Chicago Big’s Ready for More Prime Time Action
Jahill Okafor and Cliff Alexander are rated 1 and 2 in the majority of the national scouting services. They both have earned this honor. Okafor is 6’11, 270, and a true low post player; he just turned 17 years of age. His footwork is amazing to be his size. This summer he played Club Basketball with Mac Irvin fire (AAU). Once Okafor catch the ball in the low post, no one can guard him. Okafor is trained by Rick Lewis son of Bennie Lewis, who is a Hall of Fame Coach at East St. Louis; Lincoln who has 5 State Titles to his credit.
The younger Lewis has trained my Elite Big’s including Michigan Mitch McGary who will be a first round pick in the future. Okafor is starting to develop a 15 foot jump shot. I see him getting better each day. I read one scouting services Okafor is rank 3rd best player in the Nation (I can’t believe that at all) Okafor is the best Big Man to play in the State of Illinois. Yes better than Efrem Winters, Lemone Lampley, Eddy Curry, Leo Smith, Rashard Griffth, Juwan Howard, and Deon Thomas. Don’t forget that former Simeon Star Jabari Parker, noted as the best player in Illinois history.
Okafor has scheduled five official visits to Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, Baylor, and Arizona. Look for Okafor Whitney Young team which includes Miles Reynolds, Paul White and sophomore Skylark Nash to be #1 in Chicago, but Simeon has won four straight State Titles under Coach Robert Smith. Could this be the year Whitney Young wins another Title under Coach Tyrone slaughter? Only time will tell! Cliff Alexander a 6’9, 245lb power forward from Curie High School; he is a man among boys. Alexander game is similar to Dwight Howard and Amare Stoudmare. Alexander once had no post moves as a freshman, sophomore as a junior he show more post moves than his two previous seasons.
Assistant Coach Matthew Mohammed has really worked with Alexander on developing his post moves which has made him a low post threat. Alexander is the best rebounder in the class of 2014. He blocks shots and finish around the rim better than any other player in the nation. This summer he dominated some of the Top Big’s in the country. An example would be out playing Karl Towns, Kentucky bound and 7’0 Myles Turner out of Texas. His game is getting better with a new face up game to go along with some cool low post moves. The Sky is the limit for Alexander. He played for the Mac Irvin Fire AAU Program Coach by Michael Irvin. The highly regarded Mac Irvin Fire AAU program has at least 15 division kids in the program. I know that Kansas and Kentucky are recruiting Alexander and Okafor. They both will be impact players were ever they go. Might they play for the same college program? They both will play in the NBA as first rounds picks. They are clean cut kids who are very humble and kid friendly. Alexander has DePaul, Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Louisville, Michigan State, Indiana, Memphis and 2 others school on his list.
The Coaches that inherit these two young men are getting great basketball players, but more important they are getting high character kids!
Written by Michael A. Lang
We have a new basketball coaching contributor in Michael Lang. I think that you will like his basketball articles that he will be writing for Men’s Basketball HoopScoop.
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