Philadelphia 76ers Okafor Wood Incident Raises Questions

Nov 18, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Christian Wood (35) passes off against the Indiana Pacers during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Pacers won 112-85. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

More Questions

(6) Do you have a streamfeed of the  video?

Yes. Please keep in mind the footage is raw and the language is not suitable for work or for young children.

(7) What time did this incident occur?

In a telphone interview with the Philadelphia inquirer’s Mike Sielski, Officer Rachel McGuire of the Boston Police Department indicated that police received a 911 call at approximately 2 a.m. Thursday from an unknown woman who “didn’t give much information.”

(7) Were any arrests made?
In a telphone interview with the Philadelphia inquirer’s Mike Sielski, Officer Rachel McGuire said that when officers arrived at the scene, “there was no one there.” So no arrests were made.

(8) Are any arrests planned?
In the interview, McGuire went on to say that she had seen the video, but “as far as the Boston Police Department was concerned, there’s not much we can pursue. Nobody was there when we arrived. We unfortunately don’t have the identity of the alleged victim. But if the victim wants to come forward and file a police report, he or she is encouraged to do so.”

(9) What were Jahlil Okafor, 19, and Christian Wood, 20, doing outside of a Boston nightclub at 2 AM unescorted by anyone from the Philadelphia 76ers?
That is the first of many important questions which are likely being asked by the Philadelphia 76ers today.

(10) What is the legal drinking age in Boston Massachusetts?
On December 4, 1984, Governor Michael S. Dukakis signed a bill raising the drinking age from 20 to 21 in Massachusetts. The legal drinking age of 21 remains in effect today.

(11) So the Storyville Nightclub is just a bar?
No, it’s a nightclub with a full dining menu and VIP table service. But when reading the reviews, it’s apparent that the highest marks occured from those who did not stand in line to enter. Poor marks were made by those who had to wait in a long line or who never made it in. The reviews were entirely about drinks and drink service. Of 22 comments made only one indicated the quality of the food service, and was quite negative about the experience.

(12) Why is the 2 AM time frame important?
The Storyville Nightclub closes at 2 AM. The incident occuring outside of the nightclub just after 2 AM suggests that both Okafor and Wood were present in the nightclub until after last call.

(13) Kids will be kids, right?  What’s the big deal?
The big deal is that the process of rebuilding the Philadelphia 76ers is keystoned around the concept of building via youth. The Philadelphia 76ers are the youngest team in the NBA at 23.4 years of age. They are also one of the most inexperienced teams in the league.  Young adulthood is an incredibly powerful time for a person.  A well conditioned youth can perform at a high level with less sleep.  But the young men of the NBA are millionaires, and sometimes wisdom does not temper the energy inherent in this period of a person’s life.  Experience is in short supply, so mistakes in judgement can occur.

(14) Where was head coach Brett Brown?
Brett Brown is stretched far too thinly these days.  Embedded in a prolonged losing streak, in the midst of a long road trip, he is likely already exhausted at the end of his day.   While he can set a curfew, there is no way the organization can place him into a 24 hour vigilance over the actions of his players.  He is trying to keep them motivated in a positive manner.

(15) So what triggered the conflict?
Reports are sketchy and heresay.  Per TMZ, the incident began when Christian Wood became engaged in a physical confrontation outside Storyville, and that Okafor “was being heckled from the moment he left the club and felt threatened because people swarmed him on the street.”
Other reports from ESPN by unnamed sources close to Okafor claim the incident began when fans began heckling Okafor and Wood with ‘The 76ers [stink], and you guys are all losers. You’ll never win a game.”  Neither report rules out the other, so its conceivable that both could be true.

(16) What questions does this raise about the Sixers plan?
Let’s consider the questions in categories: Timing, Youth movement, Discipline, Sports Science and Analytics.

Next: Timing