Jahlil Okafor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jahlil Okafor

Okafor during the 2015 NBA Summer League
No. 22 – Levanga Hokkaido
Center
Personal information
Born	(1995-12-15) December 15, 1995 (age 29) Fort Smith, Arkansas, U.S.
Nationality	Nigerian / American
High school	Whitney Young (Chicago, Illinois)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	270 lb (122 kg)
Career information
College	Duke (2014–2015)
NBA Draft	2015 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers
Pro career	2015–present
League	B.League
Career history
2015–2017	Philadelphia 76ers
2017–2018	Brooklyn Nets
2018–2020	New Orleans Pelicans
2020–2021	Detroit Pistons
2022	Zhejiang Lions
2022–2023	Mexico City Capitanes
2023	Casademont Zaragoza
2023–2024	Zhejiang Lions
2024	Capitanes de Arecibo
2024–2025	Indiana Mad Ants
2025	Indiana Pacers
2025–present	Levanga Hokkaido
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie First Team (2016) NBA G League Up Next Game (2025) BSN All-Star (2024) NCAA champion (2015) Consensus first-team All-American (2015) USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2015) Pete Newell Big Man Award (2015) ACC Player of the Year (2015) First-team All-ACC (2015) ACC Rookie of the Year (2015) Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year (2014) USA Today High School Player of the Year (2014) McDonald's All-American Game co-MVP (2014) First-team Parade All-American (2014) Illinois Mr. Basketball (2014) FIBA Under-17 World Cup MVP (2012)
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States FIBA World U19 Cup Gold 2013 Czech Republic National team FIBA World U17 Cup Gold 2012 Lithuania National team FIBA Americas U16 Championship Gold 2011 Mexico National team

Jahlil Obika Okafor (born December 15, 1995) is a professional basketball player. He plays as a center for Levanga Hokkaido in Japan's B.League. Before becoming a pro, he played college basketball for Duke University. He was a key player on the Duke team that won the national championship in 2015. The Philadelphia 76ers picked him third overall in the 2015 NBA draft.

Jahlil was a top basketball talent even before high school. He played high school basketball in Chicago, Illinois, at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. There, he won several national player of the year awards. He joined Duke University along with another talented player, Tyus Jones. At Duke, he was named the best freshman player in the country and the best player in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He was also chosen as a first-team All-American.

Early Life and Family

Jahlil Okafor was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas. His father, Chukwudi, is Nigerian-American. His mother, Dacresha Lanett Benton, passed away when Jahlil was nine years old. After his mother's death, Jahlil moved to Chicago to live with his father.

He attended Rosemont Elementary School. It was a bit tough for him because he was very shy and already very tall. By seventh grade, he was 6 feet 5 inches tall, the same height as his father. Later, his family moved to Chicago's North Side so Jahlil could go to Whitney M. Young Magnet High School.

High School Basketball Journey

Jahlil Okafor and his teammate Paul White were considered the best new players in the Chicago area. They joined a strong team at Whitney Young High School. Jahlil felt he wasn't a "key player" at first, but seeing other top players made him want to improve.

After his first year, Jahlil was seen as the second-best college basketball prospect in Chicago. Scouts noted his improved jump shot, quick feet, and soft hands. By his sophomore year, many thought he could become the best player in his national class.

Junior Year Highlights

In June 2012, Sports Illustrated called Jahlil one of their "Future Game Changers." This group included young athletes expected to be stars in their sports. Many top colleges, like Kentucky, Ohio State, and Duke, offered him scholarships.

Jahlil was named one of the top players in the country before his junior season. His team, Whitney Young, was also ranked highly. He helped his team win the Public League Championship game in overtime. Jahlil was named the Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year. He also finished second in the voting for Illinois Mr. Basketball.

Senior Year Success

Okafor dunking during the 2014 McDonald's All-American Boys Game

On November 15, Jahlil announced he would play college basketball for Duke. He made this decision with his friend Tyus Jones. This made Duke's recruiting class one of the best in the nation.

Jahlil led his team to win the IHSA Class 4A state championship. He was also named co-MVP of the 2014 McDonald's All-American Boys Game. He scored the winning dunk in that game. Jahlil also played in the Nike Hoops Summit and the Jordan Brand Classic, earning co-MVP in the latter.

He was recognized as the 2014 National Player of the Year by Parade and the McDonald's All-American Game organization. USA Today also named him their national player of the year.

College Basketball at Duke

Jahlil Okafor played one season of college basketball for Duke. Many experts predicted he would be the best college player that year. He was named a Preseason All-American by several sports news outlets.

