Am I the only guy who as serious questions about Okafor?

[Teen Girl Squad]

The only reason Cousins didn't go first overall was being of his attitude. He was an elite prospect (outside of attitude I'd take him over Embiid/he'd be a top 5 talent in the NBA). Really reminds me of Sheed. Cousins is elite already and would be a AD/KD level player if he played nicer with others. Okafor doesn't need to get that good to be a foundational piece, think Mark Gasol level talent, though swap more offense for defense. No one would be upset trading the second pick for a prime Aldridge, Bosh, Love type player and none of those guys are defensive stalwarts (they all did improve over time to net positives, even Love).

[HeartBreakKid]

Is Kevin Love really a positive on defense? From the eye test, it doesn't seem that way in the slightest. Cleveland became a good defensive team after getting Mozgov/Shampurt/Smith.

[Chuck Everett]

The thing is, people say they want game-changers at the #2 pick. The issue is, there hasn't been a game changer #2 pick since Durant in 2007. Also, there's nothing that says Okafor won't be picked #1 over Towns, which if I were Flip I would take him, but that's me.

[DickGrayson]

Cousins 15ppg 9.8rpg 1.7apg 1.8bpg 55fg% 60%ft

Okafor 17ppg 8.5rpg 1.3apg 1.4bpg 66%fg 51%ft

Cousins
Strengths: An extremely strong player, his body is well developed and has a remarkable wingspan to boot … At this level, once he catches the ball on the block there is not much the defense can do because he is so big … He has very soft hands, helping him catch passes in traffic, as well as convert on difficult shots around the hoop … For a player his size, he has good coordination and balance … He never rushes his moves and is always under control … At times his post moves may not look pretty, but you can’t argue with the results … He has confidence in his ball handling and is not shy about pushing the ball in transition …Although his shot is a bit flat , his form is decent and he is more than capable of stepping out beyond the arc and knocking shots down …

Okafor
Strengths: Big, powerful body with huge hands, palms the ball easily which allows him to control rebounds in traffic ... Polished, skilled back to the basket scorer with a variety of moves ... Smooth for his size, solid rebounder, very good IQ, plays to his strengths, knows his limitations and doesn't try to do things that he can't do ... NBA body and strength, quick feet for a player with such a big frame ... Has great moves and counters, the footwork of an NBA vet, soft touch around basket ... Heady passer out of double teams ... Understands how to establish position and knows how to use his body, never rushes his move and plays with great pace and patience ... savvy beyond his years for a young post player, rebounds his area


Cousins as a senior in high school https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyoaxVct1vM


Okafor as a senior in high school https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=76&v=ZOdv6nhrn68

If you ask me he's coming in as a more polished player than Cousins was. There's similarities between the players But Cousins a better rebounder while Okafor was better scorer. Both use their bodies well and both are capable of driving to the basket or hitting open jumpers. I don't see why Okafor can't come into the league and improve his defense

Cousins was a better rebounder and defender as a Freshman compared to Okafor. Cousins was considered lazy, but he still got a bunch of steals and blocks, averaging more assist and banged the boards, Cousins actually boxes out where as Okafor seems hesitant to put his body on guys. Especially defensively where he plays 1-2 feet away from his man.

They don't have much in common. Okafor plays within 10 feet, Cousins always shown game outside of 10 feet and can sprint down the court with the ball, Okafor has shown he can struggle finishing in the full court.

[BoutPractice]

To me the reservations I still have about him are more about the heart than they are about the body.

The limitations of Okafor's body are way overblown. He's huge and very mobile. Many current NBA players would kill to have his body... and could do a lot of damage on both ends with it. He has an above average center body, way above average talent / skill level, and a way above average basketball mind.

The big questions to me are: is he "soft"? Does he give his best effort at all times? Is he capable of caring about defense as much as he does about offense? Those are the things that will determine his ceiling. Not his body type. When it comes to bigs, people underestimate that aspect... also, they tend to overlook that just because someone "could" be better at this or that if they put in the work, doesn't mean that they will. And that it'll sustain over time.

[E-Balla]

Cousins 15ppg 9.8rpg 1.7apg 1.8bpg 55fg% 60%ft

Okafor 17ppg 8.5rpg 1.3apg 1.4bpg 66%fg 51%ft

Cousins was doing it in 23mpg compared to 30mpg of Okafor

Pace-adjusted per 40:

Cousins: 26.1/16.4/1.6/2.9
Okafor: 22.0/10.9/1.6/1.8

That's a big, big difference in rebounding and defense numbers.

Cousins blowns okafor on rebounds & blocks, and he has a good elbow jumper too.

