Jah's troubles

[SilkyJ]

Video of the incident (http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/26/jahlil-okafor-street-fight-kos-man-in-boston-video/). Not a good look for Jah, though I also blame the sixers for their utter incompetence, which has to frustrate him, and the idiots who decide its OK to heckle and threaten other people, just b/c they are celebrities. Still, people are dumb and Jah needs to be smart and rise above this non-sense. He has a lot to lose.

I do agree with Pablo Torre's tweet here (https://twitter.com/PabloTorre/status/669979609887318017).

[gurufrisbee]

I'm certainly never going to support violence and I wish for Okafor's sake he would/could have just walked away from what will no doubt result in negative publicity and probably punishments, HOWEVER - if you're a dumb boston fan (and lord knows after Deflategate we've seen there are plenty of them) and you think the smart idea is to go up to a 6'11" professional athlete coming off a sixteenth straight loss and get in their face and talk crap to them, then you really do deserve the beating you're about to receive.

[moonpie23]

not good...will prolly result in a suspension and a lawsuit... :(

[Pghdukie]

Very unfortunate. Sad to say, much worse to come for Jah. Okafor is young, but very likeable person.

[Henderson]

HOWEVER

Ain't no however. If the events went down even close to as reported, this was plain bad.

But it may all be misreported. Maybe Jah was finishing a latte after his late night yoga class and a guy slipped into him, saying "Fix those trucks." Jah politely asked how he could help, but the sidewalk was slippery due to the oil from the trucks, and people got tangled. Happens a lot.

It's gotta be something like that. Because the 19 year olds I know who go out clubbing out of town tend not to be orange soda kind of guys. And they still don't end up in street fights. Big misunderstanding is my read.

It'd be different if Jah looked drunk in the video of course.

[cspan37421]

hard to tell what is going on in that video. At the end it looks like he's being grabbed - is he being attacked by a baiting Bostonian, or held back by friends? One of each? Can't tell what precipitated this either. If he's saying he's got money, had he been kept out of a club on the assumption that he had no money to spend? Well whatever. If the NBA has a rookie symposium in which they go over how to handle hecklers in public, he may need to revisit his notes on that.

[SilkyJ]

Ain't no however. If the events went down even close to as reported, this was plain bad.

But it may all be misreported. Maybe Jah was finishing a latte after his late night yoga class and a guy slipped into him, saying "Fix those trucks." Jah politely asked how he could help, but the sidewalk was slippery due to the oil from the trucks, and people got tangled. Happens a lot.

It's gotta be something like that. Because the 19 year olds I know who go out clubbing out of town tend not to be orange soda kind of guys. And they still don't end up in street fights. Big misunderstanding is my read.

It'd be different if Jah looked drunk in the video of course.

I posted the video. You can check it out and decide for yourself. No notable signs of inebriation.


hard to tell what is going on in that video. At the end it looks like he's being grabbed - is he being attacked by a baiting Bostonian, or held back by friends? One of each? Can't tell what precipitated this either. If he's saying he's got money, had he been kept out of a club on the assumption that he had no money to spend? Well whatever. If the NBA has a rookie symposium in which they go over how to handle hecklers in public, he may need to revisit his notes on that.

He's being held by a Bostonian, who right at the end of the video is trying to clock him in the head.

[DBFAN]

Just not sure what being an NBA player has to do with this. It was outside of a game. Wasn't in the arena. It was in public, where the 19 year old kid should be allowed to have rights just like all of us do. I am more than sure Jah understands he can't do that in a game to a fan. I would also have to think that it took a lot more than saying the Sixers suck to get him that upset. Don't know all the details yet, but I am willing to bet there was more going on there

[Troublemaker]

Very unfortunate. Sad to say, much worse to come for Jah. Okafor is young, but very likeable person.

Don't jump to conclusions. The video was cut together, so it's impossible to tell what was left out and therefore what really happened.

In the article, Jahlil's representative apparently is claiming a self-defense situation, i.e. Jah and teammate VERSUS a bunch of Bostonians.

If a bunch of Bostonians really DID start a street fight against two professional athletes, then the obvious outcome -- Jahlil destroys Bostonians -- will not necessarily lead to major legal trouble for Jahlil.

It all depends on what the investigation reveals.

[uh_no]

Don't jump to conclusions. The video was cut together, so it's impossible to tell what was left out and therefore what really happened.

In the article, Jahlil's representative apparently is claiming a self-defense situation, i.e. Jah and teammate VERSUS a bunch of Bostonians.

If a bunch of Bostonians really DID start a street fight against two professional athletes, then the obvious outcome -- Jahlil destroys Bostonians -- will not necessarily lead to major legal trouble for Jahlil.

It all depends on what the investigation reveals.

whatever the outcome, he's learned rather quickly not to put himself in those situations.

Unfortunately, as a celebrity, espeicially a sports celebrity, you have to be careful where you go, when and with whom.

[Furniture]

Being a Duke player I expect him to turn the other cheek. Simple as that...

[JPtheGame]

Being a Duke player I expect him to turn the other cheek. Simple as that...
Being that he is 19, I expect him to have a lot to learn.

[g-money]

Being that he is 19, I expect him to have a lot to learn.

Yes, and being a human being, I expect that Jah has limits just like everyone else. In classic TMZ style, the video reveals very little of what actually caused the fight to occur.

Boston sports fans are pretty harsh in my experience. My inclination is to cut Jah plenty of slack until the truth comes out.

[Edouble]

Many moons ago, another NBA player was heckled late night outside a Boston club and he ended up getting stabbed.

The player was Paul Pierce, who was a Boston Celtic!

I understand that every man has his limits, and I give Jah the benefit of the doubt, but I think that a history lesson would do Jah some good. Be careful. You are a large and powerful young man to be sure, but not more powerful than a knife or a gun.

[Skitzle]

Many moons ago, another NBA player was heckled late night outside a Boston club and he ended up getting stabbed.

The player was Paul Pierce, who was a Boston Celtic!

I understand that every man has his limits, and I give Jah the benefit of the doubt, but I think that a history lesson would do Jah some good. Be careful. You are a large and powerful young man to be sure, but not more powerful than a knife or a gun.

We've seen Jahlil Walk and Talk. I'm pretty sure he is not of clear mind at the moment that video was taken and he's 19. Expect a not insignificant suspension 3-5 games and potential lawsuit.

He'll learn and move on, as will we.

Unfortunate incident.

[SilkyJ]

We've seen Jahlil Walk and Talk. I'm pretty sure he is not of clear mind at the moment that video was taken and he's 19. Expect a not insignificant suspension 3-5 games and potential lawsuit.

He'll learn and move on, as will we.

Unfortunate incident.

Lots of people have mentioned a lawsuit. I can see why one would think that, Jah is an easy target given his now oversized wallet, but there have been no charges filed so far and from what I can tell he was being struck in that video as well. I doubt we see a lawsuit.

Not a peep from the league yet, though I suspect we'll hear at least a comment/statement today.

[NancyCarol]

Makes me very sad for about a thousand reasons.

[Dukehky]

I hope that dude was a Carolina grad (reasonable since most people from Boston can't read eithahhhhhhhhh) and a huge Pats fan.

Jahlil needs to get the f out of philly. Retire, then go play in Europe for 3 years, they'd pay him infinity dollars, then come back.

I'm just glad none of those clowns pulled a knife on my boy. He also didn't beat the hell out of anyone. He shoved a guy and threw a punch after he was getting punched in the back of the head. Also, arguably in defense of one of his teammates (according to some of the reports), so maybe Jah is just a hero!

This does not embarrass me as a Duke fan or a Duke grad. He did not make Duke look bad, he did not make Coach K look bad. Was it stupid? Yeah, probably, not so much for the fact that it hurts his professional reputation, but because he could have gotten stabbed or shot.

I guarantee we won't hear anything else like this about Jah again, unless he decides he's going to strangle Sam Hinkie. Understandable. He is so much better than Towns and Russell, this could have all been avoided. Jerry Buss and Mitch Kupchack, go screw yourselves.

Love you Jah.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I live in Boston. Love my Celtics. Love New Englanders. And yes - they can read (that may be the dumbest comment I've read on DBR).

