The general consensus prior to the NBA Draft Lottery was had the Knicks lucked out and won the top pick, they would’ve selected Karl-Anthony Towns.
But in his latest sitdown with author Charley Rosen, recorded in mid-March, Jackson said his preference was former Duke forward Jahlil Okafor, not Towns, the versatile forward from New Jersey.
“For sure, he’s a better defender than Okafor, but even in the limited minutes he got during the season, Towns was always in foul trouble,” Jackson said. “Also, he’s not very core-strong. Plus, his big feet will make it difficult for him to maneuver through heavy traffic in the paint.