April 10--He won. He's done -- playing in college, at least.
Fresh off helping Duke win the NCAA tournament, Young graduate and Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor will enter the NBA draft.
"I've fantasized of the day that I could play professional basketball," the 6-foot-10, 270-pound center said in a statement. "I recall at the age of 6, promising my mom and dad that when I made it to the NBA I would buy them both different colored trucks."
Okafor, 19, was the first freshman to be named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and was a first-team All-American. He averaged 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 assists while shooting 66.4 percent for the 35-4 Blue Devils.
Okafor is the sixth one-and-done player under Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. The most recent was Simeon graduate and two-time Mr. Basketball of Illinois Jabari Parker, who was picked second by the Bucks last year.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for Jahlil and he has earned it," Krzyzewski said.
Okafor, who was voted Mr. Basketball of Illinois last year after leading Young to the Class 4A state title, is projected to go as high as No. 1 in the June 25 draft in New York.
pskrbina@tribpub.com
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