Me: You were pretty decent in camp for the Sixers. How disappointing was it you couldn’t stick there, after all the work you’d put in just to get back on the court?

EO: This has been a learning process for me. To be fair, I thought that me getting back in would a little be easier than it was. I was like, okay, with my experience and what I’ve done, I thought I would be at a minimum contract, that a team would take a chance. I didn’t really, until I put myself in the eyes of a GM, in terms of being gone, and I saw all the work, I understood the business aspects and the risks associated, and the concerns associated with me getting back in. In understanding that, I understood the time frame of when my window of opportunity would actually be. Once I understood rosters and contracts and guaranteed dates, and when 10 days were able to start, and trade deadlines, there’s just all these other aspects of the NBA that I didn’t know about, because it didn’t pertain to me during my career. Now, at this point, when I was trying to get back in and I saw all these workings, I was like, okay, this is a completely different animal than what I thought ... especially since call-ups don’t start until Jan. 5th or 10th, or whatever it was, and I understand from the point of a GM, hey, let’s see if this guy even wants to do it, or if he can do it. I understood that no one’s going to jump out immediately. I understood the lay of the land. I didn’t really take it personally.

Me: Besides the obvious opportunity, what was appealing about New Orleans to you?

EO: I’ve been here. The city’s familiar, the GM’s familiar, the staff’s familiar, the arena’s familiar. To be honest, my thought process was, just for the sake of being comfortable, if I could somehow land in a place where I’ve already been, that would be pretty cool. The fact that that worked out is awesome.

Me: You know the game and how the game has evolved since you’ve been out, with every big being a stretch four or five now. How have you incorporated some of that into your game?

EO: I’ve been working on threes and dribbling skills. I haven’t implemented the three yet. I’m capable of doing it. But, to be fair, there’s certain classics that never go out of style. Being able to screen and roll hard, play solid defense and rebound the basketball and finish around the rim, there’s always gong to be a need for that, no matter what happens. I feel like that’s my core value, to be able to do that extremely well. That’s going to be able to fit somewhere and somehow, in whatever era you’re going to be in. Especially in the pick and roll dominated game, you have to be able to set screens very well, and you have to roll. The ability to set screens, roll hard and finish at the rim, whether it be dunking or being able to finish with finesse, is what’s going to open your shooters and your stretch fours and whatever else you’re trying to set up. That aspect is still important. And being able to defend and rebound the basketball. Those have been my core values and I’ve made sure that I’m solid in that foundation. But I understand the way the game’s gone. I’m going to work on these other aspects and be able to use them when necessary. It’s in my back pocket. If it’s needed, I can pull it out and use it.

Me: How do you plan when you’re on a 10-day contract?

EO: Literally, you can’t. I was in Grand Rapids getting ready to play the Drive, and I got a call: hey, man, we need you on a plane in seven hours. Granted, the road trip I was on was only for one day, so I packed two or three pairs of socks, two pairs of underwear, a shirt or two, and that was it. That’s what I have with me right now. And it’s like, okay, now I’m in New Orleans, and it’s like, figure it out. New offensive scheme, new teammates, new whatever. Granted, it’s the same city but it’s like, bam. And coming from a place of guaranteed contracts, guaranteed playing time, I knew where I fit in. There was no volatility. To just, straight up, volatility, seat of your pants, figure it out as you go. No real compassion. Well, it’s compassion, but it’s like, the window of what you can do is like, all right, produce now. Right now. It’s interesting. It’s a different side. It’s an adventure for me. I’m enjoying it. It’s giving me a well-rounded basketball experience and given me perspective and even more appreciation for the grind. But iit is different. You can’t plan for it. JYour mindset, to be honest, is just stay ready. My whole thing is, be prepared for your opportunity, so when your opportunity presents itself, in whatever fashion, you’re ready. Because you’re not going to know what’s going to happen . You have to be prepared to be prepared.

This season, Emeka Okafor appeared in 26 games for the G League's Delaware 87ers.

Me: Did you have to have any conversations with your family about this, or did they just say, go?

EO: Ilana, she’s awesome. I’m very fortunate to have her as my wife. Great mother. She wanted me to be back damn near more than I wanted to be back. Her dad was a ref (former Supervisor of Officials Ronnie Nunn), and she worked in the NBA. She knows the business. She knows what it is. There was no conversation necessary, ‘cause she already knew the deal. It was like, all right, this is what we’ve got to do. She was with me the whole rehab process. She understood the drive and what I was going for and why I was doing it. She understands how special a thing it is to be part of the NBA. If there’s a chance, you want to be part of it as long as you can. It’s a very special experience. It’s everybody’s dream to be there. If you have access to it, you just don’t stop. You don’t just lay down. You go until you can’t.

Me: You ever played for or on the same staff with Alvin? I know you weren’t playing in Phoenix, but I didn’t know if your time there overlapped.

EO: No.

Me: So what has he said to you about expectations and what he wants from you?

EO: Ah, nothing. Literally, I haven’t talked to him. There hasn’t even been time. It might have been the 24-hour mark today. Right now, and even that’s marked by plane time and travel and sleep. Right now, I’m at the practice facility, getting ready to go over the plays.

Me: I think a lot of guys want to go out on their own terms. I wonder how important that was to you: that no matter what happens, just getting back on an NBA court and being able to play allows you to say, at least, I made it back, and if it’s this year or next year or whenever, if I leave, it won’t be because of injury; it’ll just be because it’s time.

EO: My thing is, go until you can’t. Go until it just doesn’t make sense anymore. I don’t feel like that time has come. My injury happened, and I was like, no, I still can go. Work back and give it your all, and if it doesn’t work out, hey, you tried. What are you going to do? It’s sports; stuff happens. But until that moment, you just go until the horn stops.

Me: What do you think you can provide to a team -- and I don’t mean the Xs and Os, skill sets part. I mean as a guy, as a person, as a teammate.