Inside the Sixers: Summer leagues showed Okafor's strengths, shortcomings

LAS VEGAS - One thing appears to be certain for the 76ers: Their top scoring option is Jahlil Okafor.

The third pick in the NBA draft averaged 15.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in five games in the NBA and Utah Jazz summer leagues, scoring 18 or more points on three occasions.

Okafor routinely drew oohs and aahs from crowds.

Yet he still has plenty of room to improve. The 6-foot-11, 270-pounder failed to shoot above 50 percent in any of his games. He struggled to consistently make shots outside eight feet, and the below-the-rim post player routinely had his shot blocked.

And those weren't his only flaws.

The 19-year-old out of Duke made just 39.1 percent of his foul shots and averaged 4.6 turnovers.

Okafor's superiority and shortcomings were on full display in a loss Tuesday to the New York Knicks. He finished with 18 points and six rebounds. However, he had his shot blocked five times, had four turnovers, and made just 2 of 7 free throws.

"Honestly, I think people are spending way too much time on getting his shot blocked," said Sean Rooks, the Sixers' player-development coach. "That happens in a game. All week long all people want to talk about is how they blocked one shot or two shots.

"But nobody wants to talk about [how many times] he had 18 points and pretty much played his own way and had to be double-teamed in his first year for every game."

The Sixers want Okafor to do a better job of reading double-teams, understanding spacing, and not allowing himself to get pushed out on the block when trying to make moves. Those things could make him a more efficient scorer.

"I'm going to work on every part of my game," Okafor said of preparing for training camp. "I didn't come out here and expect to be perfect. I got better and that was my goal."

Now his goals are to help the Sixers improve and become the rookie of the year.

He will be a favorite to win the award just on the strength of the scoring opportunities he'll get as the focal point of the offense. Sixers fans, however, need to be patient.

Okafor will struggle on occasion. All rookies do, especially the ones with one season of college experience.

"I'm not sure," he said when asked about his biggest challenge as a rookie. "I heard 82 games is a lot on your body and your mind. So I'm getting a lot of advice."

For now, he said the biggest difference from college has been the shot clock. The NBA has a 24-second shot clock as opposed to the 35 seconds he played under in college. He has to get up the court and in position on the block faster than he's been used to.

Fellow Chicago native and Duke product Jabari Parker is the guy Okafor seeks the most advice from. Parker was drafted second overall in 2014 by the Milwaukee Bucks. His rookie campaign was cut to 25 games when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Parker told Okafor that working harder than he ever has before is a requirement for a successful NBA career.

He's off to a good start.

Okafor was at the Sixers practice facility for 6:30 a.m. workouts shortly after the June 25 draft.

"He's going to be a great guy to work with," Rooks said. "A guy possessing that much talent, it's really just about details and him learning just how to make life easier for him.

"Obviously, the difference between summer league and the NBA is bigger, strong guys with more experience. But he has a great enough package that if he keeps working and paying attention to the details, he's going to be fine."

New guard. Scottie Wilbekin will sign a partially guaranteed, four-year contract with the 76ers on Wednesday, according to sources. RealGM first reported he agreed to sign, but didn't have the day.

Wilbekin played with the Sixers in the NBA Summer League. He will be the fifth point guard on the roster and can also play shooting guard.

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