by Alex Schwartz

Kahari Beaufort and Jahlil Okafor were two of the players included in the Northstar Basketball Pre-July 2014 Top 40 Watch List. However, their reputations are quite different, as Beaufort did not truly breakout until this spring, while Okafor was considered a star before he even began high school.

Northstar Basketball had the chance to talk recruiting with both of them recently, catching up with Beaufort at the Reebok Breakout Challenge and Okafor at the LeBron James Skills Academy.

Beaufort, a 6'3 shooting guard, listed offers from Florida, Missouri, Providence, St. John's, and Tulane to go along with interest from Syracuse. Since then, he has checked in and said he picked up an offer from Miami as well.

"I like Florida a lot and [if] Syracuse offered me I'm pretty sure I'd go to Syracyse because I like the coach and everything," Beaufort said, later adding that he "could commit on the spot" if SU offered.

Although he likes Florida and Syracuse, Beaufort (pictured on left) said it is another school he has grown up rooting for.

"I'm a big UConn fan," Beaufort said of the in-state school. "Jim Calhoun lives on [my high school's] campus."

Beaufort, who is from Harford, Conn., said that it would be a tough decision between Syracuse and UConn if both schools offered. In fact said that they are his "two dream schools."

UConn has one advantage working for it, as Beaufort said, "That's where my family wants me to go."

In addition, Beaufort said that he knows ex-UConn players such as Jerome Dyson, Hasheem Thabeet and AJ Price.

"I'm still growing," Beaufort said. "My brother is 6'4, my mom is 6-foot and my dad is 6'7."

Beaufort averaged 25 points per game at Pomfret Prep (CT) this past year, scoring 552 points on the season and making 1st Team All-NEPSAC Class B, but he will not be back next year.

"I'm currently going to attend Northwest Catholic with [guys who are like] my two brothers, Zach Lewis and Kuran Iverson," Beaufort said.

Jahlil Okafor is a mammoth of a man, yet he is only entering his sophomore year of high school. A 6'9, 270-pound center out of Whitney Young (IL), Okafor is extremely skilled for his age and is in the discussion as the best player in the class of 2014.

Okafor said he holds early scholarship ofers from a pair of in-state programs, Illinois and DePaul, as well as Michigan State, Arkansas and Ohio State. He is also garnering interest from the likes of UConn, North Carolina, Syracuse, Georgetown, Kansas, and more.

Okafor (pictured on right) said he does "not yet" have any favorites in his recruitment, but he certainly has time, as he is in no rush to make his decision.

"Probably junior year [or] senior year," Okafor said of when he plans to make his college commitment.

As aforementioned, Okafor was a big name in grassroots hoops before he even began high school. The dominant interior presence talked about what all the early attention has been like for him.

"At first it was new, but then you get used to it," Okafor said. "My dad humbles me a lot, tells me, 'Be a kid, don't get big-headed.'"

Note- photo of Kahari Beaufort is from http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/; photo of Jahlil Okafor is from http://www.ny2lasports.com/default.aspx