Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor Remains Blue Chip Center

Bret Stuter

Dec 23, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) and head coach Brett Brown against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns defeated the 76ers 123-116. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Despite Philadelphia 76ers Jahlil Okafor‘s viral video defensive lapse, there is still huge upside in his early career. He remains a blue chip NBA center.

Philadelphia 76ers Jahlil Okafor has to be asking himself why? Why did the Philadelphia 76ers draft him when the team had two talented NBA centers? Even moreso, why was he asked to carry the load for the team’s offensive at the tender age of 19? Again, why did he struggle to make the right decisions early in his NBA Career?

And why did his knee get injured just as he and teammate Nerlens Noel finally find some semblance of compatibility? Beyond that, why did the Philadelphia 76ers wait until Christmas 2015 to trade for point guard Ish Smith?

No Way No Trade… Wait? What?

And finally, why didn’t the Philadelphia 76ers trade him for whatever the team could get at the NBA Trade Deadline? . Will the Philadelphia 76ers ever cheer for Jahlil Okafor again?

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I was once a young man, faced with equally significant “Why?” questions about events in my own life. Questions that resisted any logical answer short of “the Cosmos have aligned against me!”.
But I asked the wrong question.

Wrong questions

Somehow, the struggles of Jahlil Okafor “feel” like the wrong questions are being asked by him, and of him. As fans, the emotions of the moment carry the voice we propel towards the field, or the court. Anger and disappointment? Boo! Elation and Satisfaction? Cheers.

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Fans support of rookies are essentially primal, feral, as the most basic of emotions. Based on the treatment by the front office, the fans, and the overall career outlook for the number three selection of the 2015 NBA Draft, Jahlil Okafor has every reason to withdraw. Withdraw from the sport, withdraw from his teammates, and withdraw from the fans.

Here’s where the message to Jahlil Okafor becomes direct:

Sagacious Age Experience

But at my sagacious age now, let me tell you right here, right now, Jahlil Okafor.

DON’T

Events may not be going your way now. I live far away from you, but even I can see the struggles of youth under the weight of so much responsibility. In a sport where you play each moment for the thrill of the fans, in a city that is the most discerning basketball town in the USA, you play.

Connect to fans, connect to your coaches, connect to teammates, connect and connect and connect. Time to share the burden. Behind the boos of the angriest most upset fan is the dashed hope that you would outperform the entire NBA in your first two seasons.

In the end, we all share that disappointment. So don’t take responsibility for all of it.

Mar 4, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown reacts to the defense against the Detroit Pistons during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. The Detroit Pistons won 136-106. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Play Hard

In Philadelphia, you play hard. Philadelphia do not ask it of you, nor expect it of you. The city, and the entire Philadelphia 76ers fan base worldwide, demands it. I get it. A viral video screams through social media with no explanation, no caveats, no clauses. But that video hit fans where they have been punched over and over and over.

No Strata

There is no social stratus if Philadelphia. There is not much celebrity status. If you earn a living on an athletic stage, fans will love you and honor you. But there is one caveat. Your effort must match the passion in their hearts.

It’s a hard city to play for, but its even tougher to stop playing for. Fans live every moment with the athlete. There are few cities that cheer louder than Philadelphia on a good play.

Ask DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy, and the host of other Philadelphia players who have tasted success.

Even The Answer Faced Tough Questions

Even the great one, Allen Iverson, beloved and honored by the city, stepped too close to the line when he complained about his poor practice habits:

I’m supposed to be the franchise player, and we’re sitting here talking about practice. I mean, listen, we’re talking about practice. Not a game, not a game, not a game…we talking about practice.

On one hand, if the city seems to be rather harsh or critical, there are reasons. on the other hand, the history of sports in Philadelphia has been less than kind. The Philadelphia 76ers are in a bit of a drought.

Don’t Feed The Sharks

So any semblance of less than 100 percent is like blood in the water of hungry sharks.

In the end, no player is above the code. No one. So Jahlil Okafor is not being singled out, picked on, nor ostracized. In fact, if anything, the fans are treating him with the same behavior that has been shown to athletes throughout the team’s history.

Now, what can be done about it?

The Right Questions

So what are the right questions to ask now? Simple enough. What do I need to do to improve? How can I help this team? How can I deliver?

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Boos to athletes are like timers, warning bells, or other mechanical indicator that something is not right. Nobody gets upset if the alarm clock goes off. Nobodies feelings are dashed if the oven preheat indicator sounds.

And nobody is saddened by a smoke alarm sounding.

Warning Buzzer = Fans Boos

In the end, fans boos are simply an indicator that performance has fallen below acceptable levels. Treat it like that. Just an indicator. Now for the tougher pieces.

Improve? Defense. It won’t happen overnight. But there is no better, more patient, nor more defensive savvy coach than head coach Brett Brown. And the ultimate winner in the entire matter? Jahlil Okafor.

A year ago, Brown worked with both Robert Covington and Nik Stauskas to convert them to two-way players. I don’t think that Jahlil Okafor has ever been tasked with defense training only. Perhaps it’s time to do so.

Help Philadelphia 76ers

If Jahlil Okafor will thrive in the NBA, the point of “turning it around” cannot happen elsewhere as some suggest. That demon must be exercised here and now.

Jahlil Okafor's defense is indefensible, @bobfordsports writes: https://t.co/NJfzDgDVRE #Sixers pic.twitter.com/poCfA4ymm9
— T.J. Furman (@tj_furman) March 5, 2017

Jahlil Okafor is still a blue chip center on the offensive side of the ball. He scores 11.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.0 block and .33 steals per game on 22.9 minutes average. His game is not perfect, but the fixes are blatantly obvious.

Some of you may grow patient with Okafor. Some of you may want him out of town yesterday.

In the end, the current Philadelphia 76ers roster is built upon something no other team has infused: patience. The team waited three years for Joel Embiid (he’s out again). The team waited a year for Nerlens Noel, and for Ben Simmons. The team waited two years for Dario Saric.

Dec 23, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) and forward Dario Saric (9) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns defeated the 76ers 123-116. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The True Test Now Is Upon The Fans

But Jahlil Okafor has had no luxury of patience in Philadelphia. From the moment he arrived, media sought his trade. He’s had no such patience from fans either. Play or trade.

Now it’s upon all of us. He’s re-injured his knee. He’s struggled this year. The treatment of trade, no-trade and play don’t-play has taken a toll. But the Process that got us here has a remedy.

Nurture injured players back to health. Develop raw player’s talents. Sell high, buy low. Right now, Jahlil Okafor’s value is low. This is the time to increase his value, not take whatever the team can get in trade.

For an entire 2016-2017 season, Jahlil Okafor has been a pawn in virtually every trade rumor in the NBA. Perhaps some fans no longer believe the Philadelphia 76ers can develop him. In the end, the option of parting ways is tomorrow’s dilemma. Right now, Jahlil Okafor and the Philadelphia 76ers are aligned.

Next: Robert Covington: More than a Shooter

Jahlil Okafor can still score in double digits. it’s up to the Philadelphia 76ers to make certain those points count in a victory.

Bret Stuter

Bret Stuter is the site expert for Ramblin Fan who has covered the Los Angeles Rams for 5 years. Swept up into loving professional sports from a family that listened to games on the radio, he is at home cheering for HC Sean McVay and the Rams. Articles have been featured on B/R, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, Sporting News, and Washington Post. Bret loves to fish, and watch games at sports bars over pizza.