Chuma Okeke, a former standout from Auburn, made his return to the NBA on Friday night during the Philadelphia 76ers’ 125-112 loss to the Detroit Pistons. After signing a 10-day contract with the team, Okeke played for just 2 minutes and 11 seconds, recording one rebound in his first NBA game since April 27. The 76ers had space on their roster following recent trade deadline moves. Okeke, a 6-foot-6 forward from the Westchester Knicks, had averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.5 blocks in 33 games with the Knicks’ affiliate team this season.
Philadelphia signed Okeke after he had been waived by the New York Knicks on October 19. Okeke had been drafted 16th overall by the Orlando Magic, but his NBA career has been hindered by multiple injuries. His most notable setback came during the 2019 NCAA tournament, where he tore his ACL in his left knee. Okeke missed the entire 2019-2020 season and later suffered a bone bruise on his knee in his fifth NBA game, followed by a sprained ankle that kept him out of 16 games during the 2020-2021 season. In total, he missed 55 games across his first two seasons.
Despite these challenges, Okeke played in 70 games during the 2021-2022 season, but only appeared in 27 games the following year. A knee procedure in December 2022, called chondroplasty, was part of his recovery process. Okeke averaged 2.3 points and 1.7 rebounds last season while playing 9.5 minutes per game across 47 games. Over the course of 190 NBA regular-season games, he has averaged 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.
