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Pacers G League Star Listed on All Winter Showcase Squad

Ricardo Klein

Oct 25, 2019; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Jahlil Okafor (8) controls the ball defended by Dallas Mavericks forward Justin Jackson (44) in the first quarter at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2019; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Jahlil Okafor (8) controls the ball defended by Dallas Mavericks forward Justin Jackson (44) in the first quarter at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-Imagn Images / Chuck Cook-Imagn Images
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The Indiana Pacers are one of the more inconsistent teams as we pass the quarter mark of the season. The Pacers are far from the team we witnessed last season. It's clear that they need to make a move to bolster their roster, but they may not need to look too far for an upgrade.

Former NBA lottery pick and Duke national champion Jahlil Okafor plays for the Pacers G League squad, the Indiana Mad Ants. Okafor is coming off an impressive outing at the 2024 G League Winter Showcase, so much so that he made the All-Showcase team.

Okafor, along with former NBA forward T.J. Warren, also made the team.

Okafor was a standout in the showcase in Orlando, Florida, and will now look for a new year NBA contract. The 29-year-old has been great for the Mad Ants, especially in the showcase, as he averaged 22 points and nine rebounds per game in the two Orlando contests while shooting 67 percent (18-of-27) from the field. Okafor's performance earned him All-Winter Showcase Team honors.

Since returning from overseas to begin the G-League season earlier this year, Okafor has appeared in 15 games for the Mad Ants, averaging 18.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 64.5 percent from the field.

Net up for the No. 3 overall pick, Okafor will find a 10-day NBA Contract beginning Jan. 5.

The Philapdehia 76ers drafted Okafor with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He entered his rookie season and took the league by storm, averaging 17.5 points per game, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 68.6 percent from the charity stripe.

Okafor finished fifth in Rooke of the Year voting and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2016. However, after his rookie season, the injuries started to pile up. Okafor struggled mightily with a small tear of the meniscus in his right knee.

After three years in Philadelphia, Okafor was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets along with Nik Stauskas and a 2019 second-round draft pick in exchange for Trevor Booker.

After one season there, he spent the next two seasons in New Orleans and last played in the NBA for the Detroit Pistons in the 2020-21 season. On Sept. 2021, he signed with the Atlanta Hawks but was waived weeks later.

For the past three seasons, Okafor played for Zhejiang Lions in the Chinese Basketball Association, the Mexico City Capitanes in the National Professional Basketball League, Casademont Zaragoza of the Liga ACB, and the Capitanes de Arecibo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional in Puerto Rico.

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Ricardo Klein
RICARDO KLEIN

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