Auburn basketball star Isaac Okoro headed to NBA - 'I thank God for all the blessings'

Isaac Okoro is one-and-done at Auburn University, with the small forward on Monday confirming he will enter the 2020 NBA Draft.

Okoro made the All-SEC second team, defensive team and freshman team this past season.

In a letter to “the Auburn Family,” Okoro wrote, “Playing in the NBA has always been a dream of mine. Thanks to hard work and the support of Auburn basketball, including you the fans, I’m now in a position to achieve that dream. I have decided to keep my name in the draft and focus on the next chapter of my life.”

“The decision didn’t come easy,” he continued. “I love Auburn.”

He subsequently praised Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl and the upwards trajectory of the men’s basketball program under Pearl’s leadership.

“It was the second school to offer me, and Coach Pearl and his staff never let up on recruiting me,” Okoro advised. “I could have gone anywhere, but I wanted a school who wanted me for me, a school where I could go in and play my game and where they would have faith in me. I found that and so much more at Auburn.”

“During my recruitment, [Bruce Pearl] was honest with me and overdelivered with his promises. I trusted him and the staff to help take my game to new heights, and they did just that. Simply put, Auburn put me in the best position to succeed both on and off the court and gave me the confidence I needed to take my game to the next level,” he explained.

While heaping more praise on Pearl, the coaching staff and his teammates, Okoro also gave glory to God for the opportunity.

“Somebody recently told me that I could be the first one-and-done player in program history,” he said. “Wow. What a blessing. It just shows all the hard work I have put in day in and day out from a very young age. I thank God for all the blessings [H]e has given me.”

“There is no better place to play than at Auburn Arena in front of the loudest, most passionate fans in college basketball,” the player said. “So to the Auburn Family, thank you. You took me in and showed me love from the first day I stepped on campus. Just know that in return I gave all my effort every time I stepped on the court.”

Okoro concluded, “As I move on, I feel like this is only the beginning for Auburn basketball. People from across the country are starting to recognize what this program is doing down here. Auburn is an everything school, and I’m honored to help bring credibility to the basketball program. There is not a doubt in my mind Auburn is set up for long-term success, and with BP in charge, it’s only a matter of time before there will be a national championship banner hanging from the rafters.”

You can read Okoro’s full letter here.

Auburn also released a video of Okoro narrating the entire letter, along with highlights from his sole season on the Plains.

Watch:

Dear Auburn.

A message from @isaacokoro303.

? https://t.co/EKTZpT1ku5 #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/1gqCFhiTNN

— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) August 3, 2020