The Los Angeles Lakers were extremely fortunate on Tuesday, moving up in the NBA Draft Lottery from their fourth slot, winning the second overall pick for next month’s NBA Draft.
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Duke’s Jahlil Okafor and Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns are looked at as the top two prospects with most having Towns at the top spot. That could be a good thing for all parties, however as Jonathan Givony of Draft Express says that Okafor wants to be selected by the Lakers:
Jahlil Okafor reportedly wants to be picked by the LA Lakers. His chances of that happening just got much much higher.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 20, 2015
Okafor could be the next in line of great Lakers bigs. He is a true center with an extremely polished post game. He averaged 17.3 points and 8.5 rebounds and was a consensus All-American who helped lead Duke to the National Championship.
With Towns reportedly atop most teams draft boards, the likelihood of Okafor being available for the Lakers at number two seems high. There are reports though that the Minnesota Timberwolves actually prefer Okafor to Towns which could change things for the Lakers.
Though the Lakers had a number of capable players up front last season, none of them was the dominant back-to-the-basket player that Okafor has the potential to be. Ed Davis and Carlos Boozer will both be free agents and the Lakers own a team option on Jordan Hill so his return is in question as well. Okafor could slide right in as the starting center for the Lakers should he be taken with the second pick.
[divide]MyNBADraft.com Draft Profiles: Jahlil Okafor