Much of the Los Angeles Lakers’ legacy is about championship-caliber centers, and their future might hold a similar theme.
Mitch Kupchak will tab Duke’s monstrous one-and-done star, Jahlil Okafor, thereby anchoring the Purple and Gold frontcourt of the future. The 6’11” freshman might not have a megastar ceiling like Karl-Anthony Towns, but he’s a steady force to pair with Julius Randle and Kobe Bryant.
Although he revealed some flaws in college, his NBA value remains colossal due to his low-post dominance.
Whether he's posting up or facing up, Okafor has the footwork, power and fluidity to carve up defenders and command double-teams. He tallied 23 points per 40 minutes as a freshman, piling up the buckets efficiently via 66.4 percent shooting.
The big fella also showed nice instincts for passing to shooters and cutters, and he projects to be a formidable offensive rebounder. His free-throw shooting and defense away from the basket are notable concerns, but they're both areas he can hone with hard work and coaching.
While Okafor might not reach the megastar stratosphere, he'll be a rock-solid frontcourt cornerstone at the very least. Throwback low-post big men are still valuable because they draw attention and open things up for shooters.
