The Oklahoma City Thunder traded popular power forward Serge Ibaka to the Orlando Magic Thursday night for three players.
The Thunder acquired Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova, and the newly drafted Domantas Sabonis of Gonzaga University.
In a post Friday on his Instagram account, Ibaka said the team and fans in Oklahoma City will “be in his heart forever.”
A new chapter begins. Very excited to join the orlandomagic and ready for this new challenge in… https://t.co/X7MM2MyUJ7
— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka) June 24, 2016
“Time flies. 7 years in Oklahoma City, a place where I grew up, became the player I am today, competed with a great team and made great friends,” Ibaka said. “A place I can call home. Thank you state of Oklahoma and your wonderful people.”
Ibaka became the first Congolese player drafted by an NBA team, when the Seattle Supersonics took him in the first round in 2008. He played in Europe for a year before joining the team, which by then had moved to Oklahoma City and become the Thunder. He was actively involved in charities in Oklahoma, and his Serge Ibaka Foundation hosted an annual gala with the charity Pros for Africa each spring in downtown Oklahoma City.
On the court, Ibaka’s offensive production has dwindled since 2013, and ESPN writer and The Daily Thunder blogger Royce Young said trading Ibaka could be a way to keep pending free agent Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City.
According to the Associated Press, Oladipo fills Oklahoma City's need for a shooting guard with both offensive and defensive strengths.
‘Buddy Buckets’ Big Easy-Bound
Another shooting guard with Oklahoma ties had a good night in the NBA Draft yesterday evening. The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Buddy Hield, who graduated last month after an outstanding career at the University of Oklahoma.
Hield averaged 25 points per game while leading the Sooners to the Final Four last season, hitting 147 three-pointers, or roughly 46 percent of his shots from long range. Hield was named an Associated Press All-American and won the prestigious Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy.
Congrats to @buddyhield the Pelicans got a good one.
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin23) June 24, 2016
He told reporters after the draft he now has his sights set on winning the NBA's Rookie of the Year award. The University of Oklahoma's Isaiah Cousins was selected in the second round - 59th overall - by the Sacramento Kings.
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