Jahlil Okafor, Duke vs. Jakob Poeltl, Utah (Friday, 6:45 PM PT)
Jahlil Okafor has shown exactly why he is considered the top overall prospect in the draft with his performance so far. He shot just under 78 percent in Duke’s victories over Robert Morris and San Diego State, and even showed some rim protection capability with multiple blocks in both games.
While Okafor is arguably the most skilled big man college basketball has seen since Tim Duncan, one of the worries about him is his lack of elite athleticism. Some wonder whether he’ll be able to consistently dominate over the long, athletic bigs that permeate the NBA. This is what makes the matchup with Poeltl so intriguing.
Poeltl is the exact opposite of Okafor. Skill-wise he is nowhere near as polished as Okafor, but he is a legit seven-footer who can run the floor, control the boards, and protect the rim. Poeltl averaged over 12 rebounds and three blocks per 40 minutes and his contributions are starting to catch up to his potential. His 18 point, eight rebound, five block performance saved Utah in their second-round matchup against Stephen F. Austin.
The worry on Poeltl is that he still needs to add some strength to handle banging in the post. Holding his own against Okafor would go a long way towards proving to scouts that he can be the rim protector scouts hope he can be. While Okafor can further solidify his spot as the top overall pick, Poeltl has the chance to play his way into the late lottery making for an excellent match that everyone should have their eye on.
CONTINUE: Jerian Grant, Demetrius Jackson vs. Fred VanVlett, Ron Baker