Sports fans will always heckle. Pro players should have restraint. If Jah fought back because of a heckler's words, he needs to learn 'sticks and stones'. If Bostonians were being physical (a certain possibility), Jah is in the clear.

Go Duke. Go Celtics. All you haters are just jealous of 9 pro championships in 12 years. Yeah, we're that good. ;)

[Dukehky]

I live in Boston. Love my Celtics. Love New Englanders. And yes - they can read (that may be the dumbest comment I've read on DBR).

Sports fans will always heckle. Pro players should have restraint. If Jah fought back because of a heckler's words, he needs to learn 'sticks and stones'. If Bostonians were being physical (a certain possibility), Jah is in the clear.

Go Duke. Go Celtics. All you haters are just jealous of 9 pro championships in 12 years. Yeah, we're that good. ;)

Live in and from have two entirely different meanings. Just go eat yah clam chowdah and hate on Nooyawk sports.

Any other city in the country and I would be more disappointed. I'd freak out too if I heard some chump yell "Hey Okafah! You and the sixahs ahnt evah gonna win a game. Yah Loosah." Like, I get it.

FDD, nothing personal, I just loath all Boston sports, the accents, and the peasant people that comprise their fan bases (not that everyone falls into the category who supports said sports teams).

Also, Bob Cousy in his prime couldn't score a point in today's NBA, Belichick and Brady cheat (just like the guys 8 miles down the road), and Larry Bird... Well okay, he's cool.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I can see this thread being closed very soon, seeing how it's devolved into reading like a tar h... board.

[hudlow]

I can see this thread being closed very soon, seeing how it's devolved into reading like a tar h... board.

Won't someone have to throw someone else under a bus to fully meet the criteria?

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Won't someone have to throw someone else under a bus to fully meet the criteria?
No. It just needs to be derailed by unwarranted, snotty posts/responses. Check.

[91_92_01_10_15]

Being a Duke player I expect him to turn the other cheek. Simple as that...

A question for you defense attorneys. How much verbal taunting is permitted before a physical response is warranted and allowable?

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

A question for you defense attorneys. How much verbal taunting is permitted before a physical response is warranted and allowable?

Not a defense attorney, but I'm pretty sure that unless someone is offering specific and real threats, verbal taunting never warrants a physical response unless you are on a playground.

[FerryFor50]

Watched the video. He did seem a bit intoxicated, which would help explain why it seemed so out of character for Okafor.

But then again who knows what happened before that.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Watched the video. He did seem a bit intoxicated, which would help explain why it seemed so out of character for Okafor.

But then again who knows what happened before that.

If I played for the 76ers, I'd be intoxicated too.

Jah has admitted that he was wrong in this case (ESPN article: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14237711/police-now-investigating-incident-involving-philadelphia-76ers-rookie-jahlil-okafor). And sounds like he'll face some consequences.

Hope he learns from this and moves on. Really the best we can hope for

[SilkyJ]

Watched the video. He did seem a bit intoxicated

Nothing about the video indicated to me that he was intoxicated. Methinks you're projecting.

[DukeFanSince1990]

Kind of weak compared to Barkley:

http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/27/sports/plus-basketball-barkley-arrested-after-altercation.html

"Charles Barkley was arrested early yesterday in Orlando, Fla., for hurling a bar patron through a plate-glass window after the man reportedly tossed a glass of ice at him."

[84crazy]

Nothing about the video indicated to me that he was intoxicated. Methinks you're projecting.

I think he sounded drunk as hell when he was yelling the we got the money stuff. Nothing good ever comes out of clubbing for these young guys.

[Pghdukie]

I'm guessing, Jah's people are telling him -DO NOT ADMIT ANY WRONG DOING.

[fuse]

CSN Philly report seems to indicate more to come, including the possibility that someone pulled a gun on Jahlil.

[FerryFor50]

I think he sounded drunk as hell when he was yelling the we got the money stuff. Nothing good ever comes out of clubbing for these young guys.

Exactly what I was referring to.

[sagegrouse]

CSN Philly report seems to indicate more to come, including the possibility that someone pulled a gun on Jahlil.

Yes, but that occurred in October in a Philadelphia club (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14237711/philadelphia-76ers-rookie-jahlil-okafor-had-gun-pointed-previous-altercation-report-says). It was apparently witnessed by federal officers.

[KenTankerous]

Aren't there clauses in these guys' contracts that prohibit them from playing pick up or playground basketball and skydiving and other activities that might jeopardize their value to the team? If so, then why, oh why, are there not clauses to prohibit underage players from going out clubbing - drinking or not(winkwink) - while on road games, especially hostile city road games?

Next play.

[Bluedevil114]

There will be positives that come from this incident in my opinion. Jah seems like a great kid and he will learn to stay clear of situations like this in the future. He will understand the consequences financially and reputation will be at stake. Jah will teach others not to react and more importantly put yourself in a situation that things can happen. Coach K will use this incident as a coaching opportunity for those kids that leave Duke and go to the NBA.

Even though it is an unfortunate mistake for Jah, there will be a light at the end of it and he will be better because of it. Jah seemed so regretful in his interview with Philadelphia media. He stated this will never happen again. I for one believe him.

Go Duke!

[Edouble]

Wanted to mention, that while I do not condone this type of behavior, I am glad to see that Jah cares about winning. There are certainly NBA players out there that just want to collect a paycheck. I am glad to see that Jah still has enormous passion for the game, even when the chances of making the playoffs are already remote as early into the season as November.

I do believe that his frustration and his acting out on this frustration comes from a good place. The end result was just out of character for him.

[Henderson]

Any story that involves a 19 year old NBA player that includes the phrase, "outside a nightclub at 2 a.m." is not a good story.

If Jah had a guy pull a gun on him at a different nightclub in a different city a month earlier (and all in the beginning weeks of his NBA career), Jah needs some grownup to pull him aside.

[cspan37421]

He stated this will never happen again. I for one believe him.


If having a gun pulled on you and pointed at your head doesn't straighten you out, what makes you think this dust-up would? Only because it was recorded (in part) and shared on the internet? He's lucky these guys weren't packing, or at least didn't pull anything on him. I fear he may be a target for hecklers in all opposing teams' cities now. I'd be laying low ....

[Edouble]

If having a gun pulled on you and pointed at your head doesn't straighten you out, what makes you think this dust-up would? Only because it was recorded (in part) and shared on the internet? He's lucky these guys weren't packing, or at least didn't pull anything on him. I fear he may be a target for hecklers in all opposing teams' cities now. I'd be laying low ...

Different set of circumstances.

On the first occasion, it sounds like Jah engaged hecklers and had a gun pointed at him, which ended things. I'm guessing he walked away. If that had been caught on video, Jah may have looked like he was standing up for himself, then being smart by letting it go.

On this occasion, he was caught on tape and made to look bad. He was pushing and punching people, which is terrible for PR and for his bank account. Yes, this interaction was bad in a different way than the first interaction.

[Henderson]

I'm guessing he walked away.

On what basis do you guess that?

The first incident was not caught on tape, but the second one was. And it was bad for Jah.

Why would one presume that the first tape involving another nightclub late at night and a gun would show Jah to be a boy scout?

Jah needs to let the club scene go for a bit. He's 19.

[Edouble]

On what basis do you guess that?

He didn't get shot?

[SilkyJ]

Yes, but that occurred in October in a Philadelphia club (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14237711/philadelphia-76ers-rookie-jahlil-okafor-had-gun-pointed-previous-altercation-report-says). It was apparently witnessed by federal officers.

That same article now says a man has filed A police report in the Boston incident and the police are investigating. No charges filed as of yet.


According to a statement issued Friday evening by Boston police, a man filed a police report Friday morning stating he was the victim of assault and battery outside the Storyville nightclub on Exeter Street in Boston at around 2 a.m. Thursday. The man said Okafor and another man approached his group and asked some of the women for their phone numbers. When the women declined, a verbal altercation ensued, followed by a physical scuffle. The man said Okafor pushed him and punched him, knocking him to the ground and causing a cut over his eye that later required stitches.

Police said they are "actively reviewing" the case and no charges have been filed. Police had said earlier Friday that they would not investigate the case unless someone involved came forward to say they were the victim of a crime.

[hudlow]

Coach K's first and foremost rule...

