Name: Stephane Okenge
Height: 6’3
Position: Point Guard/Shooting Guard
High School: Casady School, Class of 2022
AAU Club: Oklahoma Swarm Elite AAU
GPA: 3.5
Status: Uncommitted
Favorite hobbies outside of basketball: Chilling with friends.
Expectations heading into your senior season: "I’m looking to win a championship and pick up some offers."
Stephane Okenge is a 6'3" Combo Guard from Ottawa, Ontario. Okenge is a tough-minded two-way player. Okenge is the type of player to turn a basketball game into a track meet off of a steal while playing with pace and showing his ability to score the ball He currently attends the Casady School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and runs with Oklahoma Swarm Elite on the Prep Hoops circuit. Okenge also spent time playing with Canada's U20 team in international play and played on a Junior NBA team during his time up north. As mentioned above, Okenge is originally from Ottawa, but spent time in his early childhood living in different places around the world. He lived in Canada for his first 9 years then proceeded to move to Rwanda because of his mom being in mission work. After two years in Rwanda, Okenge and his family moved to Uganda where he spent his middle school years. Living in Uganda, He picked up a basketball for the first time and the journey began for the international prospect.
There wasn't much exposure for Basketball in Africa so Okenge had to make a tough decision. He connected with Basketball Skills Trainer, AJ Hawkins who was a former Division 1 hooper at St. Bonaventure/Wichita State and played professionally in Europe. Okenge left Uganda to start training with Hawkins in Oklahoma City going into his freshman year in 2017. Hawkins' training prepared the young prospect as he moved back to Canada to attend Canada Topflight Academy, a premier prep school where he attended from 2017-2019. Okenge would make another big move which would lead him to the United States. The United States relatively does a better job when it comes to young aspiring basketball players following their dreams and Okenge was looking for a great opportunity. Hawkins mentioned the Casady School and Okenge did not hesitate on his decision. In the fall of 2019, he reclassified into the 2022 class and moved to the beautiful campus in Oklahoma City where he will spend the rest of his high school career at.
I first discovered Stephane Okenge through mutual connections. If I can remember correctly, one of his videos training showed up on my explore page on Instagram. From seeing how hard he worked and athleticism alone, I knew miles away that this is a young man who I had to work with. From the 2020-2021 season, Okenge missed a lot of time due to a hand injury but towards the end of the season, he found his way in the rotation doing what he normally does on both sides of the ball. Okenge is expected to have a big summer with the Oklahoma Swarm and will be training his butt off in preparation for his senior year with the Cyclones. Let's get to know more about the international hooper!
BREAKDOWN:
STRENGTHS
Athleticism is out of this world!
Elite finisher in the paint.
Elite Passer, always makes the right play.
Has a great feel for the game.
Knockdown Shooter, shows ability as a threat from deep.
One of the most underrated guards in America.
Physical Two-Way Guard
Plays like an international prospect, if you know, you know.
Tenacious Defender, elite defender on and off the ball.
Very versatile basketball player
Stephane Okenge is a very polished prospect, in my eyes. He passes the eye test, on the court performance and character alone, the international prospect is one of the most humbled people that I have met since creating this website. Okenge is a physical guard who isn't afraid of contact. His athleticism separates himself from many prospects as he knows how to use his body when attacking the rim and on the defensive end. Okenge is a freak of nature who reminds you of a Football player who hoops too. Funny thing is Okenge played some Football at Casady last fall. He has great hands when playing defense and his steals normally turn into highlight reel dunks in transition. I don't know what is it with Casady Basketball players and their hops as teammates, DJ Freeman (Oklahoma Baptist Commit), is one of the best athletes in the country and Zac Dunn (2023 Prospect), caught his first "body" with Cooz Elite this weekend. Okenge also shows some ability to shoot off the catch as his shot is still developing.
THINGS TO IMPROVE ON
Handling the rock while facing contact.
Shooting Consistency
Shot Creation
Stephane Okenge has done it all up to this point in his career. From living in different places, playing international competition, to finding his way to the states, Okenge has lived a life many don't even get to touch. He's been training to become a future pro and has made strides but there's still some things for Okenge to work on. The biggest things for Okenge to work on is shooting and creating his own shot. At times throughout games, Okenge will try to muscle his way through defenders and this can work on a high school level, but this won't be effective at the next level. Okenge has been working on creating better shots for himself and staying consistent from beyond the arc. Being a primary ball handler for the Cyclones next season, Okenge will learn how to space out the floor more and this will allow him to get more comfortable shooting the ball. But from what I see, Okenge is going to be a star no matter where he lands for college. I asked Stephane several questions so you guys can get to know him better.
