Sixers: The mysterious case of Jahlil Okafor

Once appreciated and viewed as a valuable asset, Okafor has long been a face of basketball obscurity for Sixers fans.

Remember when Sixers big man Jahlil Okafor was a leading scorer on a team that one ten games? Or how about his car chase with the police over the Ben Franklin Bridge?  Few can recall Okafor’s highlights due to the series of events that followed his rookie season,

Looking back at the 2015 NBA Draft, management clearly made the wrong choice when the Sixers drafted Okafor over guys like Kristaps Porzingis and Devin Booker. But to their credit Okafor was coming off an NCAA Championship and at the time was much less of a project than Porzingis or Booker.

Drawing either the first or second pick in that draft would’ve likely avoided the stigma Philly fans have for Okafor. Then again, injuries and suspensions sidelined Okafor for nearly 30 games.

Averaging 17.5 ppg as a rookie is pretty impressive, considering how bad the team around him was. It was obvious that Okafor and Nerlens Noel didn’t play well together. The team had no flow.

Issues off the court could’ve been attributed to a 16-game losing streak that started the season. But getting into Boston bar fights isn’t exactly normal for a professional basketball player.

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Okafor’s woes carried into last season after he failed to recover from injury and consistently outplayed by Joel Embiid and Richuan Holmes. The team needed someone at center that could do more than score in the post. Brett Brown’s new offensive scheme was foreign to Okafor.

The face of the 2015-16 Sixers has kept quiet about being traded. His name is often being dragged through the mud on social media but he’s never demanded a trade.  Tom Moore of CSN Sports has recently reported Okafor saying that he’s considered what it’s like playing somewhere else. When your name is involved with every other trade rumor it’s not hard to imagine the thought of leaving.

There are teams that could use back-to-the-basket big men. Though the lack of a showcase he’s put together might sway teams in the other direction. The worst part about his struggles are that they’re not just with being physical or playing defense.

Okafor’s scoring has dropped off as a result of less minutes. Just compare his first game ever played as a rookie to his season-high in 2017. 26 points in both games – not very impressive.

He’s still only 21-years old but his style of play is dated and the defensive effort is highly questionable. Through the trials and tribulations of Jahlil’s career defense and speed have been his biggest downfalls. His future with the team depends on improvement in these areas.

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It’s hard to say if Okafor will ever recover from his time spent here. Now completely healthy,  there’s still a chance Okafor has an impressive season. However, it’s not going to be easy without more playing time.