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'14 IL PF/C Jahlil Okafor (Duke Signee)

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Jahlil Okafor getting by with a little help from Jared Sullinger
Monday, August 06, 2012
By Jason Hickman | MaxPreps.com

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. ? It's been a long, busy summer for Jahlil Okafor.

The 6-foot-10, 275-pound rising junior center at Whitney Young (Chicago) has made stops in Minnesota, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia with his Mac Irvin Fire club team.

Okafor traveled from Colorado to the Canary Islands and eventually to Lithuania with USA Basketball's U17 team. He was in Las Vegas last week. The Chicago big man is wrapping it all up with his second trip to California this weekend at adidas Nations.

"It's been an amazing summer but it's been a long summer," Okafor said late Sunday night. "I'm ready to get home and get some rest."

All the travel and competition might be a little much to bear for the average teenager, but Okafor is getting plenty of good advice from someone who has traveled a similar path ? and he is often compared to ? in recent Boston Celtics first-round draft pick Jared Sullinger.

"He is like my big brother. He looks out for me and gives me advice," Okafor said. "He lets me know what to expect. Everything I'm going through he has already been through, so he helps me out a lot."

Sullinger's father, Satch, is on the coaching staff at adidas Nations and lit up when asked about Okafor.

"As soon as I saw him and saw him play, his body, even his looks, his footwork, reminds me so much of my son," said Satch, who has nicknamed Okafor "L.J." ? as in Little Jared. "He might even be a little more athletic (than Jared) but he's not a fierce rebounder yet like Jared is."

The highlight of Okafor's summer trek came in Lithuania as he led the United States to the gold medal at the FIBA U17 World Championship. He earned MVP honors after posting 13.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as the USA tore through the competition with an 8-0 record, thrashing opponents by an average margin of 39.9 points per game.

The best part of his trip to Lithuania?

"The best thing was just being at the hotel and being with my teammates like Tyus Jones."

The worst?

"No cell phone. Yeah, it doesn't work over there."

Being on the move has left little time for Okafor to address his recruitment, which is shaping up as a battle between heavy hitters like Michigan State, North Carolina and Ohio State.

"I'm pretty much just taking my time with everything," said Okafor, who expects to take visits in January. "I'm pretty much hearing from everybody. I'll sit down with my family pretty soon and figure out where to visit."

As a former Ohio State Buckeye, Jared Sullinger has recruiting advice for Okafor, as well.

"They have a great relationship and stay in contact," Satch Sullinger said of his son and Okafor. "Ohio State is recruiting Okafor and Jared is trying to encourage him to go."
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http://www.maxpreps.com/news/NeoUFI...y-with-a-little-help-from-jared-sullinger.htm
 
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Notebook: Jahlil Okafor stakes claim for No. 1 ranking
By Jeff Borzello | Recruiting Blogger
January 19, 2013

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Most of the focus at the Hoop Hall Classic is on the class of 2013, especially uncommitted players Andrew Wiggins and Aaron Gordon. Twenty-six of the top 100 players in the Composite Top 100 at 247 Sports will play -- it's what makes the event a must-see every winter.

However, Jahlil Okafor made sure people didn't forget about the future while at Springfield College's Blake Arena. The top-10 junior thoroughly dominated against nationally-ranked Poly (Calif.), as Whitney Young (Ill.) cruised to an 85-52 win.

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Jahlil Okafor had 26 points and seven rebounds. (Adidas)

The 6-foot-10 Okafor scored 26 points on 13-for-17 shooting, while also grabbing seven rebounds, blocking three shots and dishing out a pair of assists. Jordan Bell, one of the elite shot-blockers in the class of 2013, stood no chance of defending him.

In fact, Okafor made a really strong case for being ranked No. 1 in the junior class.

?Without equivocation, he's the No. 1 player in the country,? Whitney Young coach Tyrone Slaughter said. ?There's not one player that can guard him one-on-one.?

?Jahlil is the probably the best player in the country,? teammate Paul White added. ?Nobody can guard him.?

With five-star prospects Wiggins, Dakari Johnson and Wayne Selden all reclassifying into the class of 2013 from the junior class in the last eight months, Okafor is among the primary candidates for the top spot. Tyus Jones, Emmanuel Mudiay, Cliff Alexander, Chris McCullough, Trey Lyles and others are all viable candidates, but Okafor made his claim Saturday afternoon.

He dominated around the rim with ease, catching dumpoffs and finishing with dunks and layups. When double-teamed, he was patient and found open teammates. When asked what Okafor could improve upon, all Slaughter could come up with was rebounding out of his area and blocking shots.

?But that's just wishful thinking,? he said.

As far as recruiting, Okafor has a slew of schools on his list, although Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State, Ohio State, Louisville and North Carolina have seemed to be putting a little more heat on him.

He said Saturday he has no visits planned in the upcoming months.

