Former No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor is on a mission to make an NBA return, and he is using the G League as his platform.
Currently playing for the Indiana Mad Ants, Okafor has been showcasing his skills in hopes of getting back to the league.
Okafor spent last season with Casademont Zaragoza in Spain but is now focused on reviving his NBA career.
After posting impressive stats with the Mad Ants, including 16.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3 assists in 27.6 minutes per game, he is determined to get another shot at the big leagues.
“I just wanted to put myself in position to give myself a shot to get back to the NBA,” Okafor said in a recent interview, via Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak. “The G League is one of the best routes back to the NBA. Especially if teams aren’t calling, this is one of the best ways to be in front of their face 24-7.”
Okafor, now in his 10th year as a professional, brings experience from multiple international leagues.
His last year overseas in Spain was a valuable experience, but now the former Philadelphia 76ers center has a new-found appreciation for playing in the United States, especially with his family being able to watch him play.
“I definitely have a new-found appreciation for playing at home just because my family can see me,” Okafor shared. “In particular here, I’m only three hours from Chicago, which is my home base. It’s a night-and-day difference from being all the way in China. It’s something I’m very grateful for now that I’ve been overseas.”
The 28-year-old Okafor was once a highly touted prospect after being selected third overall in the 2015 NBA Draft.
Despite having a strong start to his career, his time in the NBA has been a rollercoaster, with his most recent stint with the Detroit Pistons in 2020.
Okafor has appeared in 247 NBA games in his career, averaging 10.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game.
