Jahlil Okafor Rumors: Former 76ers C Draws Interest from Multiple Chinese Teams
Former Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor is reportedly generating interest from several teams in China as a free agent.
The Sixers selected Okafor with the third overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft. He averaged 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks in 53 games as a rookie before his debut campaign was cut short by a torn meniscus in his right knee.
He struggled to find a consistent place in the Philly rotation once he returned to full strength, and he made just two appearances for the team during the early stages of last season before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in early December.
The change of scenery did little to increase his playing time. He averaged 6.4 points and 2.9 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per game across 26 contests for the Nets before becoming a free agent at season's end.
Okafor expressed his frustration about his lack of opportunity in a January piece for The Players' Tribune.
"You can say what you want about my first few seasons in the league. And I know I have plenty to work on if I'm going to be that all-around player on both ends," he wrote. "But I also really am a chill guy. … That really is just my nature. And my being chill—that doesn't mean I wasn't going crazy not playing. It was killing me not to play. I love the game."
On Wednesday, Sean Deveney of Sporting News reported the center recently hosted a workout in Las Vegas with four teams in attendance and "remains hopeful" of signing with an NBA team before training camp.
If that chance doesn't materialize, he may be forced to consider China as an option to rebuild his value after his stock faded considerably over the past three years.
