Jahlil Okafor can’t stay out of the news for negative reasons.
The fight in Boston. The other fight in Boston. The previous altercation in which Okafor reportedly tried to punch a man then had a gun pulled on him. The high-speed driving. The fake I.D.
So, the 76ers are taking action.
76ers release:We have made the determination to suspend Jahlil Okafor for two games, effective immediately.
Jahlil is a very important part of our organization and our future. While we are disappointed with his recent actions, we have faith in him as a valued member of the Sixers. We will provide the necessary resources to support him on his journey and will do our part to help him succeed both on and off the court.
That it’s unclear exactly which incident or incidents led to the suspension is troubling. Okafor started three games since the first fight video emerged.
The 76ers are contributing resources for Okafor by getting him a personal security guard, and a suspension could serve as a wake-up call.
But I can’t get past the question: Why now? What changed since the first fight video?
How much are 76ers’ genuinely supporting Okafor and how much are they trying to appease the public by suspending him after another video emerged today? Those goals aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive, but they are not the same.