"We have only one rule here: Don't do anything that's detrimental to yourself. Because if it's detrimental to you, it'll be detrimental to our program and to Duke University."

Jah made a foolish mistake that he could have avoided. In the future, I hope he'll remember his roots.

[-jk]

Folks,

Let's stick to credible sources with links. This is not the place for rumors.

thanks,

-jk

[duke4ever19]

Apparently Jah was pulled over a few weeks ago for going over 100mph in Philly. Front page ESPN. Jah needs to hire Michael Jordan's P.R. people from here on out.

espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14248533/jahlil-okafor-philadelphia-76ers-stopped-speeding-ben-franklin-bridge

The speeding ticket story just seems liking piling on to me.

[Troublemaker]

The speeding ticket story just seems liking piling on to me.

Maybe, but I'm legitimately concerned for him now. Seems like a pattern of self-destructive behavior at this point. Don't know if it's the losing that's getting to him or what, but he needs to mature (or get back to being mature) and fast.

[sagegrouse]

Maybe, but I'm legitimately concerned for him now. Seems like a pattern of self-destructive behavior at this point. Don't know if it's the losing that's getting to him or what, but he needs to mature (or get back to being mature) and fast.

A 19YO with millions in income?

[moonpie23]

oak got into some more trouble (looks like a couple weeks ago)

108MPH on the ben franklin bridge (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14248533/jahlil-okafor-philadelphia-76ers-stopped-speeding-ben-franklin-bridge)

[sagegrouse]

oak got into some more trouble last night 108MPH on the ben franklin bridge (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14248533/jahlil-okafor-philadelphia-76ers-stopped-speeding-ben-franklin-bridge)

That "more trouble" occurred three weeks ago.

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

Maybe, but I'm legitimately concerned for him now. Seems like a pattern of self-destructive behavior at this point. Don't know if it's the losing that's getting to him or what, but he needs to mature (or get back to being mature) and fast.

I agree, I'm concerned too. I don't want to see him involved in a stupid, avoidable accident. Jason Williams made one mistake and it cost him his playing career. I don't want the same to happen for Jah.

[fraggler]

That "more trouble" occurred three weeks ago.

ESPN doing a really nice job doing retroactive reporting to sully Okafor's reputation. No excuses for immature and dangerous behavior by Jahlil, but straight garbage from ESPN.

[WillJ]

Jason Werth of the Washington Nationals did five days jail time last off-season for going about the same speed on a DC freeway. I'm glad, too, because such ultra-speeding is grossly negligent and has long been underpunished in the US traffic system, IMO. To me, the 108 mph is much worse than the bar fight.

[COYS]

Jason Werth of the Washington Nationals did five days jail time last off-season for going about the same speed on a DC freeway. I'm glad, too, because such ultra-speeding is grossly negligent and has long been underpunished in the US traffic system, IMO. To me, the 108 mph is much worse than the bar fight.

I actually agree with this. The silly scuffle looks bad for sure, but while Jah handled it badly, it's easier to understand when he's being verbally and physically prodded. 108mph is completely negligent. This is not a situation where a guy took his eye off the speedometer for a moment. You have to intentionally drive that fast. Also, it's unlikely that this was the first time he decided to drive that fast. He probably just happened to get caught. That's not just potentially self destructive behavior. It's also terribly dangerous to others.

There is no shame in struggling to adjust to life in the NBA. However, I hope that Jah owns up to the events of the past few weeks and makes some serious changes so that he can address whatever personal issues are causing him to act this way before anything really bad happens.

[cspan37421]

ESPN doing a really nice job doing retroactive reporting to sully Okafor's reputation. No excuses for immature and dangerous behavior by Jahlil, but straight garbage from ESPN.

Why is it garbage? Because the truth hurts?

I wouldn't gripe about them for "retroactive reporting." A one-time incident isn't always newsworthy. A pattern of incidents can elevate them into a valid story.

[WillJ]

That's not just potentially self destructive behavior. It's also terribly dangerous to others.

It's a very serious thing. One of the big public improvements over the past 40 years has been the widespread appreciation that drunk driving is neither funny nor cute (people used to think it was!) and that it's very dangerous to other people. And drunk driving is now far less prevalent than it used to be. I credit MADD for this change. Really excessive speeding is the next frontier on this dimension, and I really hope that people take it more seriously. Werth's jail time gave me some hope, but we need a MADD-equivalent for ultra-speeding.

[cspan37421]

108mph is completely negligent. ...

There is no shame in struggling to adjust to life in the NBA. However, I hope that Jah owns up to the events of the past few weeks and makes some serious changes so that he can address whatever personal issues are causing him to act this way before anything really bad happens.

I wasn't an English major, but I suspect a better term for 108 mph in a <=40 mph zone is reckless, not negligent. Negligent would be failing to check the speedometer (or your mirrors when changing lanes, etc).

I hope he finds a significant other who prefers dinner & a movie to clubbing.

[cspan37421]

Really excessive speeding is the next frontier on this dimension,

As a motorcyclist, bicyclist, and occasional pedestrian, I'll put in my vote for cellphone-based distracted driving. Both are dangerous, but I think dangerous driving from cellphone use is a lot more common.

[fraggler]

Why is it garbage? Because the truth hurts?

I wouldn't gripe about them for "retroactive reporting." A one-time incident isn't always newsworthy. A pattern of incidents can elevate them into a valid story.

Not excusing Jahlil's behavior or trying to avoid criticizing him for it. I don't like click-baiting and lament that ESPN has gone more and more towards that model of business. They are reporting things that happened in the past as if they are current or new to create a narrative. I'd say pretty severe reckless driving by a top draft pick is newsworthy, but they missed it the first time around, and now are just pandering for clicks. I don't go to weather.com of all places for the same reason - click bait crap all over the place.

[Pghdukie]

As was previously stated, a 19yr old with a new found bank account can be a problem if not contained. Jah is a good person. I'm hoping he gets the advice he needs and uses better judgment.

[g-money]

I think it may be time for Chucky to move to Philly and put Jah on lockdown. 19 is an awfully young age to be rich and independent, and I'm sure the losing causes all kinds of bad behaviors to manifest.

It's unfortunate there is not a veteran in Philly to help guide Jah. Maybe Minnesota could trade KG for a second round pick. :)

[Dukehky]

The 108 was stupid, this was not a product of losing with Sixers.

I do wonder what the actual impact that the losing and the losing culture surrounding the Sixers actually is having on Jah with his other two incidents. None of us know, but I really am curious. Unfortunately, I think the best course of action for Jah to take here is the Boogie Cousins basketball approach. Just get yours man. Shoot every time except when it's time to try and get some assist numbers up, although his teammates suck so him passing the ball probably won't help him there. Just set personal goals until its time for him to sign a second contract and he can get the hell out of that crap heap that is the Philadelphia 76ers.

[Furniture]

The losing excuse is poor. I'll lose any day and all day for the kind of money Jah is earning.
It's time for his Dad to be his Dad!

[Buzzy Duke]

I think it may be time for Chucky to move to Philly and put Jah on lockdown. 19 is an awfully young age to be rich and independent, and I'm sure the losing causes all kinds of bad behaviors to manifest.

It's unfortunate there is not a veteran in Philly to help guide Jah. Maybe Minnesota could trade KG for a second round pick. :)

I'm pretty sure Chucky lives in Philly.

[duke74]

... Maybe Minnesota could trade KG for a second round pick. :)

Or find another sucker team like the Nets and get an UNPROTECTED first rounder. Geesh

[sagegrouse]

OK, Jah and Chucky, it's time for the public relations offensive to build and rebuild Jah's image. You have several main assets:

- Jah is well-known from his college career. Duke and Coach K are important links.
- He has some money to spend.
- He is gi-normous, which does make a difference.
- Jahlil is a very pleasant-looking, well-spoken guy with a big smile, which may be most important.

You should aim for some public service announcement spots (PSA's), such as the boys and girls clubs, other youth groups, health organizations (your Mom died of congestive heart failure I believe). You should select organizations that you really do believe in -- folks can tell.

It is true, of course, that many organizations wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole for a PSA donated by radio and TV. Not important -- you will PAY for the PSAs yourself, negotiating good rates with the ad agencies and the media outlets.

