Okafor: Happy In Brooklyn With 'Actual NBA Coaching Staff'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Jahlil Okafor seemingly took a shot at the Philadelphia 76ers' coaching staff.
The 22-year-old center, who was recently traded to the Brooklyn Nets, blamed the Sixers for his lack of conditioning after playing in his first game as a Net. Okafor played 22 minutes, tallying 10 points and four rebounds in a blowout loss to the Raptors.
"You don't really know where you stand," Okafor said via SlamOnline.com. "Playing against one of the best teams in the East was a good [test]. A lot of the guys are in midseason form, where I feel like I'm at the start of the season because I haven't really played. … I have to catch up to a lot of guys.
"That's why I'm happy, I'm here with the actual NBA coaching staff that's taking care of me every day. When I was in Philly, I was figuring it out on my own. I had my own trainer [Rick Lewis] that I've been working with since eighth grade working me out. But it's a different level when you're actually working with an NBA staff."
In his first two games with the Nets, Okafor was inactive. Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson says Okafor needs to get in game shape.
"There's just a difference between game conditioning — NBA conditioning — for [most people] he's probably in better shape, but it's a whole other level. It doesn't surprise me at all," said Atkinson via SlamOnline.com.
