Mar 20, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Jahlil Okafor (15) celebrates with Duke Blue Devils guard Matt Jones (13) after a dunk during the second half against the Robert Morris Colonials in the second round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
3. C Jahlil Okafor, Duke (6-foot-11, 272 pounds)
Massive center prospect that’s extremely skilled. Dominant post player with soft touch around the basket. Incredible footwork offensively. Also, a terrific passer for a big man. I have two concerns: 1.) he’s a below-average defender, and 2.) for being 6’11” with a 7’5” wingspan, he’s only a so-so rim protector. It’s really tough to build a good defense when the backend of it is a potential liability. Of course he could improve. Marc Gasol had major questions defensively, and he’s turned into one of the better defensive bigs in the league. But even if he only becomes merely an average defender, his potential offensively is off the charts. He’s as polished a big man as there has been in the draft in quite a while — I feel like people forget that. Okafor may have been a better fit in the NBA game twenty years ago, but a big man of his caliber still holds a ton of value.
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