Philly Sports Jabronis
Report From Philadelphia 76ers
Appearing in his first NBA All-Star Weekend event, Jahlil Okafor looked the part. The Sixers’ rookie assumed a key role in Friday’s BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge, helping the United States erase an early deficit in their 157-154 victory over a team of fellow rookies and sophomores representing the rest of the World. Okafor finished with 13 points (6-7 fg), four rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
“It was fun,” Okafor told a group of reporters afterwards. “I wish Nerlens [Noel] could have played. It would have been good to have one of your teammates with you. He was on the bench. We were pretty much joking the whole time. It was a fun trip.”
Although Noel was sidelined with tendinitis in his right knee, he still attended Friday’s festivities at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Initially used off the bench, Okafor checked into the exhibition with 11:16 remaining in the first half, and the U.S. down, 42-36. He first surfaced on the stat sheet moments later, threading a high-low feed to Phoenix first-year guard Devin Booker. The assist produced a lay-up that brought the Americans within two points, after they had trailed by as many as eight.
On the U.S.’s next trip down the floor, Okafor himself went on the attack, driving straight into the lane, and knocking down a turnaround four-foot jumpshot over Houston’s Clint Capela. Then, with just over five minutes to go in the first stanza, the Sixers’ big man put together an impressive two-way sequence that actually ended up giving the United States the lead for good.
After positioning the U.S. for an 88-79 halftime edge, Okafor received the starting nod at center following the break. He needed just 10 seconds to deposit his third field goal.
Then, three minutes later, Okafor provided what might have been the most unexpected and entertaining development of the evening. At 6’11” tall, 275 pounds, Okafor not only attempted a three-point shot, but managed to swish it perfectly through the bottom of the net.
Given Kristaps Porzingis’ defense at the top of the arc, it was as if the first-year New York forward was practically daring Okafor to let fly. The attempt was pure, despite Okafor not having tried his hand at a single three-pointer during his freshman season at Duke last year, and having misfired on all three of his perimeter attempts so far with the Sixers.
Okafor served up yet another highlight later in the second half, when he rumbled through the paint to throw down an authoritative slam on Andrew Wiggins, the 2015 NBA Rookie of the Year.
Okafor spent most of the middle stages of the second half as a spectator, but returned to the floor with two minutes left in regulation, and the United States ahead by six. The Duke product subbed out for the final time with 23 seconds to go.
“I tried to compete, and I’m happy we got the win,” he said. Okafor’s biggest takeaway from his two days in Toronto was sitting in on a “players’ meeting, NBPA meeting, part of the union.”
“All the guys like Steph [Curry], Chris Paul, it was cool. It was just cool to see the support system, and just knowing how all the guys in the NBA we’re all together and we’re all here for one another.”
Minnesota guard Zach LaVine cranked out 30 points for the U.S. in the Rising Stars Challenge, and shared game-high scoring honors with Porzingis and Denver’s Emmanuel Mudiay, who also tallied 10 assists. LaVine, last year’s Slam Dunk Contest champion, was tabbed Friday’s MVP.
