Jahlil Okafor Showing He's a Man Among Boys in Scorching NCAA Tournament Start

The NCAA tournament is supposed to favor experience over talent. Nobody bothered to tell that to Duke's freshman big man Jahlil Okafor.

In his first two games in the Big Dance, Okafor has gone 21-of-27 from the field for 47 points, nine rebounds and five blocks. Think about that for a minute—in two games, Okafor has only missed six shots total.

So far, he's led No. 1 seed Duke to wins over No. 16 Robert Morris and No. 8 San Diego State. He's officially gone to a place that other recent Duke freshmen phenoms Austin Rivers and Jabari Parker never went: the Sweet 16.

Okafor—or "Jah" as his coach and teammates call him—is not your average one-and-done. He is not another overhyped freshman. He is not a kid who is merely peaking at the right time.

He's a 6'11", 270-pound basketball machine who has the ability to completely take over games from the inside, a rare feat. He is a superstar in the making who is making the most of his time on the biggest stage of the sport.

Of course, it's no surprise that Duke is into the Sweet 16 and that Okafor has played well: Duke is a top seed, and Okafor averaged 17.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season. He was the ACC Player of the Year and is neck-and-neck with Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky in the National Player of the Year race, per ESPN Insider's panel of college basketball experts.

But so far in the NCAA tournament, Okafor hasn't just been good; he's been transcendent. 

Rob Dauster of NBC Sports' College Basketball Talk broke down how Okafor took over the game against the Aztecs on Sunday: 

The key for Duke on Sunday was their ability to render San Diego State’s post doubles ineffective. It started with Okafor, who was simply too good. When the Aztecs were able to get the double team, Okafor simply dribbled out of the trap, waited until he had one-on-one coverage again and proceeded to beat his man off the dribble.

San Diego State had one of the best defenses in the nation this season, coming in at second in points allowed per game. Okafor made them look helpless.

"I played against big players before, but I haven't played against anybody that big, with that skill set," San Diego State's Skylar Spencer said after the game (via ASAP Sports). 

"Okafor is a load; he's hard to guard," Aztecs head coach Steve Fisher added. "He's very, very talented."

Not only is Okafor so big and powerful that he requires a double-team, but he also has the agility and ball-handling ability to get free from double coverage. That's just mean. There truly is no foolproof way to cover him, especially if you don't have a defender of comparable size. ESPN Stats & Info illustrated Okafor's shooting prowess using a stat comparison:

Oh, and don't forget, Okafor also has the speed for a fast break, the vertical leap for a dunk and ridiculous accuracy—he's sixth in the nation in field-goal percentage (.669).

So far in the NCAA tournament, Okafor has actually raised his level and intensity, and it is paying off in spades. He is truly a man on a mission.

While other players talk about "one game at a time" and living in the moment, Okafor has been very open about his desire to win a national championship. In fact, it was the reason why he chose Duke with his best friend and point guard Tyus Jones.

"It would mean the world to me. I've always wanted to win a national title," he told reporters after the win over the Aztecs (via ASAP Sports). ... "That's where all my focus has been the entire season, and that's where it still is. We're putting everything on the line, and that's our No. 1 goal."

Not only is Okafor so good that he is projected to be the top pick in the NBA draft this spring, but he also now has extra motivation and a sense of urgency. That is dangerous.

Okafor and the Blue Devils will next take on No. 5 seed Utah in the Sweet 16. Like the Aztecs, the Utes have a stingy defense, but Duke will be the heavy favorites. The Blue Devils could potentially play No. 2 Gonzaga in the Elite Eight.

The undefeated Kentucky Wildcats are certainly still the favorite to win the title this year, but with Okafor playing the way he has to start the tournament, Duke is a very close second.

As he's showcased in the NCAA tournament so far, when it comes to college basketball, Okafor is simply a step above the best.