Jahlil Okafor: Top 10 Sixers busts since 2000
Jahlil Okafor rode the wave of college success until reality set in, and that wave crashed after getting drafted by the Sixers. Although he won a national title with the Duke Blue Devils, Okafor has struggled in his NBA career, which started in Philadelphia.
Where do we start? Out the gate, his promise as a player became dubious the moment Sixers fans realized he was the third center selected by Sam Hinkie in consecutive years. With Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid already on the roster, Okafor was far from the logical choice at the number three spot in the NBA Draft.
Most Sixers fans were hoping the team would select D’Angelo Russell to be the floor general and complement the previously mentioned centers, but he went to the Lakers with their second pick. From day one, it was Jahlil Okafor’s team with Joel Embiid sitting out the 2015 season.
Despite averaging 17 points and leading the team in scoring his rookie year, he grabbed an underwhelming seven rebounds per contest. In addition, his defense was atrocious, and his conditioning was questionable.
His on-court woes were compounded by his off-court shenanigans. In his rookie season, Okafor got into several physical altercations, one in Philly and one in Boston, mainly due to intoxication. His driving violation for speeding 108 MPH over the Ben Franklin Bridge surely did not improve his stock.
Some may come to his defense, lamenting his early struggles were in part because of the team’s historic losing season. Yet, he attended one of the premier universities, led by a Hall of Fame coach with the most prestigious program in college basketball. His pedigree was solid. His decisions were not.
With what started as a hopeful career with the Sixers, Okafor was doomed from the beginning. The franchise was still tanking for higher draft assets. Then again, he’s had chances with other teams to salvage his career, but his 10.4 PPG and 4.7 RPG numbers, along with sketchy defensive skills, have made him a liability. In 2021, Okafor was waived by Brooklyn and Atlanta in a span of just two months.
After earning $21 million and playing six seasons, Okafor is currently not on an NBA roster.