In 2015, the NBA Tanhuaxiu Okafor was exposed to have come to China and will play in the CBA for the Guangsha men's basketball team. At this point, Okafor's treatment is lamentable, because he was once thought to be a superstar in the NBA, and has the reputation of the next Duncan. It is optimistic because Okafor has a glorious college resume, and in the first season of the NBA, it was also a blockbuster.
Duke is one of the most successful basketball schools in the United States, and many well-known NBA players have emerged. At the talent-rich Duke University, Okafor is a big man. In 2014, Okafor entered Duke and, although he was a newcomer, quickly became a major player. In a single season, Okafor double-doubled in 35 games, grabbing a total of 322 rebounds, all of which set team records. He also helped Duke win the MCAA championship and Okafor became famous throughout the United States.
Before the 2015 NBA Draft, Okafor was a popular candidate for the title. Although Okafor eventually only became a tanhua, his rookie season performance was no worse than that of Downs. In his first NBA game, Okafor had 26 points and seven rebounds. In game 3 of the NBA, Okafor had 24 points and three rebounds. In the first three games of the NBA, Okafor won 20+ in 2 games, a feat comparable to 76ers' ever-famous Iverson.
A good start is half the battle, and Okafor's debut season with 20 points per game became the norm. With the nickname of Little Duncan, Okafor's future is extremely bright. The performance is due to the fact that Okafor, although he is 2.11 meters tall, he moves flexibly and has a wealth of scoring means under the basket. Capable of singles, hooking hands, Okafor's back-up jumper is also very lethal.
But Okafor's highlight lasted just over a season, and he fell out of favor with the 76ers after Embiid returned. In the 2017-18 season, Okafor played only 2 games and put the bench through. After the season, Okafor was traded to the Nets. Since then, Okafor has embarked on a wandering path, not being reused wherever he goes. In the process, Okafor also scored too high a score, but he was never able to complete the turnaround.
Falling into the trough is not because Okafor does not work hard, but because the technical characteristics are out of step with the times. Okafor's advantage is low-post offense, but now that it's the small-ball era, there's less demand for big men in low-post singles. Big men who can shoot three-pointers and open up space are more favored, and Okafor has almost no three-point ability. To make matters worse, Okafor's defense was also terrible, often being a breakthrough for opponents.
Under the sum of the two, Okafor's shortcomings are too obvious, and it is difficult to avoid gradually fading out of the NBA. In the NBA, Okafor had the opportunity to change the pattern of the championship. The CBA is far less fast than the NBA, and relying on the basket, Okafor has every chance of becoming a big killer. Okafor's defense is not good in the NBA, but relying on height and talent, it can be a big gate in the CBA. With Okafor, the strength of the Guangsha men's basketball team has been qualitatively improved, and it is almost certain to enter the ranks of the championship.