The Duke Blue Devils are always a team that people expect to compete for an ACC Championship and make noise when March Madness rolls around, and this past season was no different in that regard. What was different about this season was that Duke featured the potential number one draft pick in the 2015 NBA Draft as the anchor of their team.
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True freshman Jahlil Okafor arrived in Durham with much fanfare, and he rarely failed to disappoint on the court. He posted a number of outstanding efforts, and despite a somewhat lackluster NCAA Tournament, he still played a major role in Duke winning the national title. He has already declared for the NBA Draft, and he is expected to be a top-two pick. But according to TMZ, Okafor's father thinks that his legacy runs even deeper than that.
Chukwudi Okafor, Jahlil's father, says that his son is the best basketball player ever to come from the city of Chicago. "My son's absolutely the most decorated player ever from the city," he said.
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Okafor does boast an impressive resume. Beyond the national title, he was also a first-team All-American and has been a FIBA gold medalist three times, and all before he ever sets foot on the court for an NBA team.
Still, the list of players that hail from Chicago has some impressive names on it, including Derrick Rose, Isiah Thomas, Dwyane Wade, and Kevin Garnett. It may be a little early to put Okafor in such lofty company.
Okafor's father also went on to comment on his son's legacy at Duke, saying, "He should go down as a legend at Duke. He brought them a banner."
And as for which team Jahlil might end up with after the draft? "We really have no control over where he ends up, but I'll say this, I love New York and L.A.," said Okafor's dad.
The Knicks are going to finish with the worst record in the league, giving them the best chance at the top pick in the draft. The Lakers will likely finish with one of the worst four or five records in the league, which means they will also have a fair shot at a top pick. But, as we have all seen before, anything can happen in the NBA Draft Lottery.
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