Is Jahlil Okafor Ready to be Sixers' Main Man?

Jahlil Okafor may have fallen several notches in the 2015 NBA Draft but that does not totally indicate the type of player he actually is.

Okafor was a favorite to be taken in as either the first or second pick in the last draft but as everyone perhaps knows by now, he surprisingly slid to the third spot and was a player that the Philadelphia 76ers chose not to pass up.

Days leading to the draft, Okafor was likely considered to end up the second pick following Karl-Anthony Towns. That pick belonged to the Los Angeles Lakers but things didn't go quite that way.

Rather than Okafor, the Lakers went with D'Angelo Russell in what is seen as a move to address roster requirements than fill up the forward line which doesn't exactly need another body as Julius Randle was already present to do just that. The Lakers would eventually go for veterans to beef up the frontline with the likes of Roy Hibbert and Brandon Bass plus some unknown players during free agency.

As far as using their second pick was concerned, the Lakers seemed to want the best point guard available and Russell was it.

For Okafor, the drop in the draft may not turn out to be that bad. Had he been picked up by the Lakers, playing time would be a big question mark. Playing time would certainly be limited and such could eventually result in hindering Okafor from unleashing his potential.

The Sixers, with Joel Embiid out for the second consecutive season, thus looks like a perfect place to be in. Together with Nerlens Noel, the two could be a deadly force up front though their experience may not yet be enough for now.

Still. Okafor can get to show off the stuff he is made of with the expected playing time for the former Duke University standout. He showed his full potential in college but everyone knows that the NBA is a totally different story.

A flaw that many saw in Okafor was his ability to play defense. Considering he will be up against seasoned veterans in his position, he could be a liability if he doesn't show he can properly defend.

The same goes for his offensive game. Can he match up well against tougher players in the NBA?

The thing is, Okafor will have the ample playing time to show all of this. He could make a statement in his rookie year or then again, not entirely. At only 19, he does have a long road ahead. If all goes well, he could become the Sixers new main man.

"I am ready [for the challenge]," said Okafor via Boston Globe. "I was the No. 1 player in high school so I went through that attention. I went to Duke University, one of the bigger schools in the country, and won a national championship. I'm used to attention and I think I'll handle it fine."