Brand New Mentors
And so, we’ve come full circle. Ish Smith mentoring T.J.McConnell. Zydrunas Ilgauskas mentoring Joel Embiid. Jerry Colangelo mentoring Sam Hinkie. Mike D’Antoni mentoring Brett Brown. Oh.. but that leaves off the mentor for the young man who started the wheels turning.
Jahlil Okafor’s mentor will be Elton Brand.
When Brand spoke about his role with Okafor, you could almost sense the deep respect the veteran has for the young player, and the empathy:
"“You might’ve noticed we’ve got a pretty talented kid on the roster in Jahlil Okafor, someone I happen to share some things in common with. Despite how he’s been portrayed, I know Jahlil. He’s a good kid with a good heart. He’s not unlike most 20-year-olds you probably know, and he’s definitely not at all different than most of his fellow players. Hell, if camera phones were around when Brad Miller, Ron Artest, and I were Jahlil’s age, we might’ve been banned from the league altogether, never mind suspended for a few games. I’m not coming here to hold Jahlil’s hand — or anyone else’s, for that matter — because that’s not what he needs. But I do believe my experience and wisdom can benefit him and my other young teammates. It’s about communicating with them like men, starting to grow together, and — hopefully, eventually — winning some ballgames. That’s what Sam Hinkie and I talked about when he approached me about joining the team, and what has me so excited about this opportunity. – he wrote in a recent article of “the Cauldron”."
Brand joined the team on January 5th 2016. Since that time Okafor has played 27, 34, 33, 29, and 26 minutes. In these games, he’s averaged 19.7 ppg. 6.8 rpg, 1.0 steals and 1.2 assists per game. He’s developing into a two way player. That’s pretty impressive, with the fact that he’s so good on the offense.
Next: Sixers Potential 2016 Free Agent Targets
"“My teammates had it rolling,” Okafor said. “They were playing phenomenal.”"
And there is is. Many have overlooked that statement by the young NBA player from Duke University. But I cannot. I recall a saying I heard in my early 20’s – “A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of his own abilities to praise the skills of the others”.
Is it Jahlil’s own personality shining through, or a reflection of his new teammate and mentor Elton Brand? In any case, he’s maturing into an excellent team player. That is one of the last and most difficult skills to develop in an NBA player.