Since being traded to the Brooklyn Nets early last month, many have wondered what Jahlil Okafor’s exact role will be with them. The team made it known that they want him to work on his conditioning and get acclimated to their sets first before he can be part of their rotation and that’s what he has been focusing on the past few weeks.
The former third overall pick back in 2015 recently talked about his fit with the Nets. He cited familiarizing himself with their offensive and defensive sets, and also added, via Brian Lewis of The New York Post, that he does not plan to be a stretch big man by attempting a lot of 3-pointers.
“I’m pretty confident, just talking with the guys in the locker room, and it’s all been positive feedback with the coaches,” Okafor said.
“The offense was something that was all new to me, completely different offense, completely different pace. It’s only been two weeks, so I don’t want to sit there and say I’ve developed an amazing 3-point shot. That’s something we’ve been working on. But in the end of the day, I know what I do; I know what I’m able to do to help this team, and that’s not going to be me shooting 3s.”
During his stint with the Philadelphia 76ers, Jahlil Oklafor made a name for himself as a gifted scorer inside the paint with a variety of moves near the basket. Although he has a decent perimeter game, Okafor isn’t like the modern power forwards and centers who can knock down shots from beyond the arc regularly.
Jahlil Okafor and the Nets’ situation is definitely something worth keeping an eye on and it will be very interesting to find out if the team’s decision to trade for him will work wonders for them in the long run. With D’Angelo Russell progressing well from his injury, it may not take long for head coach Kenny Atkinson and Brooklyn's fans to see a glimpse of what their lineup will look like in the coming years.
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