As a part of roster turnover, the Atlanta Hawks selected Onyeka Okongwu sixth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. Previously, Atlanta traded for Houston Rockets Center Clint Capela, but he was unable to play the rest of the 2019-2020 season after suffering a right heel injury.
Going into the 2020-21 season, the Hawks restructured their center rotation with the veteran Capela and the young Okongwu. As a rookie, Okongwu didn’t play much, averaging 12 minutes per game in just 50 games that season. Atlanta made a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals, but it was Capela who was the catalyst in making it happen.
Okongwu would see his minutes increase to 20.7