Former 76ers PF Norvel Pelle to Sign Contract with Brooklyn Nets
Former Philadelphia 76ers power forward Norvel Pelle is set to sign a contract with the Brooklyn Nets once he clears the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
BJ Bass, Pelle's agent, confirmed the expected signing to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 27-year-old Antigua and Barbuda native was a prized prospect coming out of Frederick K.C. Price High School in Los Angeles. He rated 49th in the 2011 recruiting class in 247Sports' composite rankings.
He was ruled ineligible at both St. John's and Iona, however, and ultimately went undrafted in 2014.
Pelle has since embarked on a nomadic journey with multiple stays in the G League along with stints playing pro ball in Taiwan, Lebanon and Italy.
The forward earned his first NBA opportunity last season with the Sixers. He averaged 2.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while playing 9.7 minutes per game across 24 appearances. He shot 52.1 percent from the field (25 of 48).
"Every moment, every second I've been appreciating it," Pelle told Brian Seltzer of NBA.com about his whirlwind travels in March. "This year is just like a dream come true. I'm just taking it all in."
He'll have an opportunity to earn some playing time for the star-studded Nets, whose depth has been guard-heavy since the blockbuster trade for James Harden from the Houston Rockets.
Once he clears protocol, he'll compete with Reggie Perry for reserve frontcourt minutes behind DeAndre Jordan and Jeff Green until Nicolas Claxton returns from a knee injury in February.
Pelle could earn a more permanent roster spot with some strong play at the defensive end given Brooklyn is ranked 25th in points allowed per game (115.8) so far this season.
