The Sixer Sense
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5 reasons why irrelevance of Philadelphia 76ers Jahlil Okafor is exaggerated.

By Bret Stuter

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Jahlil Okafor #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers is seen at the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the San Antonio Spurs during the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League on July 9, 2017 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Jahlil Okafor #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers is seen at the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the San Antonio Spurs during the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League on July 9, 2017 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Reason I: 21 years old is too early to declare a 20 PPG talent irrelevant

At 21 years old, I was nowhere close to mature.  At 21 years, Jahlil Okafor entered the second season of his NBA career. He had already averaged close to that magical 20 points per game. He was already part of the NBA future.

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    • But despite his NBA success early in his life, he is still just 21 years old. He just became legal age to consume alcohol.  But he is washed up? Over?

    Experience is an invaluable educator. The more painful the experience, the more deeply the lesson is learned. And folks, whether you accept it or not, Jahlil Okafor has struggled to get his NBA footing – both socially and professionally.

    Mulligan

    Yes, he made some mistakes. He made the same mistakes so many of us have made. But in our circumstances, we were not filmed and rebroadcast around the social media world for all to see. And in the process of trying to redeem his off-court antics, he fell to injury on-the-court.

    Philadelphia fans love their players, or at least most of them.   But when a player shows less passion then their expectations, it’s a tough audience. The more egregious display happened when he was caught hesitating on film in a defensive set.  That was the straw that broke nearly every fans patience with the young man. But the image burned into everyone’s memory also burned away the images of impossible shots made in double and triple teams.  Such is the life of a young and learning basketball player.