Get advice from Coach K -- he is a master of press and public relations. And, of course, you should get professional advice from PR firms and ad agencies (no, I am not alluding to UNC).

The US Olympic Team is a long shot, but it's worth going for.

In case my friends here view this as a cynical post, I assure you I am sincere and deadly serious -- Jah is getting massacred in the media -- he has to do something.

[Ichabod Drain]

Didn't see this posted but Jah took to twitter yesterday to post this:

"I hold myself to a higher standard than anyone else ever could and I'm not proud of some of my decisions over the last few months. I own my choices both personally and now publicly. At this point I am cooperating and respecting the process I have to go through. Going forward I don't want to be a distraction for my team and am grateful for the support and guidance those close to me are giving. I am 100% focused on my responsibility to the League, my teammates and fans."

Here's alink to his twitter (https://twitter.com/jahlilokafor).

[Wheat/"/"/"]

Hopefully he doesn't get traded to Charlotte to be teamed with PJ Hairston...everybody's head would explode around here :)

All seriousness, he's 19 and making the common mistakes a 19 year old "one and dumb" multi-millionaire basketball player might make.

As was mentioned up thread, he has to be mature enough to avoid this stuff before it starts to affect his endorsement potential because at the end of the day, it's all about the Benjamin's now.

My guess is he'll be fine. He's saying the right things and he's definitely gotten the wake up call. Now if we see anything after today...He could have real issues.

[MChambers]

Hopefully he doesn't get traded to Charlotte to be teamed with PJ Hairston...everybody's head would explode around here :)

All seriousness, he's 19 and making the common mistakes a 19 year old "one and dumb" multi-millionaire basketball player might make.

As was mentioned up thread, he has to be mature enough to avoid this stuff before it starts to affect his endorsement potential because at the end of the day, it's all about the Benjamin's now.

My guess is he'll be fine. He's saying the right things and he's definitely gotten the wake up call. Now if we see anything after today...He could have real issues.

Well put, Wheat.

[eddiehaskell]

As to the speeding...when I was 19 it seemed like 80% of guys with performance cars (heck, even a Honda Civic) drove 100+ on the highway occasionally.

[kAzE]

Bad week for former Duke players . . . Chris Duhon got booked on a DUI and is now being suspended from his assistant coaching job at Marshall

[Turk]

I would like to give Jah the benefit of the doubt about the October incident. It was before the season started, he's finding his way around town, hasn't played a game yet, and I presume someone from the Sixers gave him some advice after they learned about it. That was his one free pass (although getting a gun pointed at him doesn't really qualify as "free").

I blame the Boston incident on the Sixers, and because the team was on a road trip, I think it should be evaluated differently. Sam Hinkie chose not to have an active veteran presence on the team. After the Boston game, they weren't flying out until the next day, so the players had nothing to do for the entire evening. Last year, they had Jason Richardson, who received a lot of positive comments from both the Sixers organization and the Philly media about his mentorship and professionalism. This year, the oldest guy on the team is 24 and there are no established pros in the locker room who can tell the rookies where to go and how to handle themselves on the road. And if the Sixers actually won a game once in a while, maybe they would be more inclined to hang out in someone's room, play some cards, and share some laughs. It remains a mystery to me why Jah went out without any security considerations.

But the incident on the Ben Franklin bridge is astonishingly stupid, if the "sources" prove to be correct. If I was going to let it rip over 100, the bridge would be the last highway I'd pick to do it in the area. The Ben is about a mile and a half long, with basically a large traffic circle on the Philly side, toll gates on the Jersey side, and traffic 24 / 7. So you would get on the bridge, mash the gas uphill, hit your top speed at the apex, and then hit the brakes on the downhill side, or get pulled over at the bottom, or blow through the EZPass lane at 80. (On the other hand, there aren't any intersections and no risk of cross traffic, so he had that going for him...).

The bridge incident is the one that should carry the most severe consequences. I would guess most civilians would wind up in court and lose their license.

[DukeFanSince1990]

I heard he used a slang word in Scrabble.....when will this madness stop.

[subzero02]

Bad week for former Duke players . . . Chris Duhon got booked on a DUI and is now being suspended from his assistant coaching job at Marshall


Do you have a link for this. This isn't the first alcohol related incident involving Duhon... he was with Reggie Love the night that some unforgettable photos were taken.

[kAzE]

Do you have a link for this. This isn't the first alcohol related incident involving Duhon... he was with Reggie Love the night that some unforgettable photos were taken.

There's actually another thread up for this incident specifically, but here's the link. (http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14259000/marshall-university-assistant-coach-chris-duhon-suspended-drunken-driving-arrest)

[Henderson]

Didn't see this posted but Jah took to twitter yesterday to post this:

"I hold myself to a higher standard than anyone else ever could and I'm not proud of some of my decisions over the last few months. I own my choices both personally and now publicly. At this point I am cooperating and respecting the process I have to go through. Going forward I don't want to be a distraction for my team and am grateful for the support and guidance those close to me are giving. I am 100% focused on my responsibility to the League, my teammates and fans."

Here's alink to his twitter (https://twitter.com/jahlilokafor).

Good for Jah to recognize that this wasn't just a bad one off, but an issue to be resolved.

[sagegrouse]

Jahlil will have a security guard (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14263285/jahlil-okafor-philadelphia-76ers-accompanied-security-guard) available whenever he needs it, courtesy of the Sixers. Apparently this is a standard practice in the league.

[mph]

Reports (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2594454-jahlil-okafor-reportedly-attempted-to-use-fake-id-at-philadelphia-bar-in-october?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial) now have Jah attempting to use a fake ID in October at a bar named (you can't make this up) Misconduct Tavern. A 19 year old using a fake ID is poor judgement. A 6'11" 19 year old using a fake ID in the city that made him the #3 overall pick is spectacularly poor judgement. I hope Jah really has learned a lesson because the reports so far are starting to look like a pattern of out-of-control behavior. I'm rooting for him to get it together.

[porkpa]

Make no mistake about it, the primary person responsible for the problems is Jah himself. He is the one making these foolish decisions and he is the one who will ultimately pay the price for his own misbehavior. But he isn't the only one. There are others.
(1) The leagues that allow young people, often emotionally immature kids to play its games on a schedule and a lifestyle that certainly isn't designed for youngsters. Stories such as these do the NBA no good. Not only do these stories lead to bad publicity and sometimes to tragedy, but the league has a big stakes in the future of these kids. They have usually left school early because they are the chosen, the ones like Keivin Garnett and Kobe who will become the superstars of the future and for whom the league owes a great deal of its success to. At the very least they should provide regular guidance sessions to these kids and perhaps even provide "minders" for them to help them keep out of trouble.
(2) The teams themselves, for much of the reasons stated above, plus the fact that they have a huge monetary interest in these things not happening to those who the future of their franchise is dependent upon.
(3) The companies who are paying these kids huge money for endorsements. They like they league and the teams have large investments that they need to do whatever they can to protect.
I realize that I may sound like I am treating this young man as a commodity instead of a living, breathing human being, but the fact remains that he is both.
Hopefully all this negative publicity will bring some reason and positive resolution to the career of a young man who heretofore has always conducted himself in an exemplary manner.

[porkpa]

Make no mistake about it, the primary person responsible for the problems is Jah himself. He is the one making these foolish decisions and he is the one who will ultimately pay the price for his own misbehavior. But he isn't the only one. There are others.
(1) The leagues that allow young people, often emotionally immature kids to play its games on a schedule and a lifestyle that certainly isn't designed for youngsters. Stories such as these do the NBA no good. Not only do these stories lead to bad publicity and sometimes to tragedy, but the league has a big stakes in the future of these kids. They have usually left school early because they are the chosen, the ones like Keivin Garnett and Kobe who will become the superstars of the future and for whom the league owes a great deal of its success to. At the very least they should provide regular guidance sessions to these kids and perhaps even provide "minders" for them to help them keep out of trouble.
(2) The teams themselves, for much of the reasons stated above, plus the fact that they have a huge monetary interest in these things not happening to those who the future of their franchise is dependent upon.
(3) The companies who are paying these kids huge money for endorsements. They like they league and the teams have large investments that they need to do whatever they can to protect.
I realize that I may sound like I am treating this young man as a commodity instead of a living, breathing human being, but the fact remains that he is both.
Hopefully all this negative publicity will bring some reason and positive resolution to the career of a young man who heretofore has always conducted himself in an exemplary manner.

