NBA News 2015: Philadelphia 76ers Suspend Jahlil Okafor, Kobe Bryant Offers Advice For Troubled Player
Team officials of the Phila9delphia 76ers slapped a two-game suspension on 19-year old Jahlil Okafor, for the recent misdemeanors he had previously involved himself in.
The two-game suspension covered the December 2 game against the New York Knicks and the December 5 game against the Denver Nuggets, both of which Philadelphia lost.
In a report by SBNation, the 76ers big man was penalized for his being part of a brawl outside a Boston nightclub on the night of November 25th. A video by TMZ showed Okafor shoving and swinging at an unidentified civilian, after a brief, yet heated exchange of words.
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Members of the entire Philadelphia 76ers teams showed their support to their beleaguered teammate through an official statement they have released. "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," an excerpt of the statement reads. The Philadelphia 76ers are currently holding an abysmal 1-20 record.
Okafor averages 17.2 points, 1.6 blocks, and 8.1 rebounds per game through 46 percent shooting.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Lakers superstar franchise player Kobe Bryant also showed his support for the troubled Okafor.
According to a report by CBS Sports, "The Black Mamba" went up to Okafor during the Lakers' game against Philadelphia on Tuesday night to give some words of encouragement.
He also adds that given today's digital advancements, anyone who is easily accessible by the public, which includes NBA players, should always be on their best behavior.
"Everybody has a camera with a camera phone," Bryant said in the CBS Sports article. "You pick up on mistakes a lot more now than you would in the past."
Bryant has been involved with professional basketball since 1996, when he was first drafted fresh out of high school by the Charlotte Hornets and later traded to the Lakers. As he rose up the ranks, he was able to deal with the trappings of success.
Which is why Bryant also offered himself to the younger players, noting that they can easily approach him for any topic about the life as an NBA player.
"My phone line's always open to have a conversation or to sit around and break bread and talk about basketball or talk about whatever," he said. "I'm pretty open about that."
