As of Tuesday, the New York Knicks have a 25 percent chance of winning the upcoming draft lottery. Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor is the consensus No. 1 pick of the 2015 NBA draft, and most analysts believe the 6-foot-11 center would go a long ways toward helping Knicks president Phil Jackson revitalize the franchise.
Okafor went into the season as the projected No. 1 pick of the NBA draft, and he has yet to disappoint. The freshman, who's averaging 17.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, has impressed scouts with his basketball smarts and his footwork. He's expected to go first overall to almost any team that lands the top pick, including New York.
"Regardless of which team ends up with the top overall pick, Jahlil Okafor is arguably the selection. The only variable here is the 76ers, who are loaded with young bigs," Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler wrote Tuesday. "Okafor is arguably the best pure low-post players the NBA has seen coming out of college in a generation and while he may not become much on the defensive end, his upside and potential trumps almost everyone in the field. The Knicks landing Okafor puts them in a great position to jump start the rebuild."
ESPN's Chad Ford also has Okafor going to New York in his latest mock draft.
"The Knicks are in bad shape. Very bad shape," Ford wrote last week. "They don't have one player on their roster right now, other than Carmelo Anthony, who appears to be a future building block. They need another star, and they need him now.
"The Knicks also haven't had an All-Star-caliber center since Patrick Ewing. Currently, they don't even have a legit starter at the position. Okafor would be perfect for them. His ability to draw a double-team in the paint and potentially average 20 and 10 every night would give them a viable scoring option besides Anthony jacking up jumpers."
Moreover, drafting Okafor could be the catalyst to New York becoming relevant again. A roster headlined by Carmelo Anthony and Okafor would help make the Big Apple a desirable destination again for free agents. The Knicks will have around $30 million in cap space to spend on a big-name free agent. If New York lands Okafor and brings in a talented point guard through free agency, Jackson's team could be potential playoff contenders in a watered down Eastern Conference.
