Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia 76ers‘ hiring of Jerry Colangelo to be their chairman of basketball operations added an air of respectability to a franchise that was in desperate need of help. The head of USA Basketball has already made an impact since taking over; signing head coach Brett Brown to a three-year contract extension, talking to former team USA assistant Mike D’Antoni about joining the coaching staff and now reaching out to former Duke Blue Devils Shane Battier and Elton Brand as mentors for the young 76ers squad were all huge steps in the right direction.
With Colangelo’s lengthy connection to Team USA and Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski, it wouldn’t be a particularly surprising move and would in fact make sense. Both Battier and Brand had decorated collegiate careers before moving on to the NBA, with Battier currently enjoying a career in broadcasting and Brand just retiring from the league in August. With a combined 29 years of experience in the league, they will both have plenty to offer.
One person who could use their help right now is fellow Blue Devil Jahlil Okafor. Since returning from his two-game suspension, Okafor has looked great, averaging 17.8 PPG and 8.4 RPG, but the 76ers are not concerned about his play. Okafor is the future of their franchise and bringing in veteran players he can relate to, no matter their role, will only help him. Philadelphia has entrusted their team to a 20-year-old kid and all of that pressure may have gotten to him.
Okafor needs help, and he’s not going to find it on the court from one of the various scrubs that he is forced to share the floor with every night. Nerlens Noel — the only other worthwhile player on the team — has struggled to make any shot that isn’t in the restricted area. Unless the 76ers change their rebuilding strategy under the new regime, Okafor is going to have to hope that the ping pong balls fall his team’s way if he wants someone to lighten the scoring load.
Until then he can learn plenty from Battier and Brand. Neither player was ever asked to carry the load that Okafor has on his shoulders right now, but Battier played with LeBron James and Brand with Dirk Nowitzki, so both have seen the pressure that a franchise player must take on and the incredible success that it can bring.
Battier and Brand are proven winners with successful pro careers, and they will command respect from the youthful and inexperienced 76ers squad. Right now their level of involvement is unclear, but no matter how defined their roles in the organization might be, they should be in contact with Okafor. They do have 29 years of experience to back that up.
Chipper Murphy is a Beat Writer for the New York Knicks on www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChipperMurphy or Google. “Like” him on Facebook.
