Our Sixers draft targets series continues with another big man projected to be selected within the first three or four picks.
Jahlil Okafor
Position: Center
Height/Weight: 6-11/270
School: Duke
I've considered Jahlil Okafor the best prospect in the 2015 NBA draft for seven months now. While Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns has established himself as the front-runner to be the first overall pick, I'm holding firm. If I were running the Timberwolves' front office, I would take Okafor.
Big men with Okafor's offensive skills come around only so often. He doesn't turn 20 until December, but his array of post moves calls to mind a 10- or 15-year NBA veteran. Okafor's footwork is phenomenal, as is his touch and coordination around the basket. He's shown the ability to knock down the 15-foot jump shot and has already mastered the difficult art of passing out of double teams. Okafor doesn't dazzle you with his explosiveness; he does the bulk of his damage below the rim.
Okafor has his weaknesses — namely foul shooting and certain aspects of his defensive game. But his offense translates wonderfully to the NBA. He's a lock to average 18 to 20 points and 10 rebounds throughout his career — numbers that will make him the centerpiece of a playoff contender for years to come and earn him regular trips to the All-Star Game.
Strengths
As noted above, his offense. Okafor averaged 17.3 points and shot 66.4 percent from the field while leading Duke to the NCAA Championship as a freshman. There has been a lot of talk about Towns' production being marginalized in Kentucky's nine-man rotation, but it's not like Duke was feeding the ball inside to Okafor every time down the floor. Okafor played with two other first-round picks in Justise Winslow and Tyus Jones and averaged a modest 11 field goal attempts per game. But Okafor never appeared frustrated or tried to force the issue offensively. He plays with poise and maturity well beyond his years.
NBA
With all of Okafor's outstanding attributes on the offensive end, his footwork sets him apart. He's all but unguardable 1-on-1 on the low block. Okafor can finish with either hand, and his face-up game is equally impressive. When he is double-teamed in the post, he is able to find the open man on the perimeter. It's pick your poison with Okafor: Try to guard him 1-on-1, or double him and hope his teammates miss open shots.
Okafor also has giant hands, allowing him to easily catch and control the ball. He is an above average rebounder (8.5 per game last season) and is sometimes unfairly criticized for his defense. Okafor struggles with certain defensive concepts, but he is a very good rim protector.
He was consistent at Duke, scoring in double figures in 35 of 38 games. Okafor also did not foul out of a game in college.
Weaknesses
Free throw shooting is at the top of the list. Okafor shot just 51 percent from the foul line at Duke, a number that is unacceptable at the pro level. We've seen how NBA teams target poor free throw shooters away from the ball dating back to Shaquille O'Neal's days with the Lakers. It's the aptly named "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy, and the Spurs and Rockets both used it on the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan in this year's postseason. Big men who can't shoot free throws are a liability for their teams, particularly late in close games. Okafor frequently sat on the bench late in games at Duke because of his inability to make foul shots.
Okafor has a nice shooting stroke, making his ineffectiveness from the charity stripe a tad mystifying. I chalk it up to the size of his hands. For Okafor, shooting free throws with a basketball is like ordinary people shooting free throws with a volleyball. The smaller the ball is in a person's hands, the more difficult it becomes to control. Imagine shooting free throws with a baseball.
NBA teams will challenge Okafor on the defensive end. He will initially struggle defending pick and rolls, but that's something he can improve upon over time. Okafor doesn't have the same defensive chops as Towns, but keep in mind that Towns was one of the best defensive big men to pass through college basketball in recent years.
How he'd fit with Sixers
This is an interesting conversation. It's not far-fetched to think Okafor will still be on the board when the 76ers make the third pick. If the Timberwolves take Towns and the Lakers opt for a point guard in D'Angelo Russell or Emmanuel Mudiay, the Sixers shouldn't think twice about drafting Okafor. He represents tremendous value for the third pick.
I've heard the argument that the Sixers don't need another big man with Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel already on the roster. That's ridiculous. You take the best player available and Okafor is far and away the best player available in this scenario. The 76ers could try to play Embiid, Noel and Okafor together — if not all on the floor at the same time then in a formidable big man rotation. They could also look into trading Noel, who should bring a nice return following an impressive rookie season.
Noel is far from a sure thing in terms of developing an All-Star player. His ceiling could end up being very good, but not great. Embiid's previous back and foot injuries raise well-founded doubts that he can stay healthy through the grind of an 82-game season. It doesn’t make sense for Sam Hinkie to pass on Okafor just because he already has Embiid and Noel.
NBA comparison
This varies depending on who you ask. I've heard anything from Tim Duncan to Jared Sullinger. The Sullinger comparison came from a prominent member of the Philadelphia media. I'm not buying it. I'm closer to the Duncan end of the Duncan-Sullinger spectrum. I'm not saying Okafor will win five championships and retire as one of the 10 best players in NBA history. But his demeanor, footwork and polished offensive skills compare nicely to a young Duncan when he entered the league in 1997. Don't forget Duncan had the benefit of developing over four seasons at Wake Forest before jumping to the NBA.
Draft projection
Top four. Towns is a safe bet to go first to Minnesota. Okafor's most likely landing spot is the Lakers with the second pick. If Los Angeles passes on Okafor for Russell, the 76ers would be wise to grab Okafor with third pick. There is the slim chance the Lakers and Sixers both pass on Okafor in favor of Russell and Mudiay. If that's the case, the Knicks' front office would be doing cartwheels after selecting Okafor with the fourth pick.