Jahlil Okafor- Whitney Young Magnet High School

“I’m sure she would be proud of me,” says Whitney Young’s star center Jahlil Okafor of his mother who passed away from bronchitis when he was only 9 years old.

“I always say if she were here, I’m not sure I would work as hard as I have with basketball. [Losing her] has helped me take basketball more seriously. The next day, after it happened, I remember playing basketball, and it took my mind off of everything. Ever since then, I’ve kind of forced myself to take things more seriously.”

Named the top ranked high school basketball player in the nation for the class of 2014, according to rivals.com, Okafor’s hard work and focus have paved the way to accomplishments that most athletes his age only dream of. Most recently, he was named the 2013 Sun- Times Player of the Year—an honor given to Simeon’s Jabari Parker in 2012.

Okafor primarily credits his Whitney Young teammates for helping him pull ahead of Parker this year as the top varsity player in Illinois.

             “I think my teammates really made me look good this year,” says Okafor, “We went around the whole country beating some of the best teams around. That wasn’t anything that I did necessarily, but I think more so toward my teammates.”

            In addition to his teammates, Okafor credits his family and coaching staff for helping develop him into the dominant player that he is today.

“I would give a lot of credit to my family. Of course hard work goes into that, but I could easily stop working. My family stays on me to keep me grounded. So it all goes to my family.”

“My coaches have helped me out a lot—especially Coach Tyrone Slaughter. He’s really helped me become a leader. I would usually just come to practice and do what I was supposed to do, and if anybody else was slacking off I wouldn’t say anything. Now, I am a leader on the team. I try to lead the guys on the court. Off the court, I try to be a leader by example, and also help them out if they make mistakes.”

Along with Okafor, Whitney Young has two other players ranked within the top sixty-five players in the nation, juniors L.J. Peak and Paul White.

“I think it shows how the school really develops our players. For L.J., Paul and I, we were all very talented before we got here, but everybody here has gotten better since they’ve been a part of Whitney Young, so that says a lot for our coaching staff.”

Although he has noticeably improved since he started at Whitney Young, Okafor was already recognized as an elite player when he was still in junior high.

“In eighth grade I started to realize that I had a chance to be really good. I went to the freshman All American camp, and I was recognized as the top freshman there. Ever since then, I realized that if I took it seriously I could really do something in basketball.”

Before entering high school, Okafor had already begun being recognized by D-1 college basketball programs. His first offer coming from DePaul University, Okafor literally did not believe it at first.

“I received my first offer in eighth grade. I was aware [DePaul] was about to offer me [a scholarship]. I just remember the next day I was on ESPN. I didn’t get to see it. It came on the morning show. I remember waking up, and I had like ten missed calls, and people were telling me that I was on ESPN. I thought everybody was lying. Then, I finally saw it for myself.”

Since then, Okafor has received numerous offers from other major programs.

“I’ve received offers from Michigan State, Ohio State, Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, Kansas, UCONN, Georgetown, Illinois, DePaul, Northwestern, Arizona, Baylor, Arkansas, Louisville. I’m sure I forgot some people. Oh, North Carolina, Duke, NC State. That’s the majority of it. I think.”

So, what is it about Jahlil Okafor that makes him such an eye catcher to the top D-1 basketball programs in the country?

“A lot of people recognize me as being a dominant post player,” says Okafor “and also being dominant on both ends of the court.” Adding, “I’m trying to be more dominant on the defensive end because right now I’m known as scoring a lot of points on the block and things like that, so I want to be more dominant on the defensive end of the floor.”

He says he is trying to model his game after stand-out NBA players such as Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwan, and Tim Duncan.

“Just because they all play my position, and they were the best to ever do it at my position.”

As of now, Okafor will continue leading the Whitney Young Dolphins through the IHSA playoffs attempting to knock off some of the most talented teams in the country.

“I think the competition explains everything about Chicago. I always say we have the best basketball players in the country. Derrick Rose, Anthony Davis, of course, Jabari, myself and Cliff. I think it puts a mental toughness on you because nobody in Chicago really cares who you are. When you step on the court, you are going to have to play. So, I think that speaks for itself.”