STEPHANE OKENGE Q&A
When did you start playing basketball?
"I started playing basketball the summer before 8th grade."
Describe your game.
"I would say my game is very fast, athletic and energetic, I play both sides of the floor and I’m a slasher that can hit the open shot on offense."
How was life growing up in Canada and Africa before your transition into the States?
"Growing up in Canada and Africa was an amazing but also hard experience. Being in Africa was difficult for me as an athlete due to the lack of exposure and opportunity but other than that life was very laid back and relaxing along with being very independent at a young age. For example, I was driving at the age of 11. With my dad being a pro runner I was able to not only experience the day to day life of an elite athlete at a young age but also understand what it takes to get there. With that being said, my parents were fairly hard on me growing up because they knew that through hard work comes success. I remember by the age of 6-7 I would have to run 1 kilometer everyday and my time would either have to get faster or stay the same every time I ran. But overall I would say that the hardest but most beneficial part of growing up overseas was the constant moving around and travels. It was hard because I was always moving houses, moving schools, never really got to make lasting friendships and never had a specific place I could consider home. The beneficial part of all that is that I naturally became very cultured, learned how to adapt to my environment, became more responsible and got to experience some of the most beautiful places in the world."
What is your role on Casady’s basketball team?
"My role at Casady is to be a leader, energy giver, and a defensive stopper. Obviously my team would like me to score as well, but I don’t feel like that’s my main job."
I heard that you missed most of the season due to injury at the beginning of the season. How was the process of recovering and being able to get back to form?
"The recovery process was definitely a hard one. At first I was only supposed to miss 3 weeks, but after looking into it further the doctor had me get surgery. Which kept me out for another 2 months. I had multiple hours of painful physical therapy but stuck to it, and ended up being cleared 2 weeks ahead of schedule."
How was your junior season overall?
"My junior season was a little disappointing. Coming off my hand injury it took me a while to shake off the rust and start playing the way I usually do. As a team I feel like we had a good season and built a great team bond but we definitely could have won a few more games."
What are your plans for the spring/summer?
"Going into the summer I’ll be playing with the OKC Swarm in the prep hoops circuit. I look forward to putting in as many hours as possible both with my team as well as individually. I feel like if I grind hard and stay focused then good things will follow and hopefully won’t be as overlooked as I am right now."
You’re still at a very early stage of your career. What kinds of things are you doing to make yourself the best player you can be?
"Being this early in my career I feel like the main thing I can do to become better is simply to work as hard as I can. I’m a strong believer that to succeed in this world you have to embrace the grind and trust the process. The quote 'Basketball never sleeps', is very real to me because I know I’m not the only one on earth that aspires to play this game at a high level and to get better. That’s why whether it’s lifting weights, training on the court, or watching film, I try to maximize my time with basketball so that I can say that I’ve gotten better everyday as well as be certain that I’ve put in more work than majority of people."
Which athlete do you look up to the most?
"I definitely look up to Kobe Bryant the most out of any athlete. The way that he used to approach the game has always stood out to me. I would say that he is the reason why I work the way I do and has taught me to become a student of the game rather then someone who just plays. I also look up to him because of the way he carried himself off the court. Whether it’s being a good leader, being a good father, or even being an amazing speaker, Kobe has always carried himself in a respectful manner. That’s something that I want to work towards as I grow up."
Who do you look up to as a role model?
"My role model is definitely my older brother Ben. He’s made me into the person I am today. With the both of us moving around so much, we leaned on each other on a day to day basis. There were times where it felt like it was just me and him against the world and it just made us even closer. My whole life he’s taken me under his wing and has had my back every day, helping me push through whatever challenges I face. He’s the one who inspired me to play basketball and set the foundation for me as a player by teaching me how to play and how to play the right way. I will be forever grateful for what he’s done for me in my life!"
It’s still very early, but what are you looking forward to in your senior season?
"Going into my senior I’m excited to showcase everything I’ve been working on during the summer. I can’t wait to potentially making a college decision and getting ready for the next level. I would say my goals next year is nothing less than a championship. I’ve come up short the part 2 years and would love to finish my senior year with a ring."
Do you have any words of encouragement or motivation for people?
"To the younger generation I would just say to do everything to the best of your ability and to stay true to yourself. You may have haters, you may run into troubles along the way, or you might just not want to do anything on some days, but if your able to stay focused and trust that God has a plan for you then blessings will follow. I appreciate this opportunity!"
Stephane Okenge, Casady School Class of 2022
2020 - 2021 Casady School Cyclones Basketball team
OTHER LINKS ON STEPHANE OKENGE
Twitter:
High School Coach Information
Matt McLeod - Email
AAU Coach Information
James Bagwell
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