With Jahlil Okafor’s rookie season coming to an abrupt end due to a torn meniscus, what exactly has he left behind?
His presence in Philly was resented from the beginning, as many fans would have preferred D’Angelo Russell, and the Sixers already possessed two formidable centers: Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid. His natural talent could not be denied, however, and the city was excited to see what the Duke product could do in the NBA.
In the Summer League, Okafor averaged 15.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.4 apg, and 0.8 steals and blocks per game. It should also be noted that he averaged 4.6 turnovers per game as well.
Jah got off to a hot start in the regular season opener, posting 26 points, seven rebounds, two blocks, one steal, and more importantly, eight turnovers.
In the midst of a November in which he averaged 17.5 points per game during the Sixers’ 18 game losing streak, Okafor was plagued with off the court issues.
After video surfaced of Okafor in an altercation outside of a nightclub in Boston, more issues came out. There were reports that Jahlil had a gun pointed at him during yet another altercation, and that he was pulled over for driving 108 mph on the Ben Franklin Bridge. He eventually got suspended for two games for the Boston night club incident.
With off the court issues piling up, it was tough to predict how the rest of his season would pan out. He did go through a bit of a slump, however he was able to pull through and finish his season averaging 17.5 points, seven rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.4 steals, 1.2 blocks, and 2.3 turnovers per game.
Offensively, Okafor had no problem making the transition from college to the NBA.
Case and point:
Brett Brown’s main issue was figuring out how to have Jah and Nerlens Noel coexist, and he eventually decided to have Okafor play at the four and Noel at the five. Playing at the four showcased Jahlil’s defensive shortcomings further, as he had to guard quicker players.
Defense is without a doubt Okafor’s Achilles heel, but it’s nothing he can’t improve on.
Overall, Jahlil Okafor has orchestrated an impressive rookie season. It is unfortunate that it had to come to an early end, but he has left a lot for Philadelphia to be excited about, and the rest of the NBA to be worried about.
