On Wednesday, TMZ released another video of NBA rookie Jahlil Okafor getting into a fight with a man after his team’s loss to the Boston Celtics last week. This video is presumed to be a separate altercation from the video released several days ago, and it raises even more concerns about Okafor’s behavior off of the court. After this latest incident, the Philadelphia 76ers must make a statement with Okafor and suspend him immediately.
After being taken with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Okafor was supposed to be another asset who had the potential to turn around Philadelphia’s franchise. Of course, he possesses the low-post ability to be a transcendent scorer on the block, but his deficiencies have made him a major disappointment so far this season.
Quite simply, Okafor is a lethargic player with absolutely no motor. He constantly looks bored, especially on the defensive end of the floor, which comes as no surprise considering his on-court personality. To further magnify the situation, Okafor and frontcourt mate Nerlens Noel clearly do not fit in the same lineup, and it has led to putrid 76ers offensive spacing throughout this season.
Despite Okafor’s ruckus off of the court and underachievements on the court, Philadelphia has looked like a respectable team since the return of Robert Covington. On Tuesday night, Brett Brown‘s squad finally notched their first victory of the season against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Brown and his staff hope that this will be the first of many wins to come, although they know that their young group will have their fair share of growing pains along the way. As Brown noted recently in an interview with CSN, “There is an art to learning how to win.” Brown is exactly right, and he is now presented with the perfect opportunity to put this statement into action.
To create a winning and professional culture like the one Brown witnessed with the San Antonio Spurs, he must take a page from his mentor Gregg Popovich. Popovich, a no-nonsense coach, holds all of his players accountable. He has a universal standard for each and every player on his team, from Tim Duncan on down to the 15th man. Brown now needs to use this tactic with one of his franchise players in an attempt to mimic the team he used to coach.
Ultimately, Brown needs to teach his team a necessary value: Although the wins may not be present, accountability will always be a constant in Philadelphia.
Nicholas Sciria is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Nick_Sciria, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.