Two other entities also bear some responsibility.
(4) The players teammates, who to some degree have their futures dependent on these young superstars to be. I remember when Al Jefferson first came into the league, he went to live with Antonio Davis, a wizened veteran who became a positive role model in his life. Of course with the incompetent management that the Sixers have, their oldest player is only 24 so the possibilities of having positive role models to help guide these youngsters is non existent.
(5) The places that these young men frequent. Was the club in Boston outside which the fracas took place fined or sanctioned for serving alcohol to a minor? Somehow I doubt it.

[Ichabod Drain]

Jahlil will have a security guard (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14263285/jahlil-okafor-philadelphia-76ers-accompanied-security-guard) available whenever he needs it, courtesy of the Sixers. Apparently this is a standard practice in the league.

Hope they don't hire Karl Towns for the job, he's already had issues guarding Jah.

[devildeac]

Hope they don't hire Karl Towns for the job, he's already had issues guarding Jah.

Ba-dump-bump.

I had dinner and an adult beverage at The Misconduct several years ago while I was in Philadelphia for a meeting. Founded by my second cousin's husband, it was (is?) an upscale sports bar/restaurant and they were huge hockey fans at the time, hence the name. A bit of snooping around their website and Philadelphia restaurant/bar/entertainment pages this AM does not mention his name so he may have sold his interest in the joints (they now have a second location). I'll have to call my cousin tonight and get some details.

[DukeFanSince1990]

Jahlil will have a security guard (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14263285/jahlil-okafor-philadelphia-76ers-accompanied-security-guard) available whenever he needs it, courtesy of the Sixers. Apparently this is a standard practice in the league.

Why don't they hire him a point guard?

[Furniture]

There are tons of teenage kids around the country making these types of mistakes. Getting involved in fights, speeding and using fake id's let's face it. The disappointing thing for me is that I have heard Jah stating so many times how he has been preparing for the NBA all his life. He also had an opportunity to learn from a great program with Duke and with a great mentor in coach K.
There is no getting away from it that he is now making his own decisions and there is nobody to blame but himself!

[Indoor66]

I wish him well as he grows into being a man. Everyone runs his own race, I onetime heard. I made all of my errors and, through a lot of pain, that many of my solutions were worse than my problems. Personally, I will give a lot more time before I attempt to judge him.

[dukebsbll14]

Jahlil will have a security guard (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14263285/jahlil-okafor-philadelphia-76ers-accompanied-security-guard) available whenever he needs it, courtesy of the Sixers. Apparently this is a standard practice in the league.

"The request for security came from Okafor's handlers"

Handlers? Is that the NBA term for his dad?

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Bomani Jones had a long segment on his radio show yesterday. His take was that making apologies was all well and good, but that the behavior Jah is engaging in goes far beyond bad ideas and into reckless behavior that can get you killed.

Hard to argue against. Jah needs to take a long look at his priorities and put a little time into avoiding life-threatening situations like armed altercations and speeding across bridges.

Hope he gets his head together - he is immmensely likeable and talented, but that doesn't make him bullet-proof.

[rsvman]

Just another reason why he should've stayed in school! Closely supervised? Check. Win another national championship? Perhaps.


In all seriousness, I think it's probably tough to be 19, rich, and on your own. I don't know if I could've handled it. I agree, though, that he needs to take a long look at himself now before something really bad happens. He could easily get stabbed, shot, or end up in a serious accident.

I hope he turns it around soon.

[SilkyJ]

Ba-dump-bump.

I had dinner and an adult beverage at The Misconduct several years ago while I was in Philadelphia for a meeting. Founded by my second cousin's husband, it was (is?) an upscale sports bar/restaurant and they were huge hockey fans at the time, hence the name. A bit of snooping around their website and Philadelphia restaurant/bar/entertainment pages this AM does not mention his name so he may have sold his interest in the joints (they now have a second location). I'll have to call my cousin tonight and get some details.

Your description is still applicable. Its a nice sports bar with a ton of TVs and great for watching football/hoops/etc. Good bar food as well.

Like probably every other sports bar in America, I'm sure they've been presented with and duped by a variety of fake IDs over the years...

[budwom]

Getting a security guard, in and of itself, is nothing but an insufficient Band Aid. He needs to be avoiding
public confrontations at 2 a.m....I know he's a young guy and is entitled to make young guy mistakes, but
he seems to be pushing the envelope here...I just hope he doesn't think that merely being accompanied by
some security lunk is going to fix his problems.

[dukelifer]

Do you have a link for this. This isn't the first alcohol related incident involving Duhon... he was with Reggie Love the night that some unforgettable photos were taken.

Yes- there is a long history here and perhaps a serious problem. He will need to address this moving forward. Alcohol derailed Phil Ford's plans to be a coach.

[Atlanta Duke]

Your description is still applicable. Its a nice sports bar with a ton of TVs and great for watching football/hoops/etc. Good bar food as well.

Like probably every other sports bar in America, I'm sure they've been presented with and duped by a variety of fake IDs over the years...

Or decided not to wave off a NBA player who enhances the rep of the establishment by his presence? Just a wild guess that Jah is a little less anonymous than your typical 19 year old guy in Philly trying to get served.

[cspan37421]

Or decided not to wave off a NBA player who enhances the rep of the establishment by his presence? Just a wild guess that Jah is a little less anonymous than your typical 19 year old guy in Philly trying to get served.

I know - the whole notion of a fake ID for a guy whose birthday is easily looked up on the internet ... and probably known to be under 21 by most sports fans ... it just is absurd on the face of it.

[moonpie23]

well, he just got his first win tonight against the lakers.....maybe that can soothe it out some and he can get his head on str8

[eddiehaskell]

There are tons of teenage kids around the country making these types of mistakes. Getting involved in fights, speeding and using fake id's let's face it. The disappointing thing for me is that I have heard Jah stating so many times how he has been preparing for the NBA all his life. He also had an opportunity to learn from a great program with Duke and with a great mentor in coach K.
There is no getting away from it that he is now making his own decisions and there is nobody to blame but himself!I agree that kids do this stuff all the time - even good ones. I'm not really sure if Jah spent enough time in Durham for the whole mentoring/program thing to completely rub off. If he stayed 3 or 4 years it would be a different story. I'm scared to think of myself at 19 as a millionaire. The lack of time for developing maturity is what often sets young athletes down bad roads.

[NashvilleDevil]

I agree that kids do this stuff all the time - even good ones. I'm not really sure if Jah spent enough time in Durham for the whole mentoring/program thing to completely rub off. If he stayed 3 or 4 years it would be a different story. I'm scared to think of myself at 19 as a millionaire. The lack of time for developing maturity is what often sets young athletes down bad roads.

Tyus, Justise, Jabari, Austin, Kyrie, Luol. All stayed 1 year do you think the mentoring thing rubbed off on them? I bet it did for Jahlil but he has already lost more games then he probably did the last decade of playing basketball. Not saying it's an excuse to have these issues but dang that is a lot of losing when you are used to winning. I wonder if he is also upset that all the pundits continue to drool over the possible greatness of KAT and Porzinigis and that is getting to him as well.

[MChambers]

Tyus, Justise, Jabari, Austin, Kyrie, Luol. All stayed 1 year do you think the mentoring thing rubbed off on them? I bet it did for Jahlil but he has already lost more games then he probably did the last decade of playing basketball. Not saying it's an excuse to have these issues but dang that is a lot of losing when you are used to winning. I wonder if he is also upset that all the pundits continue to drool over the possible greatness of KAT and Porzinigis and that is getting to him as well.

Moderately interesting read.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/03/sports/basketball/philadelphia-76ers-finally-have-a-victory-but-do-they-really-have-a-plan.html?ref=sports

[Furniture]

I am sure Tyus is not very happy about playing time I hope he can keep it together ;-)

[Billy Dat]

Someone may have said this already, but what has happened has happened. I think what we look for now is the response. He has generated a ton of bad publicity and seriously endangered his own life and safety. His best PR/career/life move right now is to basically only be seen on the court or during daylight hours. Come nightfall, stay home big fella. I know it's tough because it gets late early in the winter, but every wacko in the world is going to want to talk trash to you, challenge you, and try and be the next lawsuit. Spare yourself the trouble and LAY LOW.

