Top 45 Jahlil Okafor Quotes

I’ve always been a Kobe fan; he’s one of my favorite players.

I can score from 18 to 20 feet out, handle the ball, pass. I don’t consider myself an old-school center.

I’ve always gotten credit for being a big man who doesn’t want to shoot threes. Throughout my entire basketball career prior to coming to the NBA, I was praised for doing that.

I think I can play power forward; I think I can play center as well.

There are things that I need to work on, that I have worked on, and that I’ll continue to work on.

That’s one of things I’ve heard about Brooklyn – how good they are at developing players.

I think from losing my mother, I appreciate having good people around me.

Coming out of college, I got a lot of notoriety for being the old-school center.

I have a lot of eyes on me because of basketball, a lot of young people looking up to me. It’s made me grow up faster.

People in New Orleans have been so supportive of me and the team. I love walking around here, because the people have been great.

I’ve talked to a bunch of big men who told me they didn’t really start playing basketball until seventh or eighth grade. That wasn’t the situation with me.

I’ve always been a physical player.

My rookie season, I wore 8 because I had wanted 15, but it’s retired in Philadelphia. I had worn 15 in college.

I didn’t want to go to any school but Duke: the best of the best.

I’d like to win Rookie of the Year.

Around sixth or seventh grade, I fell in love with Tim Duncan and his all-around game. That’s when I started watching him. Then my father introduced me to Hakeem Olajuwon. Those were the two guys I modeled my game after.

My dad is the opposite of me. He’s so outgoing and so loud.

I’m definitely used to being the centerpiece of a team.

I try to make really close bonds with people.

I’m not a perfect player.

I don’t want to say why I should be picked over somebody. I just want to say why I should be picked for any team.

I’ve always been a basketball player. My earliest memories are of playing basketball. I was born playing it. It’s why I’m so comfortable on the floor.

I shoot a lot of bank shots and a lot of shots around the perimeter. There’s a lot of things I like to work on, but I know my bread and butter when it comes down to it, and that’s in the post.

I’m just trying to get better each game.

That’s always been my interest – things of the unknown.

Chicago is home for me.

The games are really long when you’re not out there.

I think I’m a great teammate.

You see a lot of guys in the NBA make dumb mistakes.

Of course, in college, you’re traveling, especially when you’re with Duke basketball, but in the NBA, it’s on a whole entire level.

I shoot all kinds of shots. I just don’t stay on the block and do layups and dunks when I’m in the gym by myself.

My goal is to be the best. That’s my thing I want to achieve – the best that I can be – and hopefully, that’s the best player in the NBA.

I was a big sweet-tea guy.

Rankings, for most players, are like adversity because we all want to be the best. So you’ve just got to approach it like you would a tough situation on the court. You just have to respond.

I love LeBron, but Kobe was the first player I actually considered my favorite.

I wasn’t always a willing passer.

When you have a dominant big man, that changes the aspects of the game.

Playing games and watching film, I’ve been able to see the improvements I can make and how much better I can be. It’s exciting to think about it.

I like playing in the post, so a system that plays to my strengths is important.

I never take a day off.

When you’re friends with somebody, it’s really easy to tell them ‘Help me do this; help me do that.’ It’s not an uncomfortable conversation.

I’ve been working on all my aspects of my game.

I didn’t think I was going to be doubled my first NBA game. I knew it would happen eventually, but I got off to a hot start, so as a result, I got double-teamed.

I think, when I was younger, I might have scored on the wrong basket. That wasn’t too smart.

When I pictured myself in the NBA, I always imagined myself with an older guy taking me under his wing.