A former Duke basketball legend showed some love to a current teammate of his and a fellow member of The Brotherhood.
The Duke basketball motto, “The Brotherhood,” isn’t just a saying. It’s a lifestyle for those who come through the hallowed halls of Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Whether players were on the same team during their times in Durham or separated by five, 10, or 15 years, there is one constant within the Blue Devils that links the players together: Mike Krzyzewski.
A former star under Krzyzewski who hasn’t truly lived up to his expectations in the NBA following his one season at Duke is former National Champion Jahlil Okafor.
Okafor, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, has bounced around the league and tried to adjust his game to become more of a perimeter-oriented player rather than a back-to-the-basket center.
After being drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers as an insurance policy to Joel Embiid, Okafor then was with the Brooklyn Nets for half a season before landing in New Orleans, eventually joined by former Blue Devils JJ Redick, Brandon Ingram, Frank Jackson, and Zion Williamson.
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The 6-foot-10 center is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent once the new league year begins.
However, his fellow ‘Brotherhood’ teammate in New Orleans, Zion Williamson, is showing his center some love on social media.
A video was posted showing Okafor’s high school highlights with the caption, “Jahlil Okafor high school mixtape is one of the sickest for big men!” Williamson quote-tweeted the video and said, “Still a bucket, no question.”
Still a bucket, no question https://t.co/NxTrlAT4J8
— Zion Williamson (@Zionwilliamson) October 30, 2020
Williamson perhaps knows something that his former coach, Alvin Gentry, did not after constantly sitting Jahlil Okafor despite his unmatched offensive production when on the floor.
Following its elimination from the NBA bubble, New Orleans fired Gentry and recently hired Stan Van Gundy as its new head coach.
Where could the former Duke basketball star land in free agency?
Uncertain times lurk all over the country, the NBA included, and for players entering free agency this offseason, it’s going to be an uncertain period of time, even for the former Duke basketball superstar.
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Bubble games not included, Okafor played 30 games this season for New Orleans, averaging 15.6 minutes, 8.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.
Jahlil Okafor certainly won’t be breaking the bank on the contract he signs this offseason, but a contending team could find an offensively dominant back-up center for a relatively cheap price.