Pacers' Jahlil Okafor draws attention in first NBA appearance since 2021

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In a testament to his perseverance, Jahlil Okafor was finally able to make his return to the NBA nearly four years after playing his last game in the league. On Tuesday night, Okafor suited up for the Indiana Pacers, playing three minutes of garbage time in what ended up being a 128-115 defeat to the New York Knicks.

Okafor entered the NBA back in 2015 and was the second overall pick of the draft, selected by the Philadelphia 76ers. It was a bit poetic for him to return to the NBA and face off against the number one pick of that year, Karl-Anthony Towns. And while Okafor may not have met the expectations many had for him coming out of Duke, the fact that he was able to return to the NBA is already a major win in the eyes of fans.

“Good to see Jahlil Okafor back in the NBA,” X user @Fantasticslack wrote.

“Did I just see Jahlil Okafor??? Wow that’s wassup man,” @OnMahThrone added.

“Jahlil Okafor vs KAT in 2025 Telling someone that in 2015, they would've expected it… but now?” @KingBacca22x furthered.

Okafor, of course, was an emergency depth signing for the Pacers amid the injury to Myles Turner. The 29-year-old center was playing very well for Indiana’s G-League affiliate, averaging 18.6 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 15 games, earning himself a call-up as a result.

It’s not quite clear just how big of a role Okafor can fashion for himself on the Pacers even with Turner out due to injury. But with Obi Toppin functioning as the team’s backup center at the moment, there is a chance that Okafor can earn himself some real rotation minutes depending on the matchup.

The rise and fall of Pacers’ Jahlil Okafor

Jahlil Okafor was supposed to be one of the crown jewels of the Philadelphia 76ers’ infamous “Trust the Process” rebuild in the mid-2010s. But Okafor’s game was quickly outmoded upon his return to the NBA. A traditional back-to-the-basket center did not have much of a place in the modern game anymore, and Okafor did not have the defensive or athletic tools to impact the game far beyond his ability to put the ball through the basket.

Okafor did receive plenty of chances to prove himself through his first six years in the league, but no other team gave him a shot after he flamed out by the end of the 2020-21 season. But he’s only 29 years of age, so there could very well be a chance that he finds a niche role with the Pacers.

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