speed and athleticism to find passes that others would not be able to make. He showcased some impressing playmaking flashes in his first season, with drop off, wrap around, and more flashy passes in his arsenal. The talented guard finished his freshman campaign with a 19% assist rate.
Developing Jumper
One area of Okojie’s game that needs work is his three-point jump shot. He connected on just 11 of 43 attempts from beyond the arc on the year and had some inconsistencies in his shot form.
Okojie is a player that feels more comfortable shooting off the dribble. He can get to his spots in the midrange and stop quickly to create separation for wide open shots in the area. He shot 12 of 27 on dribble jumpers this season. That number is a promising sign for his potential as a shooter in the future.
What He Offers
Okojie likely slots in as a backup guard for Memphis. He should also get a good amount of minutes, depending on how the rest of the roster shakes out. I like this pick-up for Penny Hardaway. In a day and age when teams are looking for immediate contributors out of the transfer portal, Baraka Okojie is a high-upside guard that can successfuly develop in Hardaway’s system should he stick around.
He brings a change of pace to the backcourt for the Tigers. Okojie offers a blend of speed, quickness, and athleticism that neither PJ Haggerty nor Colby Rogers have to offer. He also takes care of the ball better than Tyrese Hunter. While he would have to improve his perimeter shooting to warrant significant minutes, Okojie should excite Memphis fans with his talent and potential to be Memphis’ point guard of the future.
