Aleksej Pokusevski is trying to get back into the NBA picture.
The former Thunder forward told Milun Nesovic of the Serbian outlet Meridian Sport that he sees a “realistic” chance of returning to the league and said, "I’m certainly considering a return to the NBA."
Pokusevski, who had his draft rights traded to Oklahoma City just days after the 2020 NBA Draft, was the No. 17 overall pick and spent four full seasons in the league from 2020 through 2024. Three-and-a-half of those seasons came with the Thunder, where he averaged 7.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.
He never did enough to earn a second contract in Oklahoma City, but he did show the kind of ball-handling and passing touch that usually doesn’t come from a 7-footer. That skill set kept him interesting even when the production never quite caught up.
Pokusevski has also been clear that he’s not spending every day thinking about the NBA. As he put it, "I don’t think about the NBA every day," though he added that a comeback is still on his mind.
The next step, in his own words, is simple: "I need to take steps every day, not just to get to the NBA, but to reach a level where I can play good basketball with the right status."
He isn’t the only former Thunder player chasing another shot.
Victor Oladipo also looks interested in making his way back onto an NBA roster. The former All-Star spent the 2016-17 season with Oklahoma City and made his case to continue playing by joining the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G League last season. In 15 games, he averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.
This offseason, Oladipo was also seen working out in Las Vegas and invited executives, scouts, and other league personnel to come watch so he could "showcase where I am in my game."
The 34-year-old hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2022-23 season, but reports said he "impressed" people in attendance and was described as being in "excellent shape."
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