With the 53rd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Charles Bassey.
Drafted alongside Jaden Springer and Filip Petrušev, the 6-foot-11 Bassey brings frontcourt depth and impressive rim protection to the Sixers.
Get to know one of the newest Sixers a bit better…
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Bassey was born October 28, 2000, in Lagos, Nigeria.
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He moved stateside to play high school basketball, playing two seasons at St. Anthony Catholic School in San Antonio, TX prior to transferring to the Aspire Academy in Louisville, KY.
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Bassey joined the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers in 2018, where he would play the next three NCAA seasons.
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Bassey started in every game he played with the Hilltoppers over the course of his three seasons.
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As a freshman, Bassey was named C-USA Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, becoming just the second player in C-USA history to earn both awards in the same season.
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Steadily improving in all three seasons, Bassey averaged 17.6 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game in the 2020-21 season.
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Following his junior season, Bassey was named a USBWA Third Team All-American, a USA Today Third Team All-American, and an AP Honorable Mention All-American.
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Bassey was one of five finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award and a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award.
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Over the course of his three-year career, Bassey averaged 15.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game.