The Philadelphia 76ers signed Charles Bassey to a 10-day contract, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The six-foot-10 center impressed during a Summer League showcase with the Boston Celtics. What they saw from the four-year veteran sparked an interest in bringing him to training camp at the Auerbach Center.
"Considering he got added to our team so late, this was an awesome run for him. No idea if we'll have roster space for him or not. But we'd love to keep working with Charles and see if we can make something work," a Celtics front office executive told Keith Smith of Spotrac over the summer.
Bassey averaged 15.3 points and shot 70.4 percent from the field in three appearances in Las Vegas. He also grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked two shots per contest during his stint with Boston's Sin City squad.
Charles Bassey's patience paid off
The Lagos, Nigeria, native drew interest from multiple international clubs this offseason. However, he wanted to remain in the NBA; his willingness to wait paid dividends.
Bassey latched on with the Atlanta Hawks, joining them for training camp and the preseason. Like with the Celtics at Summer League, he impressed during his time in "The Peach State."
Most notably, the 25-year-old center had a standout performance during a one-point win over the Miami Heat in an exhibition contest. He put seven points on the board, snagged 17 rebounds, swatted five shots, and swiped two steals.
Despite productive outings like that one, shortly before the current campaign commenced, the Hawks waived him. They did so on the day of the deadline to waive a player on a non-guaranteed contract without absorbing a per-day cap hit. His full salary would have counted on their books. That includes when it comes to the luxury tax and aprons.
Still, Bassey persisted. Later that month, he signed a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. In two appearances, he produced 3.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 15.5 minutes of floor time.
From there, he took his talents to the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State's G League affiliate. Bassey averaged 18.7 points and 11.2 rebounds in 10 tilts. Now, he returns to the Philadelphia 76ers. The franchise that resides in "The City of Brotherly Love" selected him with the 53rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Bassey's first chance to face the Celtics is on Mar. 1 at TD Garden.