Jahlil Okafor on NBA draft: 'I don't know if I should go No. 1'
NBA draft prospect Jahlil Okafor says he isn't concerned with being the first pick.
"I don't know that I should go No. 1," Okafor told SI Now host Maggie Gray in an interview that will air Wednesday. "I don't care. I just want to go to the right environment for me and the right team. I think the hype about No. 1 is more for the fans."
Okafor is said to be competing with former Kentucky center Karl-Anthony Towns for the the top pick in the draft. Entering the lottery, the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks had the best odds of securing the first pick in Tuesday night's lottery and both teams are in need of a center. The Timberwolves won the No. 1 pick while the Knicks finished at No. 4.
Okafor left Duke after helping to lead the Blue Devils to a national championship in his freshman season. He was a consensus All-America selection after averaging 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. His teammate Justise Winslow is also expected to be a high pick.
- Dan Gartland