Pacers Draft Prep: Semi Ojeleye brings versatility

SMU forward Semi Ojeleye could be available for the Indiana Pacers with their second-round draft pick in this year’s draft.

I would call Semi Ojeleye the Mr. Versatile of this draft class. When you think about it, he really could play positions 1 through 5 one day in the NBA. Versatility is very important in today’s game. Just look at Draymond Green. Speaking of Green, he is the guy to whom I compare Semi Ojeleye.

Ojeleye was a transfer from Duke. He only spent one season at SMU, but he filled it up. He averaged 19 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He also shot an impressive 48.7 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from three-point land.

Strengths

Need some evidence of Semi’s athleticism? We’ve got you covered:

As you can see, athleticism is a big part in Semi’s game. The biggest piece, however, to Semi’s game is his versatility. He primarily played power forward at SMU. He’s under-sized for a four at 6-foot-7, but like Draymond Green, he makes up for it with effort and energy.

Semi Ojeleye is a good 3-point shooter. He shot 42.4 percent from deep at SMU. Making the transition to the NBA 3-point line shouldn’t be hard for him, since he hit some very deep 3s in college. So, he gives you the grown man game in the paint and the outside shot. He’s tough to guard.

One last strength of Semi’s is his defense. He’s one of those guys that likes to play defense; he’s disciplined on that end of the floor. He only averaged 0.4 steals per game this season at SMU, but he always did a good job of contesting shots and making them challenging.

Weaknesses

He’s very similar to Draymond Green, but Green is a superior playmaker compared to Ojeleye. Semi only averaged 1.5 assists per game this season while playing 34.1 minutes per game. He’s going to need to work on that, especially finding guys cutting to the basket.

Ojeleye doesn’t have a huge wingspan like a lot of today’s players. I don’t necessarily think that should matter, but there’s no doubt that some teams marvel over length. He’s got just about a 6-foot-10 wingspan. Still, he makes up for it with his strength.

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All in all, Semi Ojeleye could become a very good pro. Will he be available for when the Pacers pick in the second round? It’s hard to predict. If he is available, the Pacers should give him a long look. They won’t want to be one of the teams who pass up on a guy who is like Draymond Green in a lot of ways.