Jahlil Okafor: Will Enter NBA Draft

Okafor officially declared for the NBA Draft on Thursday, Laura Keeley of the Raleigh News & Observer reports.

Analysis:

It was considered a foregone conclusion that Okafor would declare for the draft, as the freshman is in contention to go No. 1 overall. A finalist for the National Player of the Year award, Okafor averaged 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. He's drawn comparisons to Al Jefferson at the NBA level, as he lacks elite athleticism but has a diverse repertoire of polished interior moves. Okafor struggles as a defender, however, which has caused him to fall behind Kentucky's Karl Anthony Towns, a much better defender, on many pre-draft rankings.