Oklahoma City Thunder legend and former NBA Champion Serge Ibaka is attempting an NBA comeback. After playing 16 games with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2022-23 season, Ibaka played in the EuroLeague for the past two seasons.
Recently, Ibaka was seen practicing with the Levallois Metropolitans of the French third-division. The same team that Victor Wembanyama once played for prior to being drafted by the San Antonio Spurs.
Last season, Ibaka played for Real Madrid, averaging 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.
Once known as a defensive stopper, Ibaka led the league in blocks twice, averaging 3.7 per game in the 2011-12 season and 3.0 in the 2012-13 season.
Ibaka has made the All-Defensive First Team three times and finished top-five in Defensive Player of the Year voting for three straight seasons.
After falling in the NBA Finals as a member of the Thunder, Ibaka won his first and only title later on in his career as a member of the Toronto Raptors.
Since then, Ibaka's scoring numbers have taken a hit. Ibaka went from averaging over 11 points per game in the 2020-21 season to 6.8 in the 2021-22 season.
At this point in his career, the 36-year-old Ibaka wouldn't provide much more than mentorship. That said, his impressive resume, especially on the defensive end could help improve the development of many young big men, similar to the role Deandre Jordan is playing with the New Orleans Pelicans.
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