Pacers News: Watch Former Top Draft Pick Dominate for Indiana Mad Ants

The Mad Ants are looking stacked this year.

Jan 18, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; From left to right Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) and center Joel Embiid (21) and center Nerlens Noel (4) warm up before the game against the Toronto Raptors at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers' G League affiliate squad, the Indiana Mad Ants (formerly the Fort Wayne Mad Ants), are off to a 1-1 start on their young 2024-25 regular season.

The club's opening night roster included two Indiana legends, in two-time Big Ten All-Defensive Team Purdue guard Dakota Mathias and ex-Warsaw High School and Indiana Wesleyan combo guard Kyle Mangas.

But the biggest name, by far, suiting up for the Mad Ants is Jahlil Okafor.

Following a title-winning, one-and-done 2014-15 NCAA season with the Duke Blue Devils, the 6-foot-11 center was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, still in the midst of their "process" teardown era, as navigated by beloved former general manager Sam Hinkie. In Philadelphia's draft history, Okafor was the lottery selection in between 2014 draftee Joel Embiid, the eventual 2023 league MVP, and 2016 draftee Ben Simmons, who blossomed into a three-time All-Star before he became a semi-tantalizing, often-hurt expiring contract.

Okafor never reached the heights of either of those comrades, although on paper he had the pedigree to potentially get there. The cousin of former 10-year NBA vet Emeka Okafor (who himself was the No. 2 pick in the 2004 NBA Draft), the younger Okafor was seen as a top prospect coming out of Mike Krzyzewski's system. It never quite worked out, as his offensive game was stuck in the 2000s — full of back-to-basket moves but missing longer jumpers.

He never developed a reliable 3-point shot, but wasn't the kind of rim-protecting big man who instilled fear in the hearts of opposing players. Essentially, he was in no man's land, and some early meniscus trouble also hampered his development.

After an infamous departure from Philadelphia in 2017, Okafor played for the Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, and Detroit Pistons. He hasn't suited up in an NBA game since 2021, but has played for the CBA's Zhejiang Lions, the Mexico City Capitanes of the G League, Spanish club Casademont Zaragova, and Puerto Rican squad Capitanes de Arecibo.

Now, Okafor is making the most of his opportunity with the Mad Ants. In two contests with the Mad Ants, the 28-year-old is averaging 14.5 points on .684/.500/1.000 shooting splits (that 3-point rate is arriving on a fairly low 1.0 attempts and seems a bit fluky), 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.5 steals a night.

Okafor's performance against the Cleveland Charge, NBAGL affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers, was especially appetizing.

In that 122-114 Mad Ants win, Okafor scored 21 points on 10-of-16 field goal shooting (63 percent) and pulled down nine rebounds.

roll the tape on @JahlilOkafor's highlights 📼 pic.twitter.com/24bbxf9B6V

— Mad Ants Basketball (@TheMadAnts) November 10, 2024

Mad Ants sixth man De'Vion Harmon led the club with 25 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the floor (1-of-4 from the 3-point line) and an immaculate 5-of-5 shooting from the foul line. All five starters (including Okafor) scored in double digits.

Combo forward Cameron McGriff was the team's third 20-plus point scorer, with 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the floor (4-of-8 from long range), along with nine rebounds and two assists.

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