The Philadelphia 76ers have seen a lot of players go through that ephemeral door in recent years, and thanks to Daryl Morey and his cohorts’ aggressive name-hunting, the team also bore witness to young players getting their respective NBA stints come to a halt much earlier than expected due to a lack of opportunity, or really, actual investment.
That is definitely the case with ex-Sixers big man Charles Bassey who, after getting selected by the 76ers with the 53rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, has become a largely forgettable young center in the NBA.
Philly deployed him in the hardwood just 23 times during his rookie year, which ultimately turned out to be his lone season with the franchise. Since then, he has suited up for San Antonio, where he spent the last three campaign, albeit in negligible fashion thanks to his lack of effectiveness and worse, recurring injury miscues.
As a result, Bassey now finds himself on the brink of seeing his NBA career stumble with a deadend.
Former 76ers big man Charles Bassey is nearly out of the NBA
Following a year where he missed a huge part of the season thanks to injuries, the Spurs opted not to bring Bassey back for another go-round. San Antonio is looking to make the playoffs this season, and parading Bassey as their backup center to Victor Wembanyama was definitely a frightening proposition for the proud franchise.
Bassey nearly found a home this offseason when he joined the Boston Celtics during their Summer League camp, but that did not materialize into him getting rewarded with a deal for next season. Thus, he is still looking for a new team, but with the offseason slowly coming to a close, his NBA career is basically on life support.
That is more so the case when you factor in the fact that some teams overseas have already reached out to Bassey and his representation. His agent has already confirmed that he is in talks with multiple basketball clubs abroad, sending a string signal that his brief stint in the big league will be on an indefinite pause.
One might say that the former 76ers big man never got a fair shake with the franchise, but he definitely had his chances with the Spurs. Unfortunately, he never made them count due to either inconsistent play or injuries, and for that, he may have to leave for abroad, hopefully as a springboard for an eventual return to the NBA.