Most college hoops fans are still winding down after a thrilling NCAA Tournament, with the Kentucky Wildcats taking home the 2012 NCAA Title. In the process, an unbelievable new trend of starting 5 underclassmen has become not only a key to success, but possibly even the blueprint for winning on the collegiate level.
That’s precisely why so much fuss was made of UCLA and Kentucky reeling in the top 2 recruiting classes in the nation behind the prolific scoring #2 rated Shabazz Muhammed(UCLA) and shot-blocking, top rated Nerlens Noel(Kentucky), who are immediate impact players capable of helping lead their squads deep into next season’s NCAA Tournament in their freshman seasons.
With most of the HS seniors in the 2012 Class locked into college commitments for next season, most high major head coaches and their staffs are now focusing on the next crop of superstar underclassmen like juniors Jabari Parker, Julius Randle, and the Harrison twins, along with scintillating sophomores Andrew Wiggins and Jahlil Okafor.
Since the key to elite level recruiting is to find a big man to anchor your defense and get in as early as possible, seemingly every coach in America is focusing on the #2 ranked player in the 2014 Class Jahlil Okafor. Okafor played center for Chicago powerhouse Whitney Young and is hooping it up currently for the Mac Irvin Fire on the AAU circuit. Jahlil is the distant cousin of 8 year NBA veteran Emeka Okafor.
He is a monsterous 6’9 and 270 lbs, with super soft hands and cat-like reflexes in the low post, which he uses to execute a plethora of lightning quick spin moves to score at will. He reminds many of an even bigger and more talented Jared Sullinger because of his already advanced offensive skill set at such a young age. He has already been offered a full ride by virtually every high major school like Arizona, UConn, Duke, Georgetown, and UNC, among others.
Okafor and his Mac Irvin Fire teammates are one of the few elite AAU squads competing in the 2nd tour of the EYBL this week in Hampton, VA and in a show of force, reminded many of a young Shaquille O’Neal by destroying the rim in a recent contest……
Check out Jahlil Okafor Breaking the Rim:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen has also provided content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, Cleveland.com, CSN Philly.com, Buckets Magazine, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
