Jahlil Okafor’s career has not been off to a raucous start. The former Duke star has been a high-usage scorer in the pros but has not contributed much elsewhere, notably being one of the worst interior defenders in the NBA.
That could begin to change, however, as the center is working to improve his conditioning. As Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly reports, Okafor has lost 20 pounds via a “mostly vegan” diet:
This summer, Okafor has been focusing on his health, and that goes beyond his rehabbing right knee. He has made a serious commitment to his diet, too, by going “mostly vegan.”
The results are noticeable. The 6-foot-11 Okafor is down to 258 pounds, 20 pounds less than his weight entering training camp last year.
“I’ve cut out dairy, so that’s cheese, chocolate, stuff like that,” Okafor said Thursday at the Sixers Shore Tour in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey. “But every now and then I still might eat some fish.”
Okafor changed how he starts his day. Now, his uncle prepares a meal out of a vegan cookbook for him each morning. Okafor likes the recipe options so he doesn’t “get bored going vegan.”
“I feel lighter, I feel great,” he said. “I’ve been taking my body seriously, my health seriously, what I eat very seriously. So I think it’s going to pay off.”
