Duke in the NBA: Jahlil Okafor out for 1-2 weeks with ankle sprain
The former Duke Basketball star, Jahlil Okafor, will be sidelined for about 1-2 weeks with a right ankle sprain.
In his first ever game with the New Orleans Pelicans, Jahlil Okafor was reminding fans of the Jah we saw during Duke’s 2015 National Title run.
Okafor had eight points and seven rebounds in 17 minutes against his hometown Chicago Bulls, but the Chicago native then injured his ankle and was seen leaving the arena on crutches.
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However, the former third overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft received some good news after the MRI he underwent on Monday, as he will only miss 1-2 weeks with a right ankle sprain.
Okafor signed with the Pelicans in August as the team failed to resign DeMarcus Cousins after an achilles injury and visioned Okafor as a great complimentary piece to superstar Antony Davis.
The six foot, eleven inch big man formerly played for the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.
With the 76ers Okafor was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team before the franchise moved him to the bench for the finally healthy Joel Embiid.
In his All-Rookie season of 2015-16, Okafor averaged 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game before seeing his numbers drop dramatically.
Okafor then averaged 11.8 points per game in 2016-17 before averaging 5.0 points per game in only two games with the 76ers last season before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets and playing in 26 games, averaging 6.4 points per game.
The New Orleans Pelicans start their regular season on Wednesday, October 17 at the Houston Rockets.
With the timetable given, Okafor should be back on the floor for that game as the Pelicans try to make the postseason once again, coming off of their First Round sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers before losing the Western Conference Semi-Finals 4-1 to the eventual NBA Champions Golden State Warriors.
Jahlil Okafor is ready for a fresh start with a new franchise in a new conference as he looks to prove once again that he belongs and can thrive in the NBA.