G League Knicks Welcome Back Chuma Okeke

Chuma Okeke is back in the New York Knicks' system like he never even left.

The Knicks' G League club in Westchester announced on Tuesday that Okeke would return to White Plains through returning rights.

Okeke, 26, was previously signed to a 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and appeared in Feb. 7's showdown against the Detroit Pistons. Returning rights allowed players to return to their G League team within two seasons as long as that squad in question has not released them outright. Okeke had been released by the Sixers last week when the team signed 2021 Final Four Most Outstanding Player Jared Butler to a standard contract after a trade with the Washington Wizards.

An Auburn alum, Okeke is in the midst of his fifth professional season since entering the Association as the 16th overall pick in the 2019 draft. He spent his first four seasons with the Orlando Magic, averaging 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and just under a steal per game.

"I'd say my biggest takeaway from the Magic was probably being able to read the game, the flows of the game," Okeke said of his time with the Magic, per Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. "When and when not to take shots. When other teams are on a run, what to do to settle down and just get everybody back in place."

Okeke joined the Knicks' system in October on an Exhibit 10 deal and appeared in three preseason games before he was waived by the NBA club. In Westchester, Okeke is averaging 16.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 blocks, previously partaking in White Plains' run to a second consecutive in-season championship. The G League Knicks (12-8) currently place fifth in the Eastern Conference entering the campaign's second half.