Former NBA Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor reportedly wants to return to the league with a "contending team" after three seasons of being away from it due to recurring back problems.
ESPN reported that the 33-year-old center-forward, who was selected second overall by the then Charlotte Bobcats during the 2004 draft, is attempting to come back to the NBA "with an eye toward joining a 'contending team' in December or January".
Jeff Schwartz, the player's agent, had verified his client's desire to continue with his NBA career after a three-season hiatus following a back and neck injury in 2012-2013. Okafor is said to be currently conditioning himself in the gym to prepare for his planned return.
"He's probably five or six months away," the agent said. "He's been working hard rehabbing. For some guys that means one thing. To Emeka, who understands his body as well or better than some trainers that have worked with him, it means something else. He's healthy. He feels great, but he's a perfectionist, and he wants everything to be right."
Okafor last played for the Washington Wizards during the 2012-2013 season. He started in 77 out of 79 games for the Wizards that year and had averaged 9.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and a career-high 1.2 assists in 26.0 minutes per game.
He spent the first five seasons of his professional career with Charlotte before getting traded to the New Orleans Hornets for Tyson Chandler in the summer of 2009. The 2005 Rookie of the Year was able to experience his first and only playoffs appearance so far with New Orleans back then, but the team lost its first round series to the Los Angeles Lakers, 4-2.
Meanwhile, Yahoo Sports cited Okafor's former college coach Jim Calhoun as having high praises for the former Connecticut standout, saying that he is still "in great shape" to compete but felt unprepared for a comeback.
"He's in great shape," said Calhoun. "He had offers last season from teams for $6-7 million to play just a portion of the season, but you have to know Emeka. He's only coming back when he feels the time is right."
"He's not going to make a decision based on money. He doesn't need it. This is a kid who graduated with a 3.9 GPA. He wants to play a couple more years then go to business school at Harvard. He's only going to play for a contending team," the coach added.
