Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor is dropping weight — but is that enough to boost his performance?
Jahlil Okafor’s time with the Philadelphia 76ers has been plagued by disappointment. Whether it be with health or on-court performance, the former national champion at Duke has struggled to support the hype that once buoyed his stock coming out of the collegiate ranks.
Part of his limited production has been stylistic, as players who get the bulk of their production from isolation post moves tend to get lost in the pace-and-space trends of today’s NBA. The other part, however, has been related to health — and his weight has been the foremost contributing factor.
Philadelphia 76ers
Okafor already lacked the exterior prowess that most teams want from their fives, but entering last season at 278 pounds likely didn’t help. He struggled to put in the needed effort defensively, while his knee issues — which held him out for 11 games last season — aren’t being rectified by any extra weight.
At 6-foot-11, Okafor’s game has always revolved around the post. He throws his body around offensively, using strength and complex footwork to carve out space and get off shots around the rim. In years past, even during his tenure at Duke, having some additional mass may have been a benefit.
That doesn’t work in the NBA, though. Players need the mobility to switch screens and stay nimble around the basket defensively, while Okafor has appeared winded and disinterested far too often — on both ends. There’s nothing wrong with being a strong-bodied big, but you need to have the conditioning to back it up.
Okafor has been making strides in that regard this offseason. He has reportedly taken on a “mostly vegan diet,” while dropping down to 258 pounds in the process. That’s 20 fewer than where he was entering last season.
The concern now shifts to whether or not that’s enough. Whether or not dropping weight is what will lift Okafor’s game to the next level. That’s where the stylistic benefits of weight loss come in, and where the debate gets a bit cloudy.
We still don’t know how Okafor will look 20 pounds lighter. A lot of his success depends on how well he moves, and there’s no guarantee that dropping to 258 is enough to drastically increase his mobility. Energy also factors into the equation, and that’s not always something Okafor has been willing to put in. If his effort level doesn’t increase, than these weight loss efforts could all be for naught.
The problems with Okafor’s production have stretched beyond conditioning as well. His post-heavy, isolation-laden approach doesn’t have much value in modern offenses — especially when you consider Brett Brown’s reliance on ball and player movement.
If improved conditioning doesn’t spark an improved exterior game, whether it be handling himself more cleanly on the perimeter or adding a more reliable jumper, it’s difficult to foresee any serious uptick in production.
Inefficiency has killed Okafor in the past, and dropping weight won’t make those vicious spin moves towards the rim any more successful. It comes down to what he can add to his game more so than what he subtracts from his body.
There’s some undeniable benefit in Okafor slimming down, and his willingness to commit to weight loss is a promising sign. But he’ll still need to apply that on the floor, which means showing more energy on the defensive end while boosting his repertoire offensively.
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