Jahlil Okafor Articles - Page 2

The New Orleans Pelicans will be bringing back Jahlil Okafor next season. Pelicans are picking up Jahlil Okafor’s team option for the 2019-2020 season, league sources tell ESPN. The New Orleans staff is impressed by the way Okafor has reworked his body and the improvements he’s made on the defensive end of the floor. — […]

Willie Cauley-Stein added to a good season on Thursday night. The Sacramento Kings have been one of the feel-good stories of the NBA season. After coming into the year with no expectations of good play, and burdened by the weight of past draft mistakes hanging around their necks, the Kings were widely believed to be […]

With how messy the impending breakup has been looking lately, it’s easy to forget the type of teammate Anthony Davis is. The New Orleans Pelicans superstar always seems to be spoken about extremely positive by his teammates, and this time it’s Jahlil Okafor reminding everyone of that. During a Q&A with William Guillory of The […]

Another day, another NBA player gushing about Duke superstar Zion Williamson. New Orleans Pelicans big man Jahlil Okafor, who led the Blue Devils to a national title in 2015, is the latest to shower basketball’s next big thing with praise. “He’s phenomenal,” Okafor said of Williamson, per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. “I played some […]

New Orleans Pelicans center Jahlil Okafor is having one of the best stretches of his young NBA career these past few weeks. Okafor has taken advantage of the absence of star Anthony Davis, stepping up to play some huge productive minutes for the team. During a Sunday night matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the big man […]

Over the past 48 hours, much of the talk surrounding the NBA was the trade request of New Orleans Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis, and while everyone is wondering what’s going to happen within the next week, Pelicans big man Jahlil Okafor says that the team remains focused on the regular season. A lot of people […]

The random rise of Jahlil Okafor, at least it seems on the surface, has come at the perfect time for the New Orleans Pelicans. As general manager Dell Demps is in the process of sussing through trade overtures for stranded superstar Anthony Davis, might the Pelicans already possess his long-term replacement? Okafor’s numbers over the […]

If there’s one man who has been making the most out of all the drama within the New Orleans Pelicans of late, then it has to be former third overall pick Jahlil Okafor. The 23-year-old has been on an absolute tear of late, taking full advantage of the myriad of injuries that have affected the […]

Jahlil Okafor of the New Orleans Pelicans ran the floor and was rewarded with a sweet dish before finishing with a huge slam in the third quarter of Tuesday night’s game against the Houston Rockets. Check out the clip below posted by Bleacher Report. As observed, even his teammates were surprised by the 23-year-old Duke Blue […]

New Orleans Pelicans center Jahlil Okafor had the opportunity to start his first game against the Memphis Grizzlies. When he told his father of the great news, he flew all the way from Chicago to Memphis to see his son play. Okafor told Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com that it felt “normal” for his father to […]

Buckle up, everyone: the Jahlil Okafor experience might be getting ready for takeoff in New Orleans and Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry is preparing us for the possibility, according to Oleh Kosel of The Bird Writes: “I think you’ll see him soon. Obviously, we’re in a situation now where we’re depleted from a big guy […]

The Markelle Fultz situation with the Philadelphia 76ers is looking more like a dead end by the day. The Sixers could opt to give him the infamous Jahlil Okafor treatment in the near future and sit him out indefinitely until another team is willing to break him out of basketball purgatory. The second-year guard recently […]

New Orleans Pelicans big man Jahlil Okafor says he was in a dark place before he addressed his mental health issues and got into shape. Okafor trained diligently in Miami over the summer to lose weight, and came into training camp with a noticeably toned physique. In a wide-ranging interview with Shams Charania of The […]

New Orleans Pelicans big man Jahlil Okafor will miss 1-2 weeks due to a right ankle injury, but head coach Alvin Gentry says the setback won’t have an effect on Okafor’s status with the team. Okafor signed a two-year contract with the Pelicans in August, but only $50,000 of the two-year deal is guaranteed. Okafor’s […]

The New Orleans Pelicans announced Tuesday that center Jahlil Okafor has a sprained right ankle and will miss approximately 1-2 weeks. Okafor suffered the injury this past Sunday in his hometown of Chicago against the Bulls. He was seen by media members on the United Center concourse using crutches. The former No. 3 overall pick […]

Jahlil Okafor made his New Orleans Pelicans debut Sunday night in his hometown of Chicago and played pretty well in his 17 minutes of action. The big man scored eight points on 4-of-7 shooting against the Bulls, but his night didn’t end well. Okafor sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter and did not return […]

New York Knicks offseason signing Mario Hezonja didn’t have the dream start he expected to have with the Orlando Magic after being drafted fifth overall by the team in 2015. Yet his patience and positive attitude were what kept him from becoming an early journeyman like Jahlil Okafor, still looking to find his place in […]

The New Orleans Pelicans felt comfortable waiving Emeka Okafor because of how Jahlil Okafor performed this summer, according to Keith Smith of RealGM. “He knows this might be last chance saloon time. He’s in amazing shape, and he’s going hard on both ends too. Seems like he really gets it now.” Okafor signed a two-year […]

The New Orleans Pelicans seem to have a more focused version of Jahlil Okafor this season. He recently sat down with Portland Trail Blazers star CJ McCollum and talked about improving two aspects of his game: defense and rebounding. The once highly touted prospect out of Duke University talked about improving his two weaknesses as […]