[kAzE]

Sheesh, apparently, a new video has surfaced showing Jah getting into a SECOND street fight with a heckler a few blocks down the street after the first incident. How deep does this rabbit hole go? This is starting to feel like a bad new sequel to the Hangover, where we just keep finding out new details of a wild night . . .

Here's the video: http://www.tmz.com/2015/12/02/jahlil-okafor-fight-second-video-boston/

Warning: this is a pretty graphic video which shows a man with a bloodied face and quite a bit of cursing (mostly bleeped)

The league has allowed the 76ers to handle this internally thus far, but this is pretty damning video evidence. I'm absolutely shocked that Jah went this far, and I don't think the league or the 76ers should condone this type of violent behavior. If I hadn't been following his career for the past 2+ years, I would think he's just a big, stupid thug who is barely above being a gang banger. Very disappointing. He needs to be suspended, and also seek some professional help.

[wgl1228]

He definitely seems inebriated in the new video. Here's a 19 year old guy, with a ton of money, that's pretty much won his whole life and now he is losing every night (until yesterday). It can't be easy, but he has to grow up and needs the right people around him. Fans can be idiots but it's childish to respond like this. I hope Coach K has called him for a long discussion.

[Des Esseintes]

Sheesh, apparently, a new video has surfaced showing Jah getting into a SECOND street fight with a heckler a few blocks down the street after the first incident. How deep does this rabbit hole go? This is starting to feel like a bad new sequel to the Hangover, where we just keep finding out new details of a wild night . . .

Here's the video: http://www.tmz.com/2015/12/02/jahlil-okafor-fight-second-video-boston/

Warning: this is a pretty graphic video which shows a man with a bloodied face and quite a bit of cursing (mostly bleeped)

The league has allowed the 76ers to handle this internally thus far, but this is pretty damning video evidence. I'm absolutely shocked that Jah went this far, and I don't think the league or the 76ers should condone this type of violent behavior. If I hadn't been following his career for the past 2+ years, I would think he's just a big, stupid thug who is barely above being a gang banger. Very disappointing. He needs to be suspended, and also seek some professional help.
Uh, wow. That's completely, completely unacceptable. He runs across the street and beats a man unconscious. I know we want to give benefit of the doubt to an individual who played for Duke, but there is no doubt to accord benefit here. It's just violence, terrifying violence, and I find it chilling.

We don't know the people who wear the uniform. All the articles and interviews and Duke Blue Planet footage can't give a true window into the soul. We should give a rest to calling JO a "good guy" until we have a little more hard evidence that he actually is. Duke has so many awesome representatives in the NBA. We can afford to be circumspect about Jahlil.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Sheesh, apparently, a new video has surfaced showing Jah getting into a SECOND street fight with a heckler a few blocks down the street after the first incident. How deep does this rabbit hole go? This is starting to feel like a bad new sequel to the Hangover, where we just keep finding out new details of a wild night . . .

Here's the video: http://www.tmz.com/2015/12/02/jahlil-okafor-fight-second-video-boston/

Warning: this is a pretty graphic video which shows a man with a bloodied face and quite a bit of cursing (mostly bleeped)

The league has allowed the 76ers to handle this internally thus far, but this is pretty damning video evidence. I'm absolutely shocked that Jah went this far, and I don't think the league or the 76ers should condone this type of violent behavior. If I hadn't been following his career for the past 2+ years, I would think he's just a big, stupid thug who is barely above being a gang banger. Very disappointing. He needs to be suspended, and also seek some professional help.

Um, wow. That isn't great.

I mean, I am glad no one has video of my best moments as a 19 year old, but Jeeez.

He needs to get it together stat.

[Troublemaker]

While the video is disturbing and Jahlil is no angel here, and it's very clear that it was Jahlil that escalated the situation from verbal to physical (i.e. he started the street fighting portion of the evening), it should be noted that it wasn't him that punched that man unconscious.

The punch occurs at 1:11 of the video below and was delivered by a man wearing a grey hoodie or sweatshirt WITHOUT a black jacket over it. (Perhaps Christian Wood or another man in Jah's posse.) Jahlil very clearly is wearing a grey hoodie WITH a black jacket over it.

Now, Jah also very clearly DID want to punch a man, starting at 1:00, the "What's up then" portion of the video. But he did not connect. At least not on this video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F5ZQvWVloU

[dukelifer]

While the video is disturbing and Jahlil is no angel here, and it's very clear that it was Jahlil that escalated the situation from verbal to physical (i.e. he started the street fighting portion of the evening), it should be noted that it wasn't him that punched that man unconscious.

The punch occurs at 1:11 of the video below and was delivered by a man wearing a grey hoodie or sweatshirt WITHOUT a black jacket over it. (Perhaps Christian Wood or another man in Jah's posse.) Jahlil very clearly is wearing a grey hoodie WITH a black jacket over it.

Now, Jah also very clearly DID want to punch a man, starting at 1:00, the "What's up then" portion of the video. But he did not connect. At least not on this video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F5ZQvWVloU

It will likey get sorted out but Jah has damaged his rep. He may get one pass- blame it on his youth and inexperience in handling this-particularly when every human now owns a high def video camera. He will not get another pass. It will hurt potential shoe deals and other means of making money. Jah is only in his first contract. He is by no means as rich as he will be or could be. Needs to be very smart out there or it can come crumbling down in an instant.

[Troublemaker]

It will likey get sorted out but Jah has damaged his rep. He may get one pass- blame it on his youth and inexperience in handling this-particularly when every human now owns a high def video camera. He will not get another pass. It will hurt potential shoe deals and other means of making money. Jah is only in his first contract. He is by no means as rich as he will be or could be. Needs to be very smart out there or it can come crumbling down in an instant.

I could see the NBA suspending him for the rest of the season, too, a la Ron Artest. Can't be starting street fights.

[dukelifer]

I could see the NBA suspending him for the rest of the season, too, a la Ron Artest. Can't be starting street fights.

Will be interesting to see. Silver is a Duke guy - now on the Board of Trustees-will he get K's input before deciding what to do. A lot on the line here. Need to get the full story

[kAzE]

I could see the NBA suspending him for the rest of the season, too, a la Ron Artest. Can't be starting street fights.

The rest of the season might be a a bit harsh, considering these fights were not at an official NBA event. But they are definitely an embarrassment to the league, the 76ers, and to Jah himself. No NBA player should ever deliberately attack a heckler, regardless of what was said. He could have gotten himself and his friends seriously hurt or even killed. For that, I'd suspend him for at least 10 games, possibly more, depending on what ultimately comes from the league's investigation. I think it's fair to say at this point that he should be out of the running for rookie of the year . . .

[Troublemaker]

Will be interesting to see. Silver is a Duke guy - now on the Board of Trustees-will he get K's input before deciding what to do. A lot on the line here. Need to get the full story

Getting K's input as a character reference, maybe, but Silver should try for impartial optics as much as possible.

From the NBA's perspective, they might not need the "full story." Whether Jahlil actually punched anyone out after starting a street fight instead of just intending to punch someone out is more a matter for the police. For the NBA, it probably won't make a difference. Don't start street fights and make yourself look like a violent, crazy person.

[phaedrus]

I could see the NBA suspending him for the rest of the season, too, a la Ron Artest. Can't be starting street fights.

I mean, maybe, but as I'm sure you recall, Ron Artest went into the stands during a game and punched a fan.

[kAzE]

Getting K's input as a character reference, maybe, but Silver should try for impartial optics as much as possible.

I dunno . . . If this had happened while he was playing at Duke, even if it is completely out of character (which at this point, I don't know if it is), I suspect Coach K would have considered dismissing him from the team. This is bad.

[DukeTrinity11]

Jah seemed like such a good guy while he was at Duke, always smiling, a big guy with an even bigger heart. I'm worried that he's running around with the wrong circles in Philly and perhaps that some of his equally young and immature 76er teammates are dragging him down with them.