Furthermore, okafor scored 24 or more points in 8 games this college season.
Between all those teams, only 13 players were 6'8 or taller. Each one of them averaged 20mpg.

I think he will have hard time trying to score over Nba size, he will be good but not efficient like he was at duke.

If you make him a 55% FG shooter, he dont have any range or FT%, and is below average in defense, I dont know if he is a top3 pick.

His highest scoring games came in single coverage against NBA sized players. Virginia Tech played a 7-0, 255 pound player 40 minutes against Jahlil (and he fouled him out after embarrassing him all night), Boston College has a 7-1 250 pound C along with a 6-11 245 PF, Notre Dame played 6-10, 245 Zach Auguste, SDSU has one of the top 5 defenses in the NCAA and they started the 6-10, 240 Skylar Spencer while playing the 6-10 Malik play whenever Skylar wasn't on the floor and sometimes playing both at once, Cuse has the 6-10 245 Rakeem Christmas and 6-10 McCollugh, Navy has a 6-10 player that Jahlil fouled out in 15 minutes and another one that wasn't any better. All in all Jahlil had 8 of his 14 20 point games against NBA sized frontcourt players. The only consistency between those games is that Jahlil didn't see heavy doubles.

He wasn't good against Gonzaga but outside of that when else did Jahlil struggle with size? People bring up Utah but I think the hard double teams whenever he touched the ball and even tripling him off ball had more to do with that. Reminds me of the Loyola coach bragging about shutting down Stephen Curry after doubling him without the ball all game or Coach K going down to the wire against Davidson in 07 because all his attention was on Steph (iirc Steph scored only 5 in the second half but they outscored Duke). If completely letting Justise Winslow drive on your PF with no help from the C is your gameplan to stop Jahlil Okafor you'll stop him but you'll lose. They want the double and once you send the double on someone who can pass you're basically hoping at that point for someone on the offense to screw up or miss because your defense is already out of the play.

[E-Balla]

Also don't forget Jahlil's touch in the paint when speaking on his "under the rim" play (in quotations because he doesn't need much hops to dunk on people and he finishes with dunks more often than real below the rim guys like Zach Randolph). He was 89% from the field in transition, 90% on cuts, 69% off PNRs, 71% on putbacks, and 77% at rim. I don't think you can just discount that.

I'm not saying Jahlil is as athletic as Jabari Parker but I remember last year arguing with people that Jabari was an elite athlete with the speed of a (slightly slow) SF, size of a PF, strength of a PF, and hops of a SF and 43 dunks in 25 games (and 41 in his last 20) later and more people are agreeing that he's an athlete. I feel people just jump on random bandwagons without actually paying attention to what they are seeing sometimes.

[Marcus]

Also don't forget Jahlil's touch in the paint when speaking on his "under the rim" play (in quotations because he doesn't need much hops to dunk on people and he finishes with dunks more often than real below the rim guys like Zach Randolph). He was 89% from the field in transition, 90% on cuts, 69% off PNRs, 71% on putbacks, and 77% at rim. I don't think you can just discount that.

I'm not saying Jahlil is as athletic as Jabari Parker but I remember last year arguing with people that Jabari was an elite athlete with the speed of a (slightly slow) SF, size of a PF, strength of a PF, and hops of a SF and 43 dunks in 25 games (and 41 in his last 20) later and more people are agreeing that he's an athlete. I feel people just jump on random bandwagons without actually paying attention to what they are seeing sometimes.

he isn't D12, DJ, or Drummond off the floor but he is quick off the floor even with the low vert and his length takes care of the rest.

[E-Balla]

Also don't forget Jahlil's touch in the paint when speaking on his "under the rim" play (in quotations because he doesn't need much hops to dunk on people and he finishes with dunks more often than real below the rim guys like Zach Randolph). He was 89% from the field in transition, 90% on cuts, 69% off PNRs, 71% on putbacks, and 77% at rim. I don't think you can just discount that.

I'm not saying Jahlil is as athletic as Jabari Parker but I remember last year arguing with people that Jabari was an elite athlete with the speed of a (slightly slow) SF, size of a PF, strength of a PF, and hops of a SF and 43 dunks in 25 games (and 41 in his last 20) later and more people are agreeing that he's an athlete. I feel people just jump on random bandwagons without actually paying attention to what they are seeing sometimes.

he isn't D12, DJ, or Drummond off the floor but he is quick off the floor even with the low vert and his length takes care of the rest.

