Former No. 3 Overall Pick Could Play For Mexico In Team's G League Debut

He was never quite able to make it in the NBA, now the former No. 3 overall pick from the 2015 NBA Draft, center/power forward Jahlil Okafor, has a chance to take his talents south of the border, where he could be a featured player on the first-ever full-time NBA G League team in Mexico.

Mexico City will be a full home-and-away participant in the @nbagleague this season and has obtained the rights to former No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor and veteran NBA forward Gary Clark, league sources say.

More NBA from me: https://t.co/LGN9cVpMwn

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 21, 2022

According to NBA Insider Marc Stein, the Mexico City team has obtained Okafor's rights, along with another veteran NBA forward, Gary Clark.

Okafor was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 3rd pick of the 2015 draft, and had a solid rookie season in Philly, posting averages of 17.5 points and 7 rebounds, along with 1.2 blocks per game. He was selected to the All-Rookie First Team.

But his season ended prematurely due to knee surgery on a meniscus tear, and Okafor was never the same again. His rebounding and defense continued to be a struggle for him over the years, and off-the-court issues held him back as well.

He last played in the NBA in 2021 with the Detroit Pistons, where he averaged 12 minutes per game in 27 contests, with marks of 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds. He played in China last season.

Still just 26, perhaps a completely new environment like the one he could now be entering, can rejuvenate Okafor. 

Photos: Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports