Another former Blue Devil will open the 2018-19 NBA season this fall wearing the uniform of a new franchise.
Free-agent Jahlil Okafor reportedly agreed a partially-guaranteed one-year contract with the New Orleans Pelicans Thursday afternoon. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the deal also includes a team option for the 2019-20 season.
The former ACC Player of the year is no longer the coveted prospect he was when selected third overall in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. Perhaps a relic of a bygone era of big men, the methodical but lumbering Okafor failed to succeed in Philadelphia. After two underwhelming seasons, the 6-foot-11center fell out of the 76ers’ rotation entirely before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets along with Nik Stauskas and a second-round pick for Trevor Booker last December.
Okafor will always be remembered fondly by Duke fans for leading his squad to the 2015 National Championship. He led the Blue Devils in points, rebounds, blocks and win shares per 40 minutes.
The Pelicans already have significant depth in the front court, with Anthony Davis, Julius Randle, Emeka Okafor (no relation to Jahlil) and Alexis Ajinca all on contract. However, Okafor is still only 22, and has already proven that he can score at an NBA level when he averaged 17.5 points per game his rookie season.
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