Jah lost his mom at a young age and I don't mean to sound presumptuous but his dad came off on TV seeming like the kind of guy who "basked in the glow of Jahlil" and acted more as his friend rather than an objective mentor. I could be totally off base right there but I'm calling it like I see it.

He needs some real adult guidance now-hopefully Coach K and some other current/former Duke basketball alums reach out to him soon.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I dunno . . . If this had happened while he was playing at Duke, even if it is completely out of character (which at this point, I don't know if it is), I suspect Coach K would have considered dismissing him from the team. This is bad.

This IS bad! 19-years old of not, I don't care. He is getting into fights that he is either initiating or getting baited into initiating. That is pathetic. When I was 19 - and I assume all of us were 19 at one point - I wasn't looking for fights. I definitely drank a lot, but getting into fights wasn't part of my repertoire.

Honestly, I hope Jah gets suspended for a period of time for these actions. I hope he learns from this event and that it's NOT okay to fight fans, 19 years old or 35 years old. Also, being on the 76ers isn't an excuse to lash out. Do you see Noel, Crawford, TJ, or any other 76er lashing out like this? Do you see players on the Lakers, Timberwolves, or Rockets doing anything like this?

I will continue to support Jah, but he needs to be punished for these actions. They are not okay.

[bluedev_92]

Sixers have suspended Jah for 2 games...

link to official statement:

http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/sixers-hand-okafor-two-game-suspension

[miramar]

Sixers have suspended Jah for 2 games...

link to official statement:

http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/sixers-hand-okafor-two-game-suspension

Two games? Maybe the Sixers weren't paying attention to the videos, but if you add this evening to the pistol situation and the driving, he needs to sit out for a bit to get his head straight.

Jah has always struck me as a good kid, but we certainly don't want Greg Oden part II. Greg was also a really good guy.

It's time for Silver to step in.

[JetpackJesus]

Jah seemed like such a good guy while he was at Duke, always smiling, a big guy with an even bigger heart. I'm worried that he's running around with the wrong circles in Philly and perhaps that some of his equally young and immature 76er teammates are dragging him down with them.

Jah lost his mom at a young age and I don't mean to sound presumptuous but his dad came off on TV seeming like the kind of guy who "basked in the glow of Jahlil" and acted more as his friend rather than an objective mentor. I could be totally off base right there but I'm calling it like I see it.

He needs some real adult guidance now-hopefully Coach K and some other current/former Duke basketball alums reach out to him soon.

Scott Van Pelt (http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:14271062) had a good commentary on the Jah situation, and the very issue you raised. Well, he doesn't discuss the parental situation, but he does discuss the lack of veterans to mentor and teach the young players in Philly. The 76ers have one player over age 30. He also is their only player over 25. There really isn't anyone there to help these teenagers learn how to live and behave as a professional NBA player making a butt-load of money for the first time.

I hope Jah learns from this and improves himself as a man and a professional.

[Furniture]

Simply awful. Gosh! Horrible. Disappointing…..I am gobsmacked!

[AtlDuke72]

"Jah has always struck me as a good kid, but we certainly don't want Greg Oden part II. Greg was also a really good guy."


Oden's career was ruined by injuries. Doesn't seem to me that there is any similarity to Okafor's current problems.

[freshmanjs]

Oden's career was ruined by injuries.

but his reputation was ruined by punching a woman in the face...

[huey]

“Look, Jah is one of the great kids ever,” Krzyzewski said. “Ever, ever, ever. And, you know, get into some situations—he needs to move on. They also need to have security. Like, when we’re with the U.S. team, we have security for everybody because all of those guys are targets. You’ve just got to be smart about that. He was not. He apologized. He is being punished. Look, anybody who pictures that kid as some bad kid, you’ve got to be kidding me. He is one of the most loving, good kids who has ever happened on this Earth. But he did a couple stupid things. Okay, knock him, suspend him, let’s move on. But let’s not characterize him as that. He is not that. That kid is a special, special human being. And he is a pretty damn good basketball player in addition, too.”

[bluenorth]

“Look, Jah is one of the great kids ever,” Krzyzewski said. “Ever, ever, ever. And, you know, get into some situations—he needs to move on. They also need to have security. Like, when we’re with the U.S. team, we have security for everybody because all of those guys are targets. You’ve just got to be smart about that. He was not. He apologized. He is being punished. Look, anybody who pictures that kid as some bad kid, you’ve got to be kidding me. He is one of the most loving, good kids who has ever happened on this Earth. But he did a couple stupid things. Okay, knock him, suspend him, let’s move on. But let’s not characterize him as that. He is not that. That kid is a special, special human being. And he is a pretty damn good basketball player in addition, too.”

One thing you can count on is that JO will have extra company wherever he goes from now on. Most, if not all, pro teams have the security people that Coach K mentioned. They sometimes act as liaison between the team and the local police, so that a lot of incidents are kept quiet. Now JO will have a shadow to keep him company. I doubt that we'll hear anything more like this from him for the rest of the year. Here's hoping!

[kAzE]

“Look, Jah is one of the great kids ever,” Krzyzewski said. “Ever, ever, ever. And, you know, get into some situations—he needs to move on. They also need to have security. Like, when we’re with the U.S. team, we have security for everybody because all of those guys are targets. You’ve just got to be smart about that. He was not. He apologized. He is being punished. Look, anybody who pictures that kid as some bad kid, you’ve got to be kidding me. He is one of the most loving, good kids who has ever happened on this Earth. But he did a couple stupid things. Okay, knock him, suspend him, let’s move on. But let’s not characterize him as that. He is not that. That kid is a special, special human being. And he is a pretty damn good basketball player in addition, too.”

It's good to hear this from Coach K, because I think many of us were beginning to doubt, myself included, if we knew the real Jahlil Okafor or not after these incidents. Just find yourself a nice group of friends to hang with (maybe a nice girl?) and stay in . . . please . . .

[Des Esseintes]

It's good to hear this from Coach K, because I think many of us were beginning to doubt, myself included, if we knew the real Jahlil Okafor or not after these incidents. Just find yourself a nice group of friends to hang with (maybe a nice girl?) and stay in . . . please . . .
OR, like most people, go out as much as you feel like but just handle your high (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sZP78-fzCI).

[COYS]

It's good to hear this from Coach K, because I think many of us were beginning to doubt, myself included, if we knew the real Jahlil Okafor or not after these incidents. Just find yourself a nice group of friends to hang with (maybe a nice girl?) and stay in . . . please . . .

Man, Jah's recent troubles are a reminder that life in professional sports comes with a host of additional baggage beyond the pressure of playing basketball at the highest level. The video shows a young man who is clearly dealing with more than just anger at a heckler. He probably heard a lot worse from opposing fans while at Duke. I hope that his dad, his closest friends and supporters, and the Sixers encourage him to deal with those things in the healthiest way possible, whether that be counseling or something as simple as picking up a non-basketball hobby that he loves. Regardless, I do think this situation is more than just a "shape up and move on" kind of thing. Even if it is relatively easy for him to leave some of these behaviors behind, it seems like he needs more long term support to weed out what's really going on, beneath the surface. Just to be clear, I don't mean this to be an insult to Jah in any way. There's no shame at all in realizing that you need help dealing with dramatic changes in your life . . . ESPECIALLY if you're a 19-year old kid who has been shouldering pressure that few of us could imagine for many years.

[weezie]

^^^ COYS sounds very reasonable and empathetic. Good job COYS.

[Billy Dat]

OR, like most people, go out as much as you feel like but just handle your high (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sZP78-fzCI).

Not everyone can handle a life of experimental sensualism and debauched living even though it's your trademark, Des.

[Des Esseintes]

Not everyone can handle a life of experimental sensualism and debauched living even though it's your trademark, Des.

Point taken, sir! Just thought I had to defend the hedonists. Wanton malice doesn't have to be part of being a libertine.

[Billy Dat]

Wanton malice doesn't have to be part of being a libertine.

True Dat. "I'm a lover not a fighter" didn't just spring from nowhere, whole cloth. While the angry drunk is a well worn archetype, the happy drunk is his less frequent yet present cousin. It is hard to be the latter while being heckled, but Jah's most potent response to the haters may have been pointing and laughing and pointing and laughing.

