76ers select Jahlil Okafor with No.

3 pick in 2015 NBA draft

76ers draft Jahlil Okafor with No. 3 pick in NBA draft

The Philadelphia 76ers picked Duke center Jahlil Okafor with the No. 3 pick in Thursday's NBA
draft.
Duke center Jahlil Okafor was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the No. 3 pick in the 2015
NBA draft on Thursday night at the Barclays Center.
Okafor averaged 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in his freshman season for the Blue
Devils. He shot 66.4% from the floor in 30.1 minutes per game, but was only 51%
from the free throw line.
Led by Okafor, Duke won the 2015 national title. The center scored 18 points in a
Final Four win over Michigan State before scoring 10 points in the championship
game win over Wisconsin.
In 2012, Okafor was named one of Sports Illustrated's Future Game Changers.
He would go on to be ranked the No. 1 recruit in his class before committing
to Mike Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils.
Mannix's Analysis: Philadelphia wanted DAngelo Russell. They settle
for Okafor, a potentially dominating offensive center. The Sixers, though, could
move him. Okafor is the most appealing prospect on the board, and over the next
few hours GM Sam Hinkie will be on the phone with half the GMs in the league
who will try to pry Okafor out of Philadelphia. Still, if JoelEmbiids most recent
setback is real, Philadelphia would be wise to keep the talented center, whose
skills would be a nice complement to defensive-minded forward Nerlens Noel.
Grade: A
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Strengths: If the modern back-to-the-basket player is a myth, then Okafor is

Bigfoot, armed with preternatural instincts within 10 feet of the rim. He enters the
NBA with a post game more developed than the majority of big men around the
league and is a sure-fire bet to command touches and defensive attention
immediately. Hes unselfish, an advanced passer out of double-teams and his
midrange game has started to come along. Okafor has the strength to compete
inside, the size to guard his position and his 75 wingspan will help him as he
develops defensively. Its more a matter of when, not if, he becomes an offensive
anchor.
Weaknesses: Though his offensive game is rightfully heralded, Okafors freethrow shooting leaves a lot to be desired (51% from the line at Duke). If the NBA
changes its hacking rules, the concerns die down, but continued struggles would
place a cap on his productivity. Okafors defensive performance in college stands
as a greater issue, as he was often slow on help rotations and isnt a leaper,
which limits his presence when contesting shots. His defensive rebounding could
be much better considering his size and length. His offense should keep him on
the floor, but he could be a liability in a pick-and-roll heavy league. Improved
positioning and communication is teachable, but Okafor could struggle against
NBA athletes. Hes been coachable his entire career, which should serve him well.

Jahlil Okafor - Duke | PointAfter