Between Utah and Las Vegas, Okafor had an opportunity to display some of his offensive arsenal, and while he is far from a perfect post player, there is a lot to be excited about there for Sixers fans.
The fact that the team/s prized lottery pick was even able to play in Summer League immediately after being drafted could be considered a victory, as that has not been the case over the past two summers. Out on the court Okafor consistently drew double-teams, and more importantly showed the smarts to know what to do once they started to converge on him. The importance of this ability will be amplified when the big man from Duke actually has some solid shooters spaced around him to kick it out to.
Okafor demonstrated extremely impressive footwork around the rim for his age, as well as an ability to face up to the basket, take defenders off of the dribble, and even knock down some mid-range shots. He showed signs of being a legitimate go-to guy from the low-post, something the Sixers have long lacked. His free throw shooting needs some work, as does his defense, although his D was not as bad as advertised often throughout the summer sessions.
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| Via @MadeForPhilly |
Summer League stats need to be taken with a grain of salt, as all of the players are playing with new teammates, not all of whom are necessarily NBA caliber, while acclimating to the NBA pace of play. Okafor did however put up some solid, consistent stats throughout the summer, leading all five of the 2015 Draft's top picks on the stat sheet. In Vegas, he posted averages of 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 43% from the field.
The field goal percentage will need to improve, but there is little doubt that Okafor will develop into a reliable 20-10 type guy for Philadelphia, as his career got off to a solid start this summer.
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