Would Phil Jackson have taken Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor first overall?
The New York Knicks finished with the second-worst record in the NBA last season, but they were not fortunate enough to secure either the first or second pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. Instead, the Knicks ended up selecting Kristaps Porzingis with the No. 4 overall pick.
If the Knicks did end up with the top overall pick, who would they have selected? The choice was obviously narrowed down to former Kentucky star Karl-Anthony Towns and former Duke big man Jahlil Okafor, but Jackson didn’t really tip his hand in the weeks and months leading up to the draft.
In his latest installment of “The Phil Files,” ESPN’s Charley Rosen shared some quotes that Jackson provided during the season about the draft.
“For sure, (Towns is) a better defender than Okafor, but even in the limited minutes he got during the season, Towns was always in foul trouble,” Jackson explained. “Also, he’s not very core-strong. Plus, his big feet will make it difficult for him to maneuver through heavy traffic in the paint. I think in four years Towns will be a better NBA player that Okafor, but Okafor is more NBA-ready right now and we need help ASAP.”
Interestingly enough, Jackson had discussed the importance of cleaning house and rebuilding on a separate occasion.
“All I can say is that I’m following the same script that (former Bulls GM Jerry Krause) followed after I left the Bulls. Basically clean house and look to rebuild around a top-notch draft pick,” he said of his plan. “If you recall, Krause had the first overall pick in 1999 and got Elton Brand, a good player but not a franchise player. I hope that I can do better.”
Jackson mentioned Okafor as the more NBA-ready player, but he clearly believes Towns is a better overall prospect. If his goal was to draft a franchise player, it seems like a safe bet that he would have chosen the one he believes would be a better pro down the road.
Between Jackson’s comments and the remarks Towns’ father made about his son leading up to the draft, it seems like Karl-Anthony was the most logical fit.
