Chuma Okeke Gets Second Chance With Knicks

The New York Knicks are adding Chuma Okeke to the roster.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 2, 2024

Mar 23, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Chuma Okeke (3) warms up before the game against Sacramento Kings the at KIA Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are filling out their roster with four-year NBA veteran Chuma Okeke, who has spent his entire career so far with the Orlando Magic.

Okeke, 25, was the No. 16 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Auburn, but he didn't begin his career until the 2020-21 season after using his "rookie" year to recover from his torn ACL he suffered in his final collegiate game. This meant Okeke signed a four-year contract beginning with the 2020-21 campaign, which lasted until this past season.

Okeke joined the Magic right when they were starting to rebuild, which meant he had opportunities given to him to be a key player for the team moving forward. As a 3-and-D specialist, Okeke was never seen as a player with much star potential, but he could develop into a strong role player if everything went right.

When the Magic began adding players who did fill that star potential like Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, Okeke's minutes in the rotation began to shrink. He played in just 27 games in the 2022-23 campaign and 47 games this past season, though he only averaged 9.2 minutes per contest.

Okeke was called upon in the middle of the year to be a larger contributor when injuries began to pile up, but for the most part, he was not an active member of the rotation.

The reason why Okeke fits the Knicks is his defensive potential. At 6-7, Okeke is the ideal size of a player you want to have on the wing. He can defend multiple positions, and that should please coach Tom Thibodeau. He likely will have a similar role in New York that he had in Orlando as a situational player when people ahead of him on the depth chart are injured, but his defensive abilities could help the Knicks in a bind if they need someone to defend on the wing.

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Published Aug 2, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.