Dozens of former Duke basketball players were on hand for Pro Devils Weekend in Durham. Jahlil Okafor, back in the United States following three years playing overseas, is one of those players who returned to campus to bond with his former coaches and other members of The Brotherhood.
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“It’s awesome being back at Duke,” Okafor says in the following video, courtesy of the Duke basketball social media team. “It’s always great being back here. Being in Durham, seeing familiar faces, it’s always love being back.”
Always love to see national champ Big Jah @JahlilOkafor 📍🏰 pic.twitter.com/z9TpwQ2AJ1
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) August 31, 2024
Of course, the 28-year-old Okafor, who landed USBWA Freshman of the Year honors while helping to power the Blue Devils to the most recent of their five national titles, took time to reflect on his memorable 2014-15 journey as a one-and-done before getting drafted No. 3 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers that summer.
“It feels crazy to think that it’s been 10 years since we won the national championship,” he noted. “It just makes you feel like I’m getting old…
“The thing that made that team so special, I think, was how close we were as a unit. We all had the same goal of winning a national championship, and we held each other accountable each and every day, knowing that that was our end goal. And those guys, I’m still close with to this day. So, I would say the relationships that I built, that was the most special thing about that team.”
Now, there’s a decent chance that Jahlil Okafor will reunite with two of his 2014-15 teammates in Phoenix next season, as guards Grayson Allen and Tyus Jones are both on the roster, not to mention 2009-2013 Duke basketball center Mason Plumlee.
Back in June, the Phoenix Suns’ new G League affiliate, the Valley Suns, selected Okafor at No. 3 overall in the expansion draft. The 6-foot-11 big man, who has 247 NBA games under his belt but no appearances in the league since his 2020-21 campaign, should have an opportunity to impress Phoenix brass and perhaps earn a 10-day contract or better during the season.