[duke79]

Not to play armchair psychologist, but I wonder if he felt peer pressure to "act tough" in these situations to try to impress his teammates. My take (and I could be wrong) is that the NBA has become increasingly "thuggish" and maybe Jah felt the need to prove his mettle by going after the hecklers.

[NashvilleDevil]

Not to play armchair psychologist, but I wonder if he felt peer pressure to "act tough" in these situations to try to impress his teammates. My take (and I could be wrong) is that the NBA has become increasingly "thuggish" and maybe Jah felt the need to prove his mettle by going after the hecklers.

You have examples of the NBA becoming increasingly thuggish? Or was the last time you watched the NBA the Malice in the Palace?

[Edouble]

Not to play armchair psychologist, but I wonder if he felt peer pressure to "act tough" in these situations to try to impress his teammates. My take (and I could be wrong) is that the NBA has become increasingly "thuggish" and maybe Jah felt the need to prove his mettle by going after the hecklers.

One hole in this theory is that he was only with one teammate who doesn't play much.

[miramar]

but his reputation was ruined by punching a woman in the face...

Oden's NBA comeback with the Heat ended that night as well.

I know that it is worse to hit a woman as Oden did, but these guys are so big and strong that they could make Kermit Washington on Rudy Tomjanovich look like a Laettner love tap.

I don't know why anybody would be crazy enough to mess with Jah, but I'm just glad no one was seriously hurt.

[Des Esseintes]

You have examples of the NBA becoming increasingly thuggish? Or was the last time you watched the NBA the Malice in the Palace?

Indeeeed. Play on the court is significantly less physical than fifteen-twenty years ago. NBA players, to my knowledge, have not been spiking in altercations with the law OR assumed personae of hostility. Chris Paul dresses like a preppy; Kevin Durant walks around in a friggin backpack; James Harden is ridiculed for being a hipster, basically an anti-thug; LeBron James is every bit as corporate and officially unthreatening as Jordan ever was. It's almost like the league isn't getting more thuggish at all. It's become increasingly black-identified as the decades have worn on, of course, but I am super confident that no one on this board would be so lazy as to equate the perceived "thuggishness" of a league with the percentage of young black men in said league. Because that would be asinine.

[MCFinARL]

While the video is disturbing and Jahlil is no angel here, and it's very clear that it was Jahlil that escalated the situation from verbal to physical (i.e. he started the street fighting portion of the evening), it should be noted that it wasn't him that punched that man unconscious.

The punch occurs at 1:11 of the video below and was delivered by a man wearing a grey hoodie or sweatshirt WITHOUT a black jacket over it. (Perhaps Christian Wood or another man in Jah's posse.) Jahlil very clearly is wearing a grey hoodie WITH a black jacket over it.

Now, Jah also very clearly DID want to punch a man, starting at 1:00, the "What's up then" portion of the video. But he did not connect. At least not on this video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F5ZQvWVloU

I don't know, I hope you are right, but the camera starts moving around at the key moment. Are you sure it is the other guy who punched the guy lying on the ground?

[NashvilleDevil]

Indeeeed. Play on the court is significantly less physical than fifteen-twenty years ago. NBA players, to my knowledge, have not been spiking in altercations with the law OR assumed personae of hostility. Chris Paul dresses like a preppy; Kevin Durant walks around in a friggin backpack; James Harden is ridiculed for being a hipster, basically an anti-thug; LeBron James is every bit as corporate and officially unthreatening as Jordan ever was. It's almost like the league isn't getting more thuggish at all. It's become increasingly black-identified as the decades have worn on, of course, but I am super confident that no one on this board would be so lazy as to equate the perceived "thuggishness" of a league with the percentage of young black men in said league. Because that would be asinine.

If anything the corporate nature of league has brought fans back. That and the less physical play that was personified by Riley's Knicks and Heat teams.

[Troublemaker]

I don't know, I hope you are right, but the camera starts moving around at the key moment. Are you sure it is the other guy who punched the guy lying on the ground?

Not 100%, but I'm willing to go 95%. Of course, we have access to the same video, so your opinion is just as valid as mine.

What I'm doing is viewing the video on a computer (not my phone), putting my mouse pointer over the 1:11 mark, and repeatedly clicking to play the video over and over again from that mark in quick succession. (The audio will sound like "yeah boy, come on come on" repeating with each click.) If you do that, I think you'll see that the puncher's wearing gray. It's just for a split-second that you'll see the puncher, but the car in the background is very dark, the puncher's pants are very dark, the person being punched is wearing very dark clothing, and the people running past are wearing very dark clothing. There's such a nice contrast to see the gray.

Of course, Jahlil DID intend to punch another guy and very well might have succeeded off camera, so this analysis might be considered trivial by some. (And I suppose it's possible Jahlil took off his black jacket and then put it back on by the end of the video.)

[cspan37421]

Not 100%, but I'm willing to go 95%. Of course, we have access to the same video, so your opinion is just as valid as mine.

What I'm doing is viewing the video on a computer (not my phone), putting my mouse pointer over the 1:11 mark, and repeatedly clicking to play the video over and over again from that mark in quick succession.

I agree, I think that just before you see the guy in gray deliver the KO punch, you see - to the left as the camera pans right - what looks like Jahlil still wearing his dark jacket over his own gray hoodie. So it does not look like he took it off, it does not look like he is the same guy who delivered the KO punch.

Not that he hadn't tried moments earlier.

I found it curious/suspicious that the camera operator kept saying his name as he was leaning over the KO-ed guy, as if to try to implicate him. Perhaps he honestly thought Jah threw the particular punch that connected. But the video evidence strongly suggests otherwise. No idea if that helps his case.

[FerryFor50]

You have examples of the NBA becoming increasingly thuggish? Or was the last time you watched the NBA the Malice in the Palace?

Kevin McHale and Bill Laimbeer beg to differ.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7r6vXeOfyQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8qhDXUD2Xc

[FerryFor50]

As for Okafor (or any young person)... sometimes the only way to learn is to overcome an incident like this.

If he learns the right lessons from it and acts on them, great.

If he learns that he can skate by and acts on that, then no good.

Luckily, at least from an external view, he has a strong support system with his family and the organization is looking out for him. So there's that.

[NashvilleDevil]

Kevin McHale and Bill Laimbeer beg to differ.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7r6vXeOfyQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8qhDXUD2Xc

What do McHale and Laimbeer have to do with the statement made that the current NBA is increasingly thuggish?

[johnb]

As soon as I saw this, I thought of Ben Wilson, also from Chicago, who was shot his senior year of high school when he was the #1 player in the country. Similar stupid fight, except another teen had a 22. Game over.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Wilson_(basketball)

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

What do McHale and Laimbeer have to do with the statement made that the current NBA is increasingly thuggish?

I think the point is that the NBA has always had some rough and tough players, and for some reason, some are seen as more "thuggish" others are seen as more "hard-nosed."

[Des Esseintes]

I think the point is that the NBA has always had some rough and tough players, and for some reason, some are seen as more "thuggish" others are seen as more "hard-nosed."

But what could that reason be, I wonder? What a puzzler!

[weezie]

I think the point is that the NBA has always had some rough and tough players, and for some reason, some are seen as more "thuggish" others are seen as more "hard-nosed."


Or, in the cases of Messieurs Laimbeer and McHale: Irish.

And I'm totes Irish so don't get me started.

[sagegrouse]

Or, in the cases of Messieurs Laimbeer and McHale: Irish.

And I'm totes Irish so don't get me started.

So far as I know, ex-Pistons Rick Mahorn and Jeff Ruland ("McFilthy" and "McNasty," according to Celtics announcer Johnny Most) are not Irish.

[weezie]

So far as I know, ex-Pistons Rick Mahorn and Jeff Ruland ("McFilthy" and "McNasty," according to Celtics announcer Johnny Most) are not Irish.

McFilthy and McNasty aren't sons of the Olde Sod?! I'm fainting on my divan!

[sagegrouse]

McFilthy and McNasty aren't sons of the Olde Sod?! I'm fainting on my divan!

Although there appear to be Irish pubs in Belfast, Edmonton (AB) and Newcastle named Filthy McNasty's.

[weezie]

I want that T-shirt.