Leading up to Duke basketball’s first game of the season Nov. 14 against Presbyterian, The Blue Zone will preview an expected contributor on this 2014-2015 squad each day, continuing today with center Jahlil Okafor.
Jahlil Okafor
- Year: Freshman
- Height: 6-foot-11
- Position: Center
Game breakdown: Billed as one of the most polished big man recruits coming out of high school in recent memory, Okafor will immediately become the focal point of the Duke offense. Battle-tested coming out of a basketball hotbed in Chicago, the center presents matchup nightmares for opposing coaches because of his size and athleticism. Okafor's footwork is what sets him apart from other talented recruits; he can make all the moves, from baby hooks to spin moves, and can even handle the ball reasonably well down low.
Factor in his mid-range game—he's able to consistently hit jumpers from around the elbow at the foul line—and his quickness, and there may be no player in the college game able to keep up with Okafor one-on-one. With no sample size to judge high-profile recruits, it's easy to be skeptical and say that top freshmen never turn out to be as good as advertised. Okafor might be.
Role on the team: Okafor is the post-up presence that Duke lacked last season and will be looked to as the Blue Devils' go-to scorer. Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood were able to create their own shots off the drive, but too often settled for outside jumpers. In Okafor, head coach Mike Krzyzewski has a large target down low through which to run his offense. Feeding the freshman will be a priority, and Okafor is a willing passer who has seen double-teams for most of his basketball career.
All this is to say that the AP Preseason Player of the Year will present opposing defenses with a catch-22: send double-teams to Okafor to make it harder for him to turn and score at the risk of leaving open knock-down shooters around the perimeter, or stay with the Duke guards on the wings and give Okafor free reign down low. The Blue Devils have to like their chances regardless of which strategy their opponents choose. The result should be high-quality look after high-quality look for Duke on the offensive end.
Defensively, Okafor's height and length should dissuade opponents from driving through the lane. Last year's Blue Devils struggled to protect the rim, but the presence of the 6-foot-11 center—coupled with his willingness to follow the cues of junior Amile Jefferson and be an active communicator—will immediately make Duke a better defensive unit. Although not a cure-all, Okafor's size should also help the Blue Devils compete on the glass, another area in which last year's team measured up short—literally.
Player comparison: Okafor's size, footwork and portfolio of shots provoke comparisons to San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan. Duncan's game has never been predicated on flash or sudden displays of freakish athleticism, but the four-time NBA champion has thrived on consistency and flawless fundamentals and footwork. Like Duncan, Okafor also has more range than the typical back-to-the-basket post player, able to step outside the paint and knock down a mid-range jumper, as the freshman did multiple times in the Countdown to Craziness scrimmage. He also seems particularly fond of using the glass, a staple in Duncan's game. Okafor may be a better athlete than Duncan, and his ability to score in a variety of ways will make him a dangerous weapon this season and at the next level.
Projected stats: 18.1 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.3 BPG
Players we've already previewed: Grayson Allen, Justise Winslow, Tyus Jones
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