Heels offer Okafor
When you get a scholarship offer from North Carolina as a sophomore you know you're a pretty special player, and Jahlil Okafor appears to be such a prospect.
UNC head coach Roy Williams has seen enough to know that he wants to have a chance to sign the Windy City big man, as he's made the decision to verbally offer the 6-10, 280-pounder.
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"North Carolina offered yesterday (Sunday)," Okafor told Tar Heel Illustrated Monday night.
Okafor, the No. 4 prospect in his class nationally in the current Rivals.com rankings, made a visit to Chapel Hill December 16 as his Whitney Young High basketball team played in a recent Holiday event in Fayetteville.
A couple weeks later on December 28, Coach Williams personally evaluated Okafor in Myrtle Beach (S.C.) at the Beach Ball Classic Holiday tournament, and was in the building when Okafor blew up for 36 points.
Certainly that performance has been on Coach Williams' mind as he's made the decision to make a full-court press for Okafor.
"UNC is a school that I've been watching since I was a little kid. I've just always been a fan of theirs and it's so humbling to know that they want me," Okafor said.
Coach Williams has been in communication with Okafor's father to talk about his vision for how his son can potentially be a difference maker for the Tar Heels later this decade.
"I just know Coach Roy (Williams) spoke with my dad on the phone," Okafor said.
Okafor will likely be one of the more heavily-recruited prospects in the country given his size and unique skill set, so UNC's early offer sends a message that they're in it to win it in this recruitment.
Here's our scouting analysis on Okafor:
You don't see many kids in all of high school basketball, especially at his young age, that have the combination of skills that the Chicago sophomore has. He's just a massive guy, with soft hands who has a lot of post moves.
And these just aren't post moves -- they are instinctive post moves. He's got a monster drop step, a baby hook, up and under and if you stop that, well, he's got counter moves. He's a great rebounder and just a true low post, seal and score guy.
Stay tuned to Tar Heel Illustrated for more breaking news on UNC basketball recruiting.