Prior to Wednesday’s game at Madison Square Garden, 76ers coach Brett Brown approached the issue from a different perspective than that of a head coach, dismissing the notion that this was a bad thing that landed on the organization, instead calling it a wake-up call.
Advertisement
In other words, maybe these young players will learn just how fortunate they are to play a game for a living rather than crapping all over it like all too many seem to be doing.
Jahlil Okafor was recently in the news for fighting with an individual outside a Boston night club. 26, Okafor didn’t tell the coach of the second squabble.
“We have faith in him as a valued member of the Sixers”, the statement said.
“He told us sketchy that he was in a situation that he regretted”, Brown said.
The Sixers, who were without suspended center Jahlil Okafor, were hoping to start streaking in the opposite direction.
The 19-year-old National Basketball Association neophyte has already apologized for his actions and called it “definitely dumb on my part” and “something that I am embarrassed about”. “I am always fascinated by the global players”, said Brown about Porzingas. “We will provide the necessary resources to support him on his journey and will do our part to help him succeed both on the off the court”.
The Sixers had previously said they were assigning a security guard to accompany Okafor at all times, but had held back on a punishment. “I feel like I’m looking at a 19-year-old kid that all of a sudden has come into money and has been used to winning, has been used to being in the limelight”.
His teams will be forced to hire a staff of full time babysitters, personal drivers, bodyguards, trainers, and cooks, just to make sure he does all the things the rest of us adults do for ourselves.
“‘He’s a great kid”, said Sixers forward JaKarr Sampson. “I think he is unique”. This will be the first of four meetings between the Atlantic Division foes, and surprisingly it won’t be the 76ers entering the game on a losing streak.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) and Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) hug at the conclusion of the game at Wells Fargo Center. “The details, the further details that came out surprised me, surprised us”.
Brown was asked why the team had not suspended the rookie sooner, especially considering that Wednesday’s video was at least the third off-the-court altercation he has been involved in.
Advertisement
“We felt like our point was made”, Brown said. “I didn’t think we were smart at all with our coverages in the first half”.