 His next opponent is Cliff Alexander and the Curie Metropolitan basketball team at sectionals. Curie and Whitney Young face off tonight at Argo Community High School. The winner will go on to play Simeon and Jabari Parker in the Sectional Championship.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun, but of course, I expect my team to win, says Okafor, “I’ve been playing against Cliff since about eighth grade. That’s one of my best friends. I consider him to be one of my brothers. It’s going to be a lot of fun playing against somebody that you’re so close with. It’s going to be exciting. I can’t wait. I’m looking forward to it.”

Glynn Watson- St. Joseph High School

            A small private school located in the Chicago suburb of Westchester, Illinois, St. Joseph High School has created a prominent name for itself on the basketball court. Having entered season after season with highly competitive and talented varsity teams, the Chargers are most famous for their legendary alumni. From Basketball Hall of Famer, Isiah Thomas to the 2010 National College Player of the Year, Evan Turner, St. Joe’s has continuously produced top notch players, and this year is no exception.

St. Joe’s head coach Gene Pingatore, one of few high school basketball coaches to win over 900 games and a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, has high hopes for his starting point guard, sophomore Glynn Watson who he believes “has the potential to be one of the best point guards in the state.”

“He’s not there yet. He still has a lot of work to do. Everyone thinks it’s just automatic, but there are a lot of things that he still has to learn. That’s why you don’t see the consistency that you would like to,” says Pingatore.

“On the court, I just try to be a leader,” says Watson, “I’m a fast pace point guard, and if we need to score at the end, I try to score and get my team involved. I try to get everybody on the same page because, when we’re not, that’s how turnovers happen. I want to create a relationship with all of my teammates.”

Relationships on the St. Joe’s basketball team, Watson says, are extremely unified. There is no one person on the team that Watson feels he connects with more than others.

“All of my teammates. We have a close relationship, so basically all of them.”

“My coaches have done a lot to make me a better player. They push me more every day in practice. Ping does a lot of yelling, so that gets me mentally tougher.”

Watson’s relationship with Coach Pingatore is also very strong.

“It’s really close because I’ve known him since my brother was here and all that, so it’s close.”

Watson is the younger brother of Demetri McCamey, a former University of Illinois point guard and St. Joe’s alumnus. McCamey, who is now playing for the Erie Bayhawks—the D-League affiliate of the New York Knicks—believes his brother’s  “potential is through the roof.”

 “He should be better than both my brother Dre and I,” says McCamey, “At his age, I was stronger and more athletic, but he [has a better knowledge of the game]. Physically, he has longer arms than me. He’s just a little better in all aspects of being a true point guard.”

For Watson and McCamey, basketball is “a family thing.”

Watson says that he has learned a lot from watching his brother play and develop his career in professional basketball.

“I’ve seen him go through a lot of pressure so I know what to expect and all that comes with trying to make it big. He’s taught me how to be a better point guard and how to run a team and be a leader.”

 “My brothers help me a lot because they pressure me—especially in practice—to work on my game and get stronger every day. We go to the gym every time they come home and just work on all the aspects of our game every morning and afternoon.”

Although he may be improving at a faster pace than his older brothers, when it comes to a one-on-one battle, Glynn laughs, “I won a couple of them, but they’ve won most of them.”

Both Glynn and his brothers agree that Chicago is currently the location of the best competition in high school basketball. Playing alongside elite class of 2015 players such as St. Rita’s Charles Matthews, Simeon’s DJ Williams, and his own St. Joe’s teammate Jordan Ash, Watson will have a lot of work to do in order to continue his optimistic future.

 “There are a lot of tough players in Chicago. I just try to compete with them, too. It’s special playing at St. Joe’ because a lot of players don’t get to play here and I get a chance to, so it’s special.”

Like his older brother, Watson strives to continue to play basketball for a long time.

“For my team, I just want to try to go downstate and win the championship. In the long term, I’d like to make it to the NBA someday.”