Exactly and people are comparing him to DeMarcus Cousins? Dude had like 5 dunks at Kentucky. People must've forgot how slow, ground bound, and horribly conditioned Cousins was back at Kentucky 30+ pounds ago. He was athletic for someone his size but if he was 270 with a 9-2.5 standing reach like Jahlil and moving/jumping like he did he wouldn't have been picked it the lottery. Now that he's lost weight he's more mobile than Jahlil just barely but Jahlil still gets up quicker. Athletically they're nearly the same now but Cousins is just bigger. Hopefully Jahlil goes Enes Kanter on us. He's already slimmed down.

[igglez]

Not at all, he's not even on my board as a Sixer's fan. Terrible defender, especially on the P&R, no mid range game, terrible free throw shooter, and he's 7' 260, played 32min, LIVED in the paint, and could only muster 8 rebounds per game!!! That's pathetic!! He's a one trick pony. Al Jefferson without the motor. 18-22pts 8reb 1blk, this is what he is, and he'll give up 30 points a night.... No thanks.

[DickGrayson]

Not at all, he's not even on my board as a Sixer's fan. Terrible defender, especially on the P&R, no mid range game, terrible free throw shooter, and he's 7' 260, played 32min, LIVED in the paint, and could only muster 8 rebounds per game!!! That's pathetic!! He's a one trick pony. Al Jefferson without the motor. 18-22pts 8reb 1blk, this is what he is, and he'll give up 30 points a night.... No thanks.

You aren't lying. It's all mental for Okafor. Even the arguments in favor for Okafor are one dimensional. Only thing that is discussed is his play under the rim.

Outside of 10 feet and on the defensive end, Okafor struggles...amongst his draft class. Not sure what happens when he gets discouraged in boxing out guys like Jordan or even a long pesky Antetokounmpo.

like I said, it's all mental. It's up to Okafor if he becomes the next great big or just give an Eddy Curry effort and sacrifice defense/rebounding for a few inside buckets. Okafor has a lot of natural talent, I think everyone knows that. The biggest question is his toughness.

[TheGMWill]

I'm not about to go into all the semantics about how Okafor was in college or what his strengths and weaknesses are. I think for me this comes down to quantity over quality. If Towns goes #1, and the Lakers pick Okafor .......there is truly no one who will get in the way of Okafor getting all the run he can as a rookie. It may not be pretty but he'll get a TON of minutes which should help him amass counting stats at least. And so many people on here are crying about his poor free throw shooting ..........when has that ever stopped a true Center from becoming a stud as his position? Shaq, Dwight, Bill Russell, Wilt, Deandre and Ben Wallace ........all big men who sucked at Free Throws. If the Lakers take him, I think he'll get enough play to at least trial by fire his way into being something pretty good......how good? Will he be a HOFer? Perennial All-Star? Respectable? I don't know , but I surly can't believe that he just won't be any good at the next level considering he's going to log heavy minutes. Especially if the Lakers take him . Now if the Lakers take Russell and Philly takes Okafor......then we'll see .

[colman38]

Like all rookies, Okafor has things he needs to work on, but I think he has all the tools to become a very good player. Some of his defensive issues possibly had to do with preventing fouls due to a lack of team depth, but we won't know until next season.

[DickGrayson]

I'm not about to go into all the semantics about how Okafor was in college or what his strengths and weaknesses are. I think for me this comes down to quantity over quality. If Towns goes #1, and the Lakers pick Okafor .......there is truly no one who will get in the way of Okafor getting all the run he can as a rookie. It may not be pretty but he'll get a TON of minutes which should help him amass counting stats at least. And so many people on here are crying about his poor free throw shooting ..........when has that ever stopped a true Center from becoming a stud as his position? Shaq, Dwight, Bill Russell, Wilt, Deandre and Ben Wallace ........all big men who sucked at Free Throws. If the Lakers take him, I think he'll get enough play to at least trial by fire his way into being something pretty good......how good? Will he be a HOFer? Perennial All-Star? Respectable? I don't know , but I surly can't believe that he just won't be any good at the next level considering he's going to log heavy minutes. Especially if the Lakers take him . Now if the Lakers take Russell and Philly takes Okafor......then we'll see .

All those big men you listed boxed out and rebounded the ball... some played elite defense and contested shots...some had a motor or were just extremely athletic.

Okafor is a bad FT shooter and doesn't fit that group of guys who put an effort on defense and rebounding the ball defensively.

