Patriot Pressure: Baraka Okojie commits to George Mason

By
Joseph Szymanski
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46
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By: George Mason Recruiting Staff

Baraka Okojie has committed to George Mason. The 6’3 PG, who received the first offer Coach Skinn made after he took the job, will re-class to 2023 and join the Patriots immediately, becoming the second member of the Patriots’ 2023 recruiting class alongside fellow freshman Austin Ball. A Canadian-native out of Brampton, Ontario, Okojie excels as an attacking lead guard on both ends of the floor and serves as the unquestioned emotional catalyst for his team. He’s more than capable of taking over a game as the primary offensive option, while also being able to serve as an elite playmaker for his teammates.

“George Mason was the right spot for me because of the opportunity and relationship that was built with Coach Skinn and the rest of the staff”, said Okojie. “The way they have dealt with me and my family throughout the whole process showed me that they really value me and believe in my abilities.”

Okojie has international experience with the Canadian National program at the U16 & U17 levels. As the starting point guard for Team Canada at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup in July 2022, Okojie averaged 8.9ppg, 4.3apg & 3.6rpg while contributing over 2 steals per game on the defensive end. He played this past season at DME Sports Academy in Daytona Beach, Florida leading his team to a 26-8 record while averaging 14 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds per game on his way to 1st team All Sunshine Independent Athletic Association honors and earning a spot in The Grind Session All-Star game.

 

 

Okojie was selected to participate in the BioSteel All-Canadian Game at the beginning of April, which featured the top 24 high school level players in the country. Playing in front of NBA GMs and scouts, as well as on a national television broadcast, Baraka made a name for himself, pouring in 20 points to go along with 6 assists, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals.

Here is a quick write up from Nick Kwon of OnPointBasketball.com following the game:

“Baraka Okojie is everything you want from a modern point guard. He’s a willing passer with good court vision, and yet, he’s blessed with all the scoring tools a slender basketball player can ask for. He has a wicked first step along with the handle and body control to maintain possession as he blurs to the cup. He’s just as quick on the defensive end with enough lateral speed to keep up with the top offensive talent in the country.

Okojie was fearless when attacking the rim, almost to a fault. Seeing larger defenders protecting the paint did little to deter him from driving in. This may be a function of being used to attacking larger players considering how much he’s practiced against his larger older brother Ose Okojie, a BioSteel All-Canadian alumnus (and current member of the Howard University basketball team).

Still, you can’t be too upset because he finishes well and clearly has a knack for getting to the charity stripe, as he attempted a game-high of 12 free throws.

He has made rebounding his priority despite his role as a guard. Even if he didn’t come down with the ball, he was great at tapping loose balls towards teammates and at being disruptive in 50/50 situation.

It will be interesting to see how Okojie can develop as a playmaker. He’s already solid at making basic reads and his play at BioSteel was suggestive of untapped upside. It was passes like this that inspired confidence in him one day becoming an elite table setter.”

 

 

We were able to make it down to Atlanta for the UAA Finals earlier this month to see Baraka play with his grassroots club, Canada Elite. During the two games we watched live, he showcased every attribute mentioned above, along with a few others. Throughout the weekend, Okojie continually attacked the basket, creating for teammates, finishing at the rim through contact, or getting to the line where he was exceptional. He threw several alley-oops to teammates, a few of which were on the money from beyond the 3-point line. To go along with all of that, Okojie continued to display a consistent ability to knock down mid-range jumpers and a few 3’s when the opportunities presented themselves. These efforts helped lead Canada Elite to an appearance in the championship game, and a 2nd place overall finish on the UAA circuit.

This is an extremely solid late addition for the staff to close out the 2023-2024 Patriots roster. At this point, I think it’s undeniable to say that “Patriot Pressure” isn’t just a catchy term from the press conference, it is truly being reflected in current and future roster construction. A Tony Skinn team is going to attack you for 40 minutes, and the newest Patriot is the embodiment of that philosophy.

“Mason fans can expect a show from me. I love to play really fast and get out in transition as much as possible. I’m a guard that’s going to make the right decision every play.”   – Baraka Okojie

 

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