Jahlil Okafor explains why he signed a deal in Spain / News - Basketnews.com

Okafor said Zaragoza's belief in him when he was out with an Achilles tear was a major reason why he signed with the team. The player believes he can return to the NBA after a stint in Europe.

Credit: Juan Carlos Garcia Mate/Pacific Press via ZUMA Press Wire - Scanpix Credit Juan Carlos Garcia Mate/Pacific Press via ZUMA Press Wire - Scanpix

After six years in the NBA and one season in the G-League, Jahlil Okafor moved to Europe to play for Casademont Zaragoza in Spain. It's a decision he doesn't regret.

3-pointers this season

37%7,6Points made:7,6Accuracy:36,8%Place in standings:14Record max:15Record min:4Most made 3FGs:Santiago YustaTeamACBStatisticsSchedule

The former no. 3 overall pick tore his Achilles last year and spent long months rehabbing his injury. When no NBA team wanted to risk taking him, Okafor received an offer from the other side of the Atlantic.

"It is a great opportunity to be here in Spain, playing in a good team and a very competitive league. It's very fun, and I'm very grateful," he said in an interview with Guillermo Garcia from Relevo.

The big man initially did not believe that the team would be genuinely interested. That interest was the first thing that sold him on signing for Zaragoza.

"My first thought was, 'Do they really love me?' because I wasn't at 100% yet. My agent told me that they knew I was still working to come back but that they still wanted me on the team," Okafor recalled.

"I'm happy and grateful that someone loved me so soon when I wasn't fully recovered yet," he said. "I knew about the ACB and how competitive it was, but I was not very familiar with the city of Zaragoza. But when I looked it up and saw how much it had to offer, I really liked it."

Okafor had to ask his agent to undeniably confirm that the Spanish club was interested in him despite the recent injury.

"I didn't tell him to wait," he said about the talk with his agent. "My only concern was that the team was really aware that I was still not in the place I wanted to be because of my injury. He told me that we were all on the same page. Once he told me that they knew where I was after my Achilles injury and that they wanted to help me get back, there was nothing more to think about."

Okafor revealed that the first weeks after suffering the injury were the toughest. Now with Zaragoza, the big man saysthat his goal still remains to get back to the NBA.

"When I played in the NBA and when health allowed me to be on the court, I dominated. I had good numbers when I was able to have minutes and consistency in my game," he said. "I have a lot of confidence in myself, and I'm very sure of what I can do on the court, whether in the ACB or in the NBA, when I have minutes and consistency."

Okafor averages 12 points and 4.7 rebounds for 14 PIR per game in the Spanish Liga Endesa.

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