In the wake of a recent fight, another alleged late-night incident and a police stop, the Philadelphia 76ers suspended star rookie center Jahlil Okafor two games Wednesday.
“Jahlil is a very important part of our organization and our future,” said a statement from the team.
The Sixers picked Okafor No. 3 overall in this year’s NBA Draft.
“While we are disappointed with his recent actions, we have faith in him as a valued member of the Sixers,” said the team. “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.”
Off-the-court issues including a stop for speeding over the Ben Franklin Bridge, a report of using a fake ID to try to get into a city bar and his alleged involvement in a caught-on-camera fight after a game in Boston already led the Sixers to getting a personal security detail for their budding star, according to a report.
Okafor, a 19-year-old who won a national championship in his one season at Duke, has averaged 17.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks so far this season.
