17 Year old center

[vulcan_alex]

From the NYT - http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/sport ... B388CE7BAD

Jahlil Okafor is a 17-year-old basketball star from Chicago with the bulk to knock opponents down and the explosiveness to jump over them, but he prefers to use a quiver of throwback moves and nimble size 17 feet to whisk around them.

Logan Mock-Bunting for The New York Times

Jahlil Okafor, left, of Whitney Young High in Chicago, was offered a scholarship by DePaul as an eighth grader.

Off the court, he is less evasive.

At 6 feet 11 inches and 270 pounds, Okafor stood out at the Beach Ball Classic in late December .

Last summer, Okafor was named the most valuable player of the under-17 world championships after leading the United States to a gold medal. This season, he is averaging about 21 points and 9 rebounds a game for Whitney Young High School and leaving rival coaches grasping for comparisons.

“In 30-some years we’ve played teams of the highest level, and I can’t remember anybody better than him,” Coach Billy Hicks of Scott County High School in Kentucky said.

But he scored from either side of the lane with either hand, on choreographed back-to-the-basket moves, jump shots and improvised drives. Okafor’s repertory clearly impressed Hicks, but not as much as his composure.

“He didn’t back off any, didn’t get mad, never showed a temper, and he had a lot of reasons to do so, probably,” Hicks said.


Seems like a player we should look into, after all KY can't get all the best players.
Bloviate!!!

[rogdochar]

Only way I hope we get Okafor is with the chance he'll fall in love
with being here, with a girl here = any such thing that would make
him stay 2-3 years at UF. Wait .. Chicago ... send Joakim Noah to
talk to him about college at UF.

[vulcan_alex]

Only way I hope we get Okafor is with the chance he'll fall in love
with being here, with a girl here = any such thing that would make
him stay 2-3 years at UF. Wait .. Chicago ... send Joakim Noah to
talk to him about college at UF.

I would take him as a one and done if that was what he desired. We had one that worked out OK. Good idea to send Joakim to recruit him if that is acceptable under the rules.

[kmayergator]

Doesn't Billy coach that Under-17 team? Could be very helpful in recruiting!

[GatorBart]

Doesn't Billy coach that Under-17 team? Could be very helpful in recruiting!

He did, I believe, as their was an article about him coaching Julius Randle, one of the best players still unsigned for 2013. This summer I think he has the Under 19s for USA.