(Twitter)
Chukwudi Okafor became one of the biggest names in the stands during this year’s NCAA Tournament, supporting, and sometimes dancing, for his son Jahlil and the Duke men’s basketball team. Okafor drew attention throughout the postseason for his custom-made t-shirts, usually emblazoned with his son’s face, and his vocal support of the Blue Devils standout.
Now, with Jahlil primed to be one of the top selections in this year’s NBA Draft, Chukwudi is back in the spotlight with reports highlighting the long path he and his family took to get to the Association.
Here’s what you need to know about the Chicago native:
1. He’s Been Jahlil’s Biggest Supporter Throughout His Basketball Career
Frank Kaminsky Sr., Chucky Okafor and Todd Dekker pose for a pic outside Lucas Oil Stadium. #ProudDads #FinalFour http://t.co/kd5XbhwL6j
Okafor actually met Jahlil’s mother while he was playing basketball for a junior college in Arkansas. She had played basketball as well, a standout high school athlete with a soft touch on her shot.
When Okafor took over the reigns of raising Jahlil, he became a bigger-than-life presence in the young boy’s life. As the Chicago standout started drawing looks from top-tier colleges, Okafor would make sure coaches posed for a “look away,” shot, a family tradition.
Jahlil talked about his relationship with his father to Fox Sports:
He’s been the greatest father for me. That’s how much he loves me, that he wanted to be a better person for me, so I have somebody to look up to. And a better father figure. That just shows the love that he has for me.
He stood next to Jahlil when he signed his National Letter of Intent to Duke. This past year, Okafor was also in the stands for Duke’s annual Countdown to Craziness and immediately dubbed himself a Cameron Crazy, taking selfies with the Blue Devil mascot and screaming as loud as any long-time fan.
Happy Father’s Day http://t.co/UMelf3bSeD
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2. He Started Drawing Attention During Duke’s Run in the NCAA Tournament
(Twitter)
Okafor, naturally, had been a big-time support of Jahlil throughout his freshman season at Duke but it wasn’t until the postseason, and the Blue Devils’ championship run, that he became a bit of a sideline sensation.
It was the shirts.
Okafor, who was frequently seen at games with his brother and Jahlil’s uncle, Emeka, sported some of the most original and interesting custom-made shirts the fashion-savvy world of basketball had ever seen. Almost all of them centered around Jahlil in some way and were, usually, the hit of social media.
He wore everything from shirts front and back pictures of Jahlil playing to another shirt that actually depicted his son imitating the Notorious B.I.G.
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3. Okafor Raised Jahlil After His Mother, Dacresha Lanett Benton, Died From a Collapsed Lung
(Twitter)
Okafor first met Dachresa Benton, who he called Dee, when he was studying at junior college in Fort Smith, Arkansas. But their seven-year, on and off, relationship was not without its troubles and the same day that Dee found out she was pregnant with Jahlil, Okafor found out he had been expelled from school.
Not long after Jahlil was born, Okafor moved back to his hometown in Chicago. Then, tragedy struck. Dee had died, at the age of 29, of a collapsed lung after battling bronchitis and, suddenly, Okafor had to learn how to be a parent; again.
Okafor told Fox Sports:
I couldn’t play (around) any longer. From that point my life was never, ever about me again. And that’s to this day. It has never been about me at all. It’s always been about my children at that point. Any weaknesses that I had growing up – whether it was me following the crowd or getting into trouble, or me as a basketball player and not having a left hand – I didn’t want any of my weaknesses to be his weaknesses.
He flew to Arkansas and stood with a then-nine-year-old Jahlil while he read a poem for his mother at the funeral. He brought his family back to Chicago and, over the next decade became one of the sports world’s most dedicated and present fathers.
4. He Staged a Video Claiming Jahlil Should Have Been National Player of the Year
Never one to shy away from a bit of attention, Chukwudi took questions from a different kind of media member after Duke defeated Michigan State in the Final Four earlier this year. In fact, the questions came from Chukwudi’s brother, Emeka.
The subject matter? Jahlil, of course. Or rather, Jahlil’s alleged slight at not being named National Player of the Year.
Jahlil’s dad @DaddyofaPro & uncle @ceookafor holding court outside the Duke locker room. Emeka laying into media for not voting Jah AP POY.
The Okafor’s staged their impromtu press conference in front of the Duke locker room after the Blue Devils’ victory and Jahlil can be heard, on video, saying, “Yes, I am the father of Jahlil, who should have been National Player of the Year.”
Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky won the award, just days before Okafor and Duke defeated him and the Badgers in the National Championship game.
5. In April, He Said Jahlil Is the ‘Best Player to Ever Come Out of Chicago’
(Getty)
The nets had only just recently been cut on Duke’s National Championship when Chukwudi added another headline to the mix, telling TMZ Sports:
Jahlil is the best player to ever come out of Chicago. My son’s absolutely the most decorated player ever from the city. He should go down as a Duke legend. He brought them a banner.
There is some merit to Chukwudi’s claim. After all, at just 19 years old, Jahlil is already an NCAA champion, first-team All-America, 3-time FIBA Gold Medalist and a finalist for National Player of the Year. However, he is also not Michael Jordan whose name is still synonymous with Chicago sports or NBA champions Dwayne Wade or Kevin Garnett, who played high school hoops in the city.
Chukwudi’s remarks sparked a bit of ire from the Chicago media and also on social media and the Chicago native was quick to make amends on Twitter:
