The Los Angeles Lakers continued their pre-draft workouts on Tuesday as they worked out one of the favorites to come to the team in the draft, Duke center Jahlil Okafor. Viewed as the top prospect for most of the college basketball season, Okafor was a first-team All-American and helped lead the Blue Devils to the 2015 National Championship.
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If Okafor was to come to Los Angeles, he would team with Julius Randle to give the Lakers their front court of the future. According to Lakers reporter Mike Trudell, Okafor belives he and Randle would work well together:
Jahlil Okafor on Julius Randle: “I think we’d work well together. He’s a great athlete, very versatile and talented.”
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) June 9, 2015
Offensively, there is no reason to believe that Okafor and Randle couldn’t co-exist. Okafor is a dominant post player with a wide array of moves. Though Randle is comfortable on the block as well, he is more than capable of playing in the high post thanks to his ball-handling and playmaking abilities. Randle has also dropped 18 pounds, making it easier for him to operate on the perimeter.
Most concerns about the Okafor-Randle pairing center on their perceived defensive shortcomings. Neither is known as a lockdown defender and there are worries that the Lakers would lack rim protection with the two of them playing major minutes together. Despite that, the Lakers’ future would surely be much brighter if both were to fulfill their potential in purple and gold.
[divide]Check Out Part II Of His Interview – Sure Sounds Like He Wants To Be A Laker!