[TheGMWill]

I'm not about to go into all the semantics about how Okafor was in college or what his strengths and weaknesses are. I think for me this comes down to quantity over quality. If Towns goes #1, and the Lakers pick Okafor .......there is truly no one who will get in the way of Okafor getting all the run he can as a rookie. It may not be pretty but he'll get a TON of minutes which should help him amass counting stats at least. And so many people on here are crying about his poor free throw shooting ..........when has that ever stopped a true Center from becoming a stud as his position? Shaq, Dwight, Bill Russell, Wilt, Deandre and Ben Wallace ........all big men who sucked at Free Throws. If the Lakers take him, I think he'll get enough play to at least trial by fire his way into being something pretty good......how good? Will he be a HOFer? Perennial All-Star? Respectable? I don't know , but I surly can't believe that he just won't be any good at the next level considering he's going to log heavy minutes. Especially if the Lakers take him . Now if the Lakers take Russell and Philly takes Okafor......then we'll see .

All those big men you listed boxed out and rebounded the ball... some played elite defense and contested shots...some had a motor or were just extremely athletic.

Okafor is a bad FT shooter and doesn't fit that group of guys who put an effort on defense and rebounding the ball defensively.

I wasn't putting Okafor on their level at all, I was just making a statement about how poor free throw shooting does not determine a Center's overall value . That's all.

[igglez]

I'm not about to go into all the semantics about how Okafor was in college or what his strengths and weaknesses are. I think for me this comes down to quantity over quality. If Towns goes #1, and the Lakers pick Okafor .......there is truly no one who will get in the way of Okafor getting all the run he can as a rookie. It may not be pretty but he'll get a TON of minutes which should help him amass counting stats at least. And so many people on here are crying about his poor free throw shooting ..........when has that ever stopped a true Center from becoming a stud as his position? Shaq, Dwight, Bill Russell, Wilt, Deandre and Ben Wallace ........all big men who sucked at Free Throws. If the Lakers take him, I think he'll get enough play to at least trial by fire his way into being something pretty good......how good? Will he be a HOFer? Perennial All-Star? Respectable? I don't know , but I surly can't believe that he just won't be any good at the next level considering he's going to log heavy minutes. Especially if the Lakers take him . Now if the Lakers take Russell and Philly takes Okafor......then we'll see .

It's not just free throws, every aspect of his game is below average except offensive interior post game.

[igglez]

Like all rookies, Okafor has things he needs to work on, but I think he has all the tools to become a very good player. Some of his defensive issues possibly had to do with preventing fouls due to a lack of team depth, but we won't know until next season.

No, watch him, he's out of position, let's his guy get deep, jumps backwsrds to block shots, brutal defensively in the pick and roll and i mean brutal, He has no motor, offers no rim protection, and he doesn't rebound.... Those aren't good combinations for an NBA big. No way I'd want him on the Sixer's.

[Luciferswings]

I have made all these criticisms of Okafor on the Lakers board. He might be a good player, even an all-star, but ultimately I'm worried he's an upper middle class mans Al Jefferson. I literally cannot understand anyone who wants him over Towns. I think the Lakers should be thinking hard about Russell, even if only to blackmail Philly.

[igglez]

I have made all these criticisms of Okafor on the Lakers board. He might be a good player, even an all-star, but ultimately I'm worried he's an upper middle class mans Al Jefferson. I literally cannot understand anyone who wants him over Towns. I think the Lakers should be thinking hard about Russell, even if only to blackmail Philly.

Hinkie won't blink, no way. The talent level is too close 1-6. I think mudiay should be the clear cut number one, bit the Lakers and wolves need bigs. His 3 point % was a lot better than i thought, he shot 34% in China (NBA range), i thought he was in the 26-28% range, and that was his only question, every other aspect of his game is elite, his handle, passing, penetrating, athleticism, and defense, all project to elite. I hope his ankle clears, and he's there at 3.

[Luciferswings]

I have made all these criticisms of Okafor on the Lakers board. He might be a good player, even an all-star, but ultimately I'm worried he's an upper middle class mans Al Jefferson. I literally cannot understand anyone who wants him over Towns. I think the Lakers should be thinking hard about Russell, even if only to blackmail Philly.

Hinkie won't blink, no way. The talent level is too close 1-6. I think mudiay should be the clear cut number one, bit the Lakers and wolves need bigs. His 3 point % was a lot better than i thought, he shot 34% in China (NBA range), i thought he was in the 26-28% range, and that was his only question, every other aspect of his game is elite, his handle, passing, penetrating, athleticism, and defense, all project to elite. I hope his ankle clears, and he's there at 3.

Ah, a Hinkie fan. Look, I think there's a fairly clear difference between 1 and 2, and in the same way I think there's a big difference to Hinkie between D.Russell and everyone else. He can't take Okafor, not with the other lotto picks he's used on bigs he's committed to. Basically, if the Lakers take Russell, Okafor could slide down to 4, with Winslow assumedly going 3. At any rate, if the talent from 1-6 is truly comparable, then the Lakers should trade down regardless.