76ers sign Emeka Okafor; hasn't played in NBA since 2012-13

The Philadelphia 76ers announced the signing of two players ahead of Monday's Media Day. One, Veteran big man Kris Humphries joined the club, as expected.

The other, however, is a throwback.

Emeka Okafor, who hasn't appeared in an NBA game since playing for the Wizards during the 2012-13 season, has made the team's 20-man training camp roster. Whether the soon-to-be 35-year-old has anything left in the tank is another question altogether.

Okafor had a strong start to his career after being selected No. 2 overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in 2004. The 6-foot-10 big man averaged a double-double in each of his first five seasons in the Association, including a promising rookie campaign which he averaged 15.1 points and 10.9 rebounds per contest, edging out Dwight Howard for Rookie of the Year in 2005.

Ultimately, his Bobcats teams never found much success as a whole during his tenure, and Okafor was traded to New Orleans, where he took on a more complimentary role on Chris Paul and David West's Hornets clubs.

The UConn product dealt with several significant injuries throughout his prime, playing just 26 games in 2005-06, 27 games in 2011-12, and missing the entire 2013-14 season after a herniated disc was discovered in his neck shortly after the Wizards traded him to the Phoenix Suns.

After his contract ended with the Suns, Okafor remained unsigned for the past three seasons. He finally received medical clearance to return to the NBA in May this year.

Given Okafor's age and considerable layoff from the NBA, it would be a surprise to see him make the 15-man roster, though creating a veteran infrastructure around their young core has clearly been a point of emphasis for the Sixers this summer. If they make the final roster, Okafor and Humphries would join J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson as the only players over 30 on the team.