In case you haven’t noticed yet, Jahlil Okafor is wildly entertaining.
The top junior boys basketball prospect in the nation, Okafor is a constant source of honest and unexpected feedback. The junior, who stars for Chicago (Il.) Whitney Young writes a blog for USA Today that is a legitimate must-read.
One week, he’s telling the world that no coaches know how to pronounce his name, the next unwittingly instructing the world about the unseen underbelly of recruiting … like the fact that Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is among basketball’s slowest texters.
Or the fact that an Ohio State assistant coach has named a dog after Okafor (if that isn’t some kind of a recruiting violation, it probably should be).
That’s very good info, and it’s clear that it’s only offered up because Okafor just doesn’t care about recruiting as much as other things. Like his favorite show, "Pretty Little Liars."
Yes, that "Pretty Little Liars." The WB sitcom aimed at teenage girls. The show is full of melodrama and character manipulation. And Okafor is right along for the ride.
Throughout the 2012-13 season, Okafor has breathlessly kept his fans up to date on the show as a cap to his relatively frequent blog posts. When the season finale finally came, Okafor was even more excited about the outcome than usual, though such analysis of his comments seems outright banal when compared with Okafor's more enthusiastic reaction.
OK, so you know I’ve gotta give y’all the rundown on my show, Pretty Little Liars.
The season finale was last week and it was crazy!
I just can’t believe what happened. Some girl was supposed to have been dead for the last three years and they ended up seeing her rescuing them out of the fire. It was crazy. It really left me hanging too.
It’s so hard to wait for the next season. Eventually, my thirst for the show will die down, but right now I just can’t wait.
Naturally, that kind of emotional response is the sign of a true fan. And while most teens who admit to being a Pretty Little Liars fan – in writing no less – would be sure to receive plenty of ribbing, Okafor may very well be the exception. Okafor is so much more talented than most other recruits, he can watch whatever he wants and assistant coaches will probably even tune in to connect with Okafor.
It’s all part of what makes Okafor so entertaining off the court. Given what he pulls off on the court, he’s awfully likely to be one heck of a star at the next level, too.
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