12/21/2012 football Edit

City of Palms: Okafor comes to play

Corey Albertson

Special to Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting

Friday's action at the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., provided several standout performances and one classic game. The little-known team from Utah might be the talk of the town, but no star shined brighter than the nation's No. 1 2014 prospect.

Bigger and better

After his team lost an overtime heartbreaker to Montverde (Fla.) Academy on Thursday, 2014's top prospect, five-star Chicago (Ill.) Whitney Young center Jahlil Okafor, was determined not to let his team take another loss. But to do that Okafor would have to lead his team against one of the nation's best-kept secrets in Omaha (Neb.) Central and four-star power forward Akoy Agau, a Louisville signee.

Coming off a performance that Okafor described as just all right against five-star center Dakari Johnson, Okafor came out with even more fire in his belly, dominating the game with 23 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, while shooting an efficient 11-for-14 from the field.

Not only did Okafor display his usual patient offensive feel and scoring ability around the rim, but he also proved that when the double-team comes he is one of the better passing big men in the nation. Also a poised finisher in traffic, Rivals.com was equally impressed with how consistently Okafor finishes around the rim and with how soft he can shoot the ball high off the glass through contact.

After the game, Okafor told reporters that North Carolina has been recruiting him the hardest as of late and that he also would like to take trips soon to Kentucky and Michigan State.

"North Carolina in particular is coming at me hard, but there are a lot of schools," Okafor said. "I talk to coach Roy Williams a lot. I really like North Carolina. The rich tradition with guys like Michael Jordan makes it great.

"I've kind of backed away from the recruiting process lately; most of the calls have been going through my dad."

When asked about Kentucky, Okafor was quick to bring up a pair of fellow Chicago natives who have had great success with Wildcats coach John Calipari.

"I've talked to Coach Calipari and a couple of their assistants a couple of times recently," Okafor said. "There are a lot of positives to say with what Kentucky has done with guys like Anthony Davis and Derrick Rose."

Reflecting on the recent commitment of AAU teammate Jabari Parker to Duke, Okafor said, "It won't have any effect on my decision, but Duke is a school that I'm looking at, so Jabari will be able to give me the inside scoop."

Okafor elaborated on his relationship with Parker, saying that the Chicago (Ill.) Simeon small forward has become like a mentor to him, even though Parker is just one grade ahead of Okafor.

"(Being ranked No. 1 in his class) puts a target on your back; that's something I learned from Jabari," Okafor said. "We always have that conversation. He's like my brother, and he's experienced everything that I'm experiencing."

Not to be left out of the spotlight from the game, which ended in a thrilling, three-point Whitney Young victory, Agau finished with 14 points, including three deep 3-point shots. The Louisville signee struggled some in the post when matched against Okafor, but he showed a rare skill package with that type of touch and a mobile, 6-foot-9 frame.

Also for Whitney Young, the play of 2014 guard Miles Reynolds needs mentioning. A passionate slashing guard with a good jump shot, Reynolds finished with 15 points and provided much of the emotional leadership in the win.

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