Although things seem quiet on the recruiting front for now, his dominance on Saturday certainly made noise.
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http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...k-jahlil-okafor-stakes-claim-for-no-1-ranking
 
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17-Year-Old Takes All the Attention in Stride
By JOE SPRING
Published: February 16, 2013

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Logan Mock-Bunting for The New York Times
Jahlil Okafor before the Beach Ball Classic championship game in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in December.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. ? 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.

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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.

Okafor, otherwise known for his uncompromising work ethic, horsing around with his teammate Miles Reynolds. Paul White is at left.

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 in this resort town, where T-shirt shops abound and dinosaur and pirate statues guard miniature golf courses. He was gracious as adults and opposing players recognized him in the lobby of the Patricia Grand hotel, and a teenage girl giggled and said, ?How tall are you?? Throughout the tournament, he replied to questions in a soft, rich baritone and obliged requests for autographs and photographs.

cont..
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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/s...ng-way-above-the-rim.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb0D1GGFxJw"]Jahlil Okafor Top Big Man in 2014 Dominates Competition - Whitney Young - Mac Irvin Fire - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7cym2YSWt8"]Jahlil Okafor Peach Jam Lost MixTape - YouTube[/ame]
 
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Jahlil Okafor: The Next Great Center?
By Alex Kennedy
Senior NBA Writer

JahlilOkafor_InsideOnly1.jpg


Centers are an endangered species in today?s NBA. You can count the number of superstar centers on one hand, which is one reason why the NBA recently eliminated the center position from the All-Star ballot in exchange for an undefined frontcourt spot. With small ball and hybrid big men gaining popularity, traditional centers are extremely hard to come by these days. The big man era is quickly becoming a distant memory and the next wave of NBA stars consists primarily of guards and forwards.

That?s why Jahlil Okafor is such an intriguing player. It?s been quite awhile since the NBA could get excited about a traditional center prospect. However, Okafor has the potential to not only be one of the best centers in the NBA, but one of the league?s best players overall.

Talent evaluators have already fallen in love with the 17-year-old, praising his game and versatility. Unlike most one-dimensional young centers, Okafor is capable of dominating a game in a variety of ways. On one hand, he?s extremely athletic and powerful, as evidenced by the fact that he has broken two rims in his high school career. On the other hand, he has some of the best footwork and post moves of any prospect in recent memory. He can dunk on multiple defenders or score using fundamentals. Okafor is truly the complete package, which is why there?s so much buzz surrounding him.

Okafor is currently a junior at Whitney Young High School in Chicago. He led the Dolphins to the city title this year and was named the Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year over fellow five-star prospect Jabari Parker. He is considered the top overall recruit in the class of 2014 by nearly every ranking service. Okafor is projected to be the top pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, assuming he leaves college after one year. If Okafor realizes his full potential, he could be a franchise-changing player who has a very long and successful NBA career.

?That?s my goal,? Okafor told HOOPSWORLD.?I want to be the premier big man in the league and be extremely dominant on the offensive end and on the defensive end. That?s something that I?m doing right now. Hopefully I?ll be able to continue that in college and, if I?m fortunate enough, in the NBA.?

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Read more at http://www.hoopsworld.com/jahlil-okafor-the-next-big-thing/#Qbosq6yqw4AyUwhW.99
 
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If we get Okafor, we win the national title in 2014-15. That will be the senior year for Shannon Scott, Sam Thompson, Amir Williams, and (if he stays) LaQuinton Ross. Add that to Loving, Kam Williams, ADV, and the other recruits for 2014 that we have or will have, and I think that's a recipe for a championship.
 
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wigmon;2322426; said:
Outside of Okafor and Alexander, there are no head turners. We picked up Bell as a "backup" plan and long term center. We aren't getting Alexander and if we don't get Okafor, that will be it for this class.
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We are looking for a PG and will need one pretty badly as Scott will be a senior with no one behind him. Top target is Lyle.
 
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OhioState001;2322427; said:
We are looking for a PG and will need one pretty badly as Scott will be a senior with no one behind him. Top target is Lyle.
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I think the top target is Tyus Jones, which will come down to us, Duke, Kentucky, and Minnesota (depending on who they hire).
 
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OH10;2322439; said:
I think the top target is Tyus Jones, which will come down to us, Duke, Kentucky, and Minnesota (depending on who they hire).
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The Minny A.D. hired Shaka Smart at VCU and wanted him to interview but Smart decided to remain. Last speculation I read centered on former NBA coach and Cleveland native Flip Saunders.
 
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Akron Rick;2322551; said:
The Minny A.D. hired Shaka Smart at VCU and wanted him to interview but Smart decided to remain. Last speculation I read centered on former NBA coach, Cleveland native, Minnesota Alum and former Minnesota Assistant Coach Flip Saunders.
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FIFY.
 
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