Three Things Jahlil Okafor can do to Improve his Game Quickly

While it is unreasonable to expect Jahlil Okafor to suddenly become a stalwart defender, develop a mid-range jump shot, or become a 90 percent free throw shooter, these three changes are subtle tendencies that can be easily fixed with proper coaching.

Being Decisive at the Elbow

In large part due to their use of Mike D’Antoni’s Elbow Series, the league leading team in elbow touches are the Philadelphia 76ers at 25 per game. Out of those 25, Okafor averages 7.9 elbow touches.This ranks him at the highest among the Philadelphia 76ers and fourth most league-wide.

Of the 47 players receiving three or more elbow touches per game, Okafor ranks 43rd in assist percentage and has the 19th highest turnover percentage.  And therein lies the rub.

In analyzing the film, Okafor’s issues result primarily from indecision. He idles when there is no obvious first option.  It’s that hesitation which allows for guards to apply overly effective pressure or simply force Jahlil to make a rushed pass.

(Stats courtesy of nba.com)

While quick guards like Mike Conley are a pest for any big man, Okafor struggles mightily to sniff out the pressure in these situations.

There are times when Okafor does recognize the guard pressure coming.

In these cases, however, he often nervously tries to get rid of the ball as opposed to simply keeping it high and away from the guard’s reach.

In this video example, he is so worried about J.R. Smith picking his pocket that he lowers his shoulder into him.  That draws the flag for an unnecessary offensive foul as opposed to relying on sound positioning.

Basketball is all about instincts, but Okafor seems to question his here.

Next: Easy To Avoid

Dec 2, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) drives against Orlando Magic center Bismack Biyombo (11) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Orlando Magic won 105-88. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Easy To Avoid

The aggravating parts of this issue are that these mistakes are very easily avoided, and that Okafor occasionally does display tremendous ability to use guard pressure to his advantage. Out of the low post here, Okafor recognizes DeMar DeRozan attempting to swipe at him, and quickly finds Gerald Henderson for the open three.

When Okafor isn’t being blitzed by guards, the results are not much prettier. He has a propensity for comically lazy entry passes that create abundant live-ball turnovers.

Okafor’s issues result from execution rather than recognition. In each of these cases, Okafor accurately reads the situation and notices a mismatch or an advantageous position. He is simply too lackadaisical in his delivery.

While the stats and film are worrisome, we should find comfort in knowing that this could be resolved with expected player development and four words from Brett Brown: “Keep the ball high!” Given that the Sixers are unlikely to stop running the Elbow Series, Okafor’s improvement in this area is paramount.

Dec 14, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) controls the ball against Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas (17) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Toronto Raptors won 123.114. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Battling for Post Position

At 6’11” and 275 pounds, there is absolutely no reason that Okafor should get pushed out to the perimeter as often as he does. Far too often, Okafor is content to start his post-ups near the three point line as opposed to battling for position on the low block.

Okafor is remarkably content to be pushed out near the three point line. The subsequent need for several slow, pounding dribbles to regain ground kills his momentum and allows time for other defenders to help. In this clip, it’s unclear why Jahlil jumps outward to receive the entry pass. He is then forced to face up and dribbles himself into precarious position.

Last season, 22.7 percent of Okafor’s field goal attempts came after more than three dribbles.  From those, he shot with 43.1 percent accuracy.  On attempts with three or less dribbles, he shot 52.8 percent from the floor.

His inclination to start his post-ups far away from the basket lead to extra dribbles and lower efficiency. Given that Okafor is as big and strong as anyone in the NBA, I am inclined to believe that this habit is sheer lack of discipline and effort. In short, inexperience.

This, too, should improve with coaching over the course of his career.

Dec 14, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) scores against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. The Toronto Raptors won 123.114. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Less Slow Post-ups, More Quick ISOs

As it stands, Okafor’s post-ups are not providing maximum efficiency. Okafor’s offensive play-type stats are very revealing.

Unfortunately, Okafor’s post-ups account for 39.6 percent compared to 21.9 percent for isolation. As noted on the previous slide, Okafor has a tendency to dribble the air out of the ball on his post-ups.

Okafor is very adept at taking bigs off the dribble, a skill that is considerably underutilized.

Notice how much better Okafor is when he makes quick decisions to attack as opposed to taking several back-down dribbles.

Conventional thinking in today’s NBA says that isolation situations are generally inefficient.

But Okafor’s high relative efficiency makes his isolating a viable part of any offense. No matter how much teams try to avoid it, isolation will always remain a major part of NBA offenses.

Having a player like Okafor to shoulder that burden in an efficient manner is a huge plus. The Sixers must figure out how to prioritize his isolations over his post-ups to maximize efficiency.

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