Jahlil Okafor is getting yet another second wind (a third wind?) in the NBA, this time with the New Orleans Pelicans after two previous failed stints with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets. Yet this might be the team that sticks for him, as he will get the chance to play alongside his idol […]

In a league that continues to get smaller and caters towards the golden age of point guards we are currently experiencing, it has become increasingly more difficult to find productive big men. Not only do we notice this by watching the NBA consistently, but the numbers are also backing this up, as only five frontcourt […]

While the Philadelphia 76ers continue to ride the wave of The Process and its first playoff appearance to a prosperous future, Jahlil Okafor–Sam Hinkie’s final lottery pick–is struggling to find his place in the NBA. Okafor entered the league as a talented big man in the mold of the traditional post scoring center, averaging 17.5 […]

New Orleans Pelicans center Jahili Okafor could finally get over the hump. In a ‘transformation picture’ that he posted on his Instagram account, Okafor talked about how he fought through anxiety and stress. https://www.instagram.com/p/BmlysmThXIQ/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=xcc2h1b0pn8b “Often times because of my size and profession people may view me in a certain way, but in reality I deal […]

According to NBA insider Keith Smith, the New Orleans Pelicans’ recent signing of Jahlil Okafor was a deal that was two years in the making. Apparently, the Pelicans already had their eyes set on the 6-foot-11 big man as early as his rookie year, with an anonymous source close to Okafor telling Smith that New Orleans […]

Free agent center Jahlil Okafor has agreed to a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal will have a partial guarantee on this season and a team-option for the 2019-20 season. Both sides were in conversations for a potential training camp deal, but this is a slightly bigger gamble by […]

The New Orleans Pelicans could take a shot in the dark, recently engaging in talks with free agent center Jahlil Okafor for a potential training camp deal, according to Scott Kushner of The New Orleans Advocate. While nothing has been formalized, Okafor remains an intriguing, yet low-cost option at the center position, able to provide […]

Once regarded as a potential franchise centerpiece, Jahlil Okafor’s NBA career appears to be coming to an end (for now at least), with a number of Chinese basketball league clubs reportedly eyeing the big man. According to Sportando, Okafor may be on his way to China, as there appears to be no interest from NBA […]

Jahlil Okafor remains a free agent, a disconcerting fact for his fans, considering that it was only in 2015 when the big man was a No. 3 pick by the Philadelphia 76ers. Today, the former Duke Blue Devils star is unemployed, and if he ever gets an offer, it’s likely going to be worth the […]

Jahlil Okafor got a different opportunity with the Brooklyn Nets after being stuck to the bench for most of his second and third seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. As it sits, the Nets are unlikely to bring him back after the 6-foot-11 center played 26 games for them last season, according to Sean Deveney of […]

Jahlil Okafor was once touted as a can’t-miss prospect. He was seen as a franchise-altering player that could solidify a team’s frontcourt for years to come. Unfortunately, Okafor’s career has not panned out that way. The former third overall pick has yet to make his mark on the NBA and now it appears that he’s […]

Time is of the essence for Victor Oladipo. After the Indiana Pacers were knocked out by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs that went the distance, one of the first things Oladipo did was text his trainer and ask if they could start hitting the gym – ASAP. Oladipo knows hard […]

After the Indiana Pacers lost Game 7 to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Victor Oladipo made some news when he texted his trainer right after the game, looking to start training for next season. https://www.instagram.com/p/BiKuM7ZBTr1/?utm_source=ig_embed He, however, isn’t the only one training with David Alexander since the season ended. Brooklyn Nets center Jahlil Okafor, hoping to revive […]

While it is ultimately an entertainment product, the NBA is a business for players. And, like any business, there is an element of risk involved. Players have to be able to maximize their career earnings while putting themselves in the best position for playoff success. There are plenty of examples of guys who succeed in […]

Brooklyn Nets center Jahlil Okafor has had a tough last couple of years finding playing time, despite his talents. Now only two weeks close to the start of his offseason, the 6-foot-11 big man will have to face a murky market for his services, lacking the routine playing time to market himself to NBA teams. […]

When the Nets traded for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnet in July of 2013, they showed the NBA they were in a win mode now, and if it didn’t work they knew they would completely mortgage their future. The Nets in return gave up a slew of players, and a first-round picks in 2014, 2016 […]

When the Brooklyn Nets traded for Jahlil Okafor, he was expected to play a major role for the team especially given their need for a big man with his skill set. However, Okafor has only seen limited playing time so far and even received some DNP-CDs from head coach Kenny Atkinson. While it can be […]

One of the most interesting storylines of the NBA is the discrepancy of calls made during games. Whether if it’s common fouls, traveling violations, or other illegal acts, the league certainly has some work cut out for its brain trust to minimize the mistakes made in their games. On Monday night, it sure didn’t take […]

It has been just over a month since the Brooklyn Nets acquired third-year big man Jahlil Okafor from the Philadelphia 76ers. However, the 22-year-old has yet to make a positive impact in his brief time with his new team. In fact, Okafor has altered the Nets’ pace of play and overall offensive production in his […]

Jahlil Okafor is the illustrious third pick from the 2015 NBA Draft. He was projected to succeed right away in the NBA. But now, things have changed for the 6’11” center. After an unproductive tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers, Okafor was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. Now, he is undergoing a transition phase. According to Fred […]