National Basketball Association

What A Difference A Year Makes For Jahlil Okafor

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:46 p.m. ET

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Since arriving in Philadelphia, Jahlil Okafor has been unable to shake the rumors of being traded, “not fitting”, and a need to improve defensively. But this year could make all the difference in the world

Jahlil Okafor has been the eye of the hurricane in Philadelphia for over a year. On one side, his talent and potential are undeniable. He led the Philadelphia 76ers team in scoring despite playing just 53 games.  He dominated the center position against lesser talent, and held his own against the NBA’s best.

And he did it at the age of 19, and as an NBA rookie.

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I’ll be honest folks. At 19, I was still uncertain what I wanted to do with my life.  But Jahlil Okafor has not only set his path towards the future, he has excelled at it. And he did it while adapting to his own strengths and his team’s needs.  Oftentimes they aligned well, sometimes they did not.

Much of the debate of the Philadelphia 76ers big men is based on what they did in the 2015-2016 season.  However, that truly is not fair to either players or to the team.

As much as I loved what former president Sam Hinkie did for the Philadelphia 76ers, he truly dealt head coach Brett Brown a lousy roster for last season.  Almost like a game of chicken, or more symbolically, a game of lambada, the team entered the season with youth, inexperience, and injury.  The player who was expected to carry that team?  Jahlil Okafor.

And he did it at the age of 19, and as an NBA rookie.

Jul 12, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (25) dribbles the ball during an NBA Summer League game against the Golden State Warriors at Thomas & Mack Center. Golden State won the game 85-77. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Is Different

In 2015-2016, professional sports in Philadelphia were at an historic low. The Phildelphia Phillies finished worst in baseball with a record of 63-99. The Philadelphia Eagles disappointed with a 7-9 record, and made a coaching change during the season before the last game. The Philadelphia Flyers played well enough to get to the playoffs with a 41-27-14 record, before losing a 4-2 playoff series to the Washington Capitals. Finally, the Philadelphia 76ers ended the year with a 10-72 record.

But Philadelphia is turning the corner this year, and not just in basketball. So far, the Carson Wentz led Philadelphia Eagles are 2-0. The Phillies have already bested last season’s wins by six and continue to play out the season. The Philadelphia Flyers hope to build on last year’s surprise success. But the Philadelphia 76ers’ haul of the first pick in the 2016 NBA draft with a selection of point forward Ben Simmons has become the talk of the town.

With the arrival of Simmons, as well as the debut of both Joel Embiid and Dario Saric, the team has plenty of headliners for now.  And that suits Okafor just fine.

This season, he is not carrying the team, nor a weak roster.  Nor is he working in a line up without a true starting point guard.  In fact, this season the team may have multiple starting caliber point guards on the roster.

Feb 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) attempt to dribbles past the defense of Orlando Magic forward Jason Smith (14) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Orlando Magic won 124-115. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

But . . . Okafor Is Different Too

When he arrived, he was the heir apparent center for the 2015-2016 season. He was young, just coming to Philadelphia from an excellent Duke basketball program. However, throughout his rookie season, there were voices that haunted him.

The center position was already claimed by Joel Embiid, who was drafted the previous year. Unfortunately, a foot injury needed two years to fully heal.  His delayed arrival gave Jahlil Okafor the opportunity to start, but for how long?

Meanwhile, there was another center waiting in the wings in Nerlens Noel.  Noel had played the center position admirably the previous year, and had dominated the boards defensively.  In anticipation of Joel Embiid’s recovery, Noel had accepted a role as power forward of the team.

Sandwiched between players of greater potential, and greater production, Okafor was under tremendous pressure to produce points.  Not just to score, but to carry the team at times. Unfamiliar with the NBA, his teammates, his coaches, or even the Pace-Space-Pass scheme employed by head coach Brett Brown, he had to grow up in a hurry.  By season’s end, his 53 games afforded him the opportunity to score 928 points, bring down 373 rebounds, block 61 shots, pass off 65 assists, and steal the ball on 22 occasions.

And he did it at the age of 19, and as an NBA rookie.

Dec 11, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (R) and center Jahlil Okafor (M) greet Detroit Pistons forward Stanley Johnson (L) prior to game action at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

With A Little Help From His Friends

Jahlil Okafor knows what it’s like to arrive to the NBA.  In fact, it’s his experience that will likely prove to be most valuable to Ben Simmons. So it’s encouraging to see that Okafor is getting along with one of his teammates:

But Ben Simmons is just one player. Ultimately, the chemistry must gel of all teammates. So far, it has. The key to fast tracking trust and chemistry is adversity.  Go through tough times with someone, and you become friends for life.  Perhaps the great strategist Hinkie understood that phenomenon, and drove the team to turmoil to artificially generate “esprit de corps”.

In any case, its there. But what will that do?

With the arrival of so many new faces, the team will seek to define what type of team this will be. Scoring, defending, ball movement, pace, persistence, and passion will all begin as blank slates this year.

But that is not to say that the team will ignore recent history.  Jahlil Okafor will certainly be a factor in offensie this season.  In fact, the early assessment suggests that he will benefit tremendously from the new roster make-up.  From his rookie season, his offense shows tremendous upside. Could he average 25 points a game?  Based on his scoring acumen in a rather sparse roster,  that certainly seems doable.

Feb 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) dribbles against Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Connecting With Fans

The most important aspect of any professional sports player in Philadelphia – learning to connect with fans.  The greatest players for the Philadelphia have learned to tap into the passion of the fans.  As long as you are on the top of your game, it’s much easier to do.

But it has never been easy for Okafor.  Despite a tough situation, he performed well, very well. Still, his arrival has been clouded with a perception that he is not “Sixers material”.  Somehow, coming in as the third center has placed him unwittingly on the trading block, on the critique stage, and in the plans of amateur GM’s who want to see what we can get for trading him.

All Jahlil Okafor can do at this point is maintain focus, enter the new season in good spirits, and work his heart out.  But there is more to do as well – a subtle approach. Touch base with the fans:

Even more so, embrace the fans:

And with that, the maturity shows.  He is waxing into a significant persona in Philadelphia now. As he grows larger than life, that fan connection is the true tether.  And that connection to fans will give NBA teams reason to covet the young offensive wonder even more than they already do.

The ultimate test this season is Okafor’s ability to compete in the NBA, and make ultimate use of his playing time. Despite the debut of what may be an entirely new lineup, Jahlil Okafor must have the presence of mind to play within himself, and work hard to improve.

After a 10-72 season, his mind and fortitude should be forged.  Now he simply needs to sharpen the edge and showcase his stuff.  Nothing wins fans over more readily than excelling at a sport, and no city is more sports-passionate than Philadelphia. Show up and play your heart out Jahlil Okafor. The rest will fall into place.

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