What Can Sixers Expect From Sophomore Jahlil Okafor?

Jahlil Okafor has truly emerged as a rookie sensation for the Philadelphia 76ers. But what can the team expect in his sophomore year? That’s when things really start to get good.

Philadelphia Jahlil Okafor is already showing up as an elite offensive talent. He stands as a skyscraper in downtown district of an NBA basketball court, the high rent district directly under or next to the basket. He commands the post, his post, standing tall and strong among titans of other NBA teams.  Lightning flashes, thunder roars, as he wins the battle when the ball is in his hands. He scores almost at will. That has never been a question of his play.  Can he defend?  So far, he remains mortal in that department.

But he’s not as much of a defensive liability as was advertised before the draft. His defense was not his collegiate strong suit, but the Duke Blue Devils were short handed, so the players were coached not to be too aggressive and risk foul trouble.  But that was then, what about now?  NBA opponents guarded by Okafor are shooting 3.4 percent less from the floor than their season averages when he is defending. That’s encouraging.  For a man with an offensive arsenal, it’s a good place to start from.

Offensively, Okafor ranks No. 1 in the league in post-up scoring and ranks in the top 30 in scoring in pick-and-roll situations. He also is a far better free throw shooter than most projected (currently at 69 percent). Yes, he plays for a young, raw, and inexperienced team and at age 20 you can bet he has some maturation, honing, and experience to garner before he will be considered for the NBA all star game. For today, signs point to Okafor becoming a premier scorer in this league and a dominant low-post presence.

And that is just after one season, his rookie year.

But something happens to a player in the NBA after that first year.   They begin to anticipate the routine.   Think back to your first year in a new school versus your second year.   You no longer have the butterflies of anxiety, because you’ve been there and done that. Few persons can perform optimally with anxiety, and anxiety is quite normal. But when familiar with the surroundings, the mind can turn its senses from receiving all signals to focusing on a task at hand.

Training regiments improve. So does communication. With common reference to the previous season, NBA sophomores now understand the vernacular, the “lingo”, of pro basketball.

Next: The Bigger The Better