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76ers sign Emeka Okafor to their training camp roster

The 35-year-old returned to the NBA last season after being unsigned the previous three with a herniated disc in his neck.

Sixers center Joel Embiid defends against New Orleans Pelicans center Emeka Okafor in a February game.
Sixers center Joel Embiid defends against New Orleans Pelicans center Emeka Okafor in a February game.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

The 76ers signed Emeka Okafor to a training-camp deal on Friday, one day before the start of training camp.

Okafor returned to the NBA last season after being unsigned the previous three with a herniated disc in his neck.  The Sixers also signed him to a training-camp deal last year. After being waived on Oct. 14, 2017, he signed with the Sixers' G-League team, the Delaware Blue Coats.  However, he finished the season as a backup post player for the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans waived him on Wednesday.

Before last season, Okafor, a distant cousin of former Sixers center Jahlil Okafor, last played for the Washington Wizards in 2012-13.

The 35-year-old entered the NBA as the second overall pick by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2004 draft. He played nine seasons with the Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets and Wizards. The Wizards traded him to the Phoenix Suns before the 2013-14 season, but Okafor missed that season because of  the herniated disc in his neck and remained unsigned the following three seasons.

He has averaged 12.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 616 career games.