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NBA News: Former Pistons Big Man Lands Deal With Indiana Pacers

Jahlil Okafor reportedly lands 10-day contract with Indiana Pacers.
Kevin McCormick|
Apr 29, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jahlil Okafor (13) holds the ball during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-Imagn Images
Apr 29, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jahlil Okafor (13) holds the ball during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-Imagn Images | Raj Mehta-Imagn Images

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Detroit PistonsIndiana Pacers

Over the past five years, the Detroit Pistons have rolled the dice on numerous former lottery picks in hopes they'd find success in a new situation. After years of being out of the league, one of the players the franchise took a flier on in the past is getting another opportunity to showcase their talents.

On Monday evening, NBA insider Chris Haynes reported on the Indiana Pacers' latest roster move. They plan to sign center Jahlil Okafor to a 10-day contract. The veteran big man lands this opportunity after being a standout performer for the organization's G-League affiliate.

After leading Duke to a national championship in college, Okafor was drafted No. 3 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2015. He'd put together a promising rookie campaign, but many felt his old-school style wouldn't translate to the NBA.

Okafor bounced around the league for a little, but eventually found himself out of the league in 2021. His last stint on an NBA roster came as a member of the Pistons. He signed as a free agent early on in the 2020-21 campaign, and went on to appear in 27 games for Detroit. In that time, Okafor averaged 5.4 PPG and 2.4 RPG. The Pistons ended up traded Okafor to the Brooklyn Nets, where he was then waived.

In the G-League, Okafor has shown that he might still have something in the tank to provide an NBA team. Across 30 games for the Indiana Mad Ants, he averaged 18.6 PPG and 9.0 RPG while shooting a stellar 65.5% from the field.

Nearly four years removed from his last stint in the league, Okafor finally finds himself with an opportunity to work his was back on to a roster.

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Kevin McCormick
KEVIN MCCORMICK

Since graduating from Holy Family University with a degree in Sports Management, he's gone on to pursue a career in journalism covering the NBA. Some of his previous bylines include 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, and Sportskeeda.