Former second overall pick Emeka Okafor has opted to join the Sixers’ G League team, the Delaware 87ers, after being cut today by Philadelphia, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN.com. According to Begley, Okafor will look to boost his value with his G League play, in the hopes of signing with an NBA team at some point this season.
Okafor last played in the NBA during the 2012/13 campaign, making 77 starts at center for the Wizards that season. However, injury issues – including a herniated disc in his neck – derailed Okafor’s career. The 35-year-old center indicated earlier this summer that he had been medically cleared and hoped to make it back to the NBA, but he wasn’t able to break camp with the 76ers.
Because Okafor has never played in the G League before, the Sixers have the opportunity to make him one of their affiliate players. Teams can assign up to four players they’ve waived to their G League affiliate, assuming those players sign G League contracts. Okafor figures to be joined in Delaware by James Blackmon, Andrew Andrews, and Marc Loving.