How Jahlil Okafor Could Save the New York Knicks

Thirty years ago, the New York Knicks won the No. 1 lottery pick and drafted a dominant young center who would bring the struggling franchise back to prominence. The Knicks are hoping for the same this year, with Duke freshman center Jahlil Okafor filling the role Patrick Ewing played in 1985. 

It's a little early for Madison Square Garden to start planning Okafor's jersey retirement ceremony, but No. 15 and No. 33 do bear some notable resemblances. Even if he is not the next coming of Ewing, Okafor could help address a few of New York's greatest needs—a big man who can pass, reliable scoring support for Carmelo Anthony, points in the paint and rebounds.  

The prospect's and the legend's styles do differ. Okafor's graceful footwork and soft hands make it all look so easy. Ewing's game was nastier, and his powerful backboard-shaking dunks looked just as difficult as they were. 

Still, at 6'11" and 270 pounds, Okafor's physique is similar to Ewing's. He also does most of his work in the low post—he's a constant threat at the rim who sends defenses into a panic the moment his foot touches the paint. His collegiate stats of 17.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists per game aren't too far off Ewing's career NBA averages of 21.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists.   

New York needs some of that Okafor offense.

One of the Knicks' biggest problems in recent years has been the lack of scoring support for Anthony. Despite being a fixture on the points-per-game leaderboards, Melo has been unable to carry his team to the playoffs alone. He's gone two seasons without a single teammate who contributed 15 points per game.

While Tim Hardaway Jr., Andrea Bargnani and J.R. Smith were all capable of putting up 25, none of them could be counted upon for a solid 15 night in and night out.

Shooters get into slumps. That's their nature. Yet the Knicks' theoretical big guns exacerbate the problem by relentlessly chucking up long jumpers instead of driving to the hoop for easier buckets and free throws. 

New York was the league's worst at points in the paint last season, and it is on pace to do it again. (The Knicks are marginally increasing their free throws, though, thanks to new guard Alexey Shved's courageous yet haphazard driving layup attempts that only occasionally make contact with the rim.)

Conversely, Okafor is a reliable bucket-producer, and he does nearly all his scoring down low. As DraftExpress explains, 52 percent of his half-court touches come off post-ups. He rarely touches the ball outside the paint, and when he does, he usually powers his way into it once he has possession. 

Gerry Broome/Associated Press/Associated Press

In this era of the stretch 4, Okafor's old-school post-up game might not be fashionable, but it's effective. Despite being double-teamed more often than not, he still has the best field-goal percentage (66.5 percent) and second-highest points per game (17.8) in the ACC.  

Okafor could also be a good fit for the triangle offense. For a guy his size, he has uncommon mobility—helpful for executing quick cuts—and solid passing and handling skills—essential for ball movement. Okafor's 1.5 assists per game rank him higher than any other center in the ACC and most of the Knicks' big men.

That said, Okafor has a long way to go before he reaches the standard by which any triangle offense center must be judged: Shaquille O'Neal. During his eight seasons with the Phil Jackson-era Los Angeles Lakers, Shaq averaged not only 27.0 points per game, but 3.1 assists as well. 

Could Okafor be for Carmelo what Shaq was for Kobe Bryant? Well, he is, as DraftExpress says, "the most prolific and skilled offensive big man in college basketball."

It's the other side of the court that's the problem.

Okafor is a great rebounder—second-best in the ACC—which should make the Knicks—second-worst in the NBA—salivate. Yet the rest of his defensive game is suspect, and that's where any and all Ewing comparisons come to a screeching halt. 

Okafor's 1.4 blocks per game aren't bad, but he's only seventh in the conference and a far cry from Ewing (2.4) or Shaq (2.3), who were both named to the NBA All-Defensive Team during their careers. During the 1989-90 season, Ewing averaged four terrifying swats per game, making any opponent think twice before stepping into the paint. 

As Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times wrote Tuesday:

"

The same way people talk about [Okafor's] hands in excited tones, they discuss his defense in a concerned, hushed manner.

Okafor doesn't protect the rim, some say. He takes plays off on defense, hasn't quite figured it out like the Kentucky towers, Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein.

Refreshingly, Okafor agrees with the assessment.

"I feel it's true. That is one of my weaknesses," he told The Times. "I wouldn't argue with that. That's something I've been working with the coaches a lot this season, trying to get better at it."

"

So if the bad news is Okafor's D is shaky, the good news is he's coachable. Just ask Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who raved about his freshman center on The Jim Rome Show Feb. 26:

"

He’s gifted and he’s really as good as a kid as I’ve coached in 40 years. He’s got it all, he has no demons, he only has positives and stuff, he’s only going to get better and is a great teammate and competitor. Like, the kid’s the real deal in every aspect, I love Jah.

"

That sort of endorsement must be music to the ears of Knicks head coach Derek Fisher, who's looking for players who are willing to learn and are ready to compete. 

Of course, even if the Knicks end the season with the league's most abysmal record, they only have a 25 percent chance of landing the No. 1 draft pick, and there's no guarantee they'd win No. 2 or No. 3 either. So before you print your "Tank For Okafor" T-shirt, have a look at the other options I outlined last month.

If it's defense the Knicks want, Kentucky junior center-forward Willie Cauley-Stein might be a better option in the draft. If they're looking for a big man who can pass, they could grab Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns. They could also draft a point guard (Emmanuel Mudiay or D'Angelo Russell) and spend July wooing Marc Gasol or abducting Joakim Noah (who I imagine would put up quite an energetic fight). 

The point is the Knicks will have other excellent options, but they couldn't go wrong choosing Okafor. He may never have the power of a Shaq or the toughness of an Ewing, but so what?

He's an Okafor. And 30 years from now, that could be the standard by which the next generation of NBA centers are judged.

Current NBA statistics from NBA.com/stats. Historical NBA stats from Basketball-Reference.com. College stats from ESPN. Follow Sara Peters on Twitter @3FromThe7.