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Duke University Basketball Star Started Playing Basketball In Fort Smith

FORT SMITH (KFSM)- One of the star players of the NCAA National Championship game got his start at the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club. Jahlil Okafor, who play...

FORT SMITH (KFSM)- One of the star players of the NCAA National Championship game got his start at the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club.

Jahlil Okafor, who plays for Duke University's men's basketball team, is originally from Moffett, Oklahoma. Stevie Black said he helped introduce Okafor to basketball while he was living in the River Valley.

“Everybody is cheering for him down here because we know if he wins he will come back through some day and talk about it at the [Boys & Girls Club],” Black said.

Black goes by the nickname Coach World and he said he met Okafor when he was about six-years-old.

"I was coaching when they're in first and second grade where we teach mostly dribbling and playing defense and shooting," World said. "That year we won a championship with him."

Coach World said he worked with Okafor for about a year.

"I had to get on him a little bit, but he's great, very great and respectful," he said "I'm very proud of him."

Now, the coach can't help but wonder what would've happened if Okafor was never introduced to the sport.

"He could have been still walking up and down the street in Moffett, Oklahoma doing nothing," Black said. "'If you work hard you can do the same thing I`m doing.' And I know that's Jahlil and Jahlil worked awfully hard to get where he's at."

Okafor eventually moved to Chicago where he graduated high school before playing for Duke University.

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