I think I'm a great teammate.
— Jahlil Okafor
Being the No. 1 pick isn't that important to me.
I think I can play power forward; I think I can play center as well.
I don't worry about individual matchups.
Every game is going to be different.
I get that every game. High school. At Duke. When I do the introductions, I get a little butterflies. Once I step on the floor, I'm fine.
You have half a second to make your mind up to know if you're going to shoot, pass, drive. Don't hold the ball too long, and make your decision quick.
I shoot a lot of bank shots and a lot of shots around the perimeter. There's a lot of things I like to work on, but I know my bread and butter when it comes down to it, and that's in the post.
Being in the city of New Orleans, meeting the people, it's been nothing but hospitality and a lot of love.
I can score from 18 to 20 feet out, handle the ball, pass. I don't consider myself an old-school center.
There are things that I need to work on, that I have worked on, and that I'll continue to work on.
I definitely feel like I'm the scapegoat for a lot of The Process issues.
Playing games and watching film, I've been able to see the improvements I can make and how much better I can be. It's exciting to think about it.
In eighth grade, I pretty much didn't want to pass. I was 6'8'.' I was always bigger and stronger. I was getting triple-teamed, and the results weren't good. I wasn't helping my team. I was forcing shots. Then I started passing it out to my team, and they started hitting shots and slashing, and that's when things opened up for me.
My aunt, who plays the role of my mother now, she got her Ph.D.
In college, when you lose one game as a top team, it's like the end of the world.
I pray to my mother before every game. She passed away when I was 9, but I always consider her my wings on the floor, my extra step, my extra focus, my extra everything, to watch over me when I'm on the court. It takes some pressure off you when you feel like you have your mother above watching you. And I always pray to God for guidance.
I didn't want to go to any school but Duke: the best of the best.
I've always won. I've won the state championship, national championship, all that stuff.
The games are really long when you're not out there.
It's nice to be able to go against bigger guys and be able to bang.
When you're friends with somebody, it's really easy to tell them 'Help me do this; help me do that.' It's not an uncomfortable conversation.
Around sixth or seventh grade, I fell in love with Tim Duncan and his all-around game. That's when I started watching him. Then my father introduced me to Hakeem Olajuwon. Those were the two guys I modeled my game after.
I didn't think I was going to be doubled my first NBA game. I knew it would happen eventually, but I got off to a hot start, so as a result, I got double-teamed.
I shoot all kinds of shots. I just don't stay on the block and do layups and dunks when I'm in the gym by myself.
When I found out that I'd been traded to Brooklyn - it was pretty much the best feeling in the world.
I've always gotten credit for being a big man who doesn't want to shoot threes. Throughout my entire basketball career prior to coming to the NBA, I was praised for doing that.
I'm not a perfect player.
That's one of things I've heard about Brooklyn - how good they are at developing players.
I've had a lot of struggles in the NBA, so to have some type of success, it just feels good, and makes you want more.
I wasn't always a willing passer.
Chicago is home for me.
My rookie season, I wore 8 because I had wanted 15, but it's retired in Philadelphia. I had worn 15 in college.
People in New Orleans have been so supportive of me and the team. I love walking around here, because the people have been great.
When you have a dominant big man, that changes the aspects of the game.
It feels good when your teammates are telling you on the bench that they're hyped.
First time we played together was when I was in seventh grade, he was in eighth. There was a lot of buzz in the city about Jabari Parker, rightfully so. He's obviously a major player. I was just blessed to have him one year ahead of me, so everything I did, he already finished. I've been really blessed to have him by my side.
I've always been a physical player.
When I found out dairy was an inflammatory, which I had no idea about, I cut that out.
I've always been the tallest guy in my age group, which always made me go right down in the post.
I've been playing basketball my entire life, so I feel comfortable doing what is asked of me.
For as long as I remember, big men have dominated the NBA.
I can play with my back to the basket, but I can face up as well.
Coming out of college, I got a lot of notoriety for being the old-school center.
Speeding obviously is illegal. I know that's not what you're supposed to do.
At the end of the day, I know what my bread and butter is and how I can be effective.
I'm just trying to get better each game.
My father has his master's degree. My uncle does as well.
I'm a big fan of black uniforms.
Shaquille O'Neal was probably my favorite athlete growing up. I loved how dominant and unstoppable he was, but also his charisma off the court. He was someone I gravitated toward.