He quickly showed his talent, earning ACC Freshman of the Week multiple times. In one game, he scored 25 points and grabbed 20 rebounds. This made him the first Duke freshman to get 20 rebounds in a game. He also set a season-high of 28 points in another game.

After the season, Jahlil was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. He was the first freshman ever to win this award. He was also named the best freshman in the country by the United States Basketball Writers Association. Jahlil helped Duke win the national championship in 2015. He scored 10 important points in the final game. After this successful season, he decided to enter the 2015 NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Career

Philadelphia 76ers (2015–2017)

Okafor with the 76ers in 2016

On June 25, 2015, the Philadelphia 76ers chose Jahlil Okafor as the third overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft. He signed a contract with the 76ers in July. In his first game, he scored 26 points. On November 9, he had his first "double-double" (scoring at least 10 points and 10 rebounds) with 21 points and 15 rebounds.

In February, the 76ers changed Jahlil's position from center to power forward. He scored a career-high 31 points against the Dallas Mavericks. However, he later had a knee injury that ended his season early. Jahlil finished fifth in the voting for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

For the 2016–17 season, Jahlil started with limited playing time due to his knee injury. He gradually increased his minutes and was cleared to play without restrictions. He scored a season-high 26 points in January 2017 and 28 points in February. He was also chosen to play in the Rising Stars Challenge during the NBA All-Star weekend. His season ended early again due to knee soreness.

In November 2017, Jahlil said he would like to be traded from the 76ers. He had played in only two games that season.

Brooklyn Nets (2017–2018)

On December 7, 2017, Jahlil Okafor was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. In his first game for the Nets, he scored 10 points. He then worked on getting back into playing shape. He scored a team-high 21 points in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in January. After the season, he became a free agent.

New Orleans Pelicans (2018–2020)

Jahlil signed with the New Orleans Pelicans on August 9, 2018. He had a season-high 17 points in December. When teammate Anthony Davis was injured, Jahlil got more playing time. He set new season-highs in points and rebounds in January 2019, including 27 points and 12 rebounds against the Houston Rockets. He also had a career-high six blocks in a game. In the last game of the Pelicans' season, Jahlil scored 30 points.

The Pelicans kept Jahlil for the next season. He scored 26 points in a win against the Denver Nuggets in October 2019. In January 2020, he had 25 points and 14 rebounds. He also changed his jersey number to 9 to honor Kobe Bryant.

Later Career (2020–Present)

Jahlil signed with the Detroit Pistons in December 2020. He was later traded to the Brooklyn Nets in September 2021, but was waived shortly after. He then signed with the Atlanta Hawks but was also waived before the season started.

In February 2022, Jahlil signed with the Zhejiang Lions in China. In November 2022, he joined the Mexico City Capitanes in the NBA G League. In July 2023, he signed with Casademont Zaragoza in Spain. In February 2024, he signed with Capitanes de Arecibo in Puerto Rico.

In October 2024, Jahlil signed with the Indiana Pacers but was waived the same day. He then joined the Indiana Mad Ants in the G League, where he was selected for the 2024 All Showcase team and the 2025 Up Next Game. In February 2025, he signed a 10-day contract with the Pacers. As of July 2025, Jahlil Okafor plays for Levanga Hokkaido in Japan.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

College

National Team Play

Playing for Team USA

Jahlil Okafor has played for USA Basketball several times. In 2011, he helped the United States win a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship. He was also part of the Team USA that won gold at the 2012 FIBA Under-17 World Cup. He was even named the MVP of that tournament!

In 2013, Jahlil joined the USA Basketball Men's U19 World Cup team. They won the gold medal, and Jahlil was named to the All-Tournament team.

Playing for Nigeria

In February 2020, Jahlil Okafor announced he would represent the Nigeria national team. He played for Nigeria at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Personal Life

Okafor (center) at his November 2013 verbal commitment press conference with his father Chukwudi and aunt Chinyere Okafor-Conley. Jahlil and Chukwudi are wearing Duke University baseball caps to signify his commitment.

Jahlil was raised by his father, Chukwudi, and his aunt, Chinyere Okafor-Conley. He has an older sister, Jalen, and two younger brothers. His father, Chuck, also played college basketball.

Jahlil has many interests outside of basketball. He enjoys playing chess and the saxophone. He also plays the tuba. He is a distant cousin of another NBA player, Emeka Okafor. Jahlil has Nigerian roots through his grandfather, who moved to the U.S. from Nigeria.

To stay healthy, Jahlil practices hot yoga. He also has a personal chef to make sure he eats well. He was diagnosed with sleep apnea and uses a special machine to help him sleep better.

See also

In Spanish: Jahlil Okafor para niños

• List of U.S. high school basketball national player of the year awards
• USWBA National Freshman of the Year
• Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year