As arguably one of the most dominant offensive players in college basketball last season, Jahlil Okafor had professional scouts drooling at the prospect of drafting the 19-year-old.
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Okafor’s footwork and postgame is solid and has Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak thinking he’ll make an impact right out of the gate next season, via Lakers reporter Mike Trudell:
Kupchak says Okafor can make an impact right away despite his age (19): “Offensively, what he does will translate quickly to the NBA.”
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) June 9, 2015
It seems clear the Lakers would be content with drafting Okafor on June 25. The Duke standout would instantly improve the frontcourt alongside fellow lottery pick Julius Randle.
Okafor also talked about the potential combination with Randle in Los Angeles believing the two would work well together in the frontcourt. The pairing of the two talented bigs is an exciting prospect for the Lakers organization and may be inevitable if the former Blue Devils ends up falling Los Angeles with the second pick in the draft.
Although Okafor is incredibly talented and potentially a player that can be elite at his position in the NBA, nothing is set in stone at this point in time. The Minnesota Timberwolves’ intentions on draft day still remain unclear with talk of the team possibly taking Okafor over Towns when the time comes.
Regardless of the outcome of June’s draft, the Lakers will end up with a potential game-changing player that will help shape the future of the franchise. Okafor would be an ideal fit and it be a foregone conclusion that he’ll be wearing purple and gold at the start of next season.
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