A former NBA first-round pick, Okeke comes to play in Europe for the first time
Real Madrid reels in versatile forward Chuma Okeke
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Real Madrid has bolstered its frontcourt by signing dynamic American forward Chuma Okeke to a two-year deal, the club announced on Wednesday.
Okeke (2.01 meters, 26 years old) arrives from the NBA, where he played last season for the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers, the latter of with which he featured in the playoffs. He also spent time last season with the Westchester Knicks in the G League. He averaged 17.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks in 28 regular-season games with Westchester.
After playing college basketball at Auburn, which he helped reach the NCAA Final Four for the first time in school history, Okeke was drafted with the 16th overall pick by the Orlando Magic in the 2019 NBA Draft. He sat out the 2019-20 season while recovering from a torn ACL and then played four seasons with the Magic, his best being in 2021-22 when he averaged 8.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 steals over 70 games.
A versatile and athletic forward known for his defensive instincts, Okeke becomes the latest addition to a Real Madrid squad that is looking to get back to the EuroLeague Final Four in its first season under Coach Sergio Scariolo.