Pacers Sign Former No. 3 Overall Draft Pick Bust

He wound up being one of the bigger draft busts of the last 10 years, and hasn't even played a game in the NBA since 2021. But now, in hopes of rekindling his NBA career, Jahlil Okafor has landed himself a training camp agreement with the Indiana Pacers.

Former No. 3 pick Jahlil Okafor has agreed to a training camp deal with the Indiana Pacers, agent Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports Management told @TheAthletic. Okafor, first team All-Rookie with 76ers, last played in NBA in 2021 and is working toward comeback with the East finalist. pic.twitter.com/NYyUuV5ZaB
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 28, 2024

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers certainly didn't look like he would be a 'bust' after his rookie season, as the 6'10" Okafor averaged 17.5 points per game with 7.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots and was named to the NBA's All-Rookie Team.

But it was all downhill from there, as he dropped to 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in his second season, then just 6.3 points in his third season, playing only 28 games split between the Sixers and the Brooklyn Nets.

After bottoming out in 2020-21 with the Detroit Pistons, Okafor made his way to China and then Spain to ply his trade for the past few seasons.

Now he'll get another shot in the NBA, at least in training camp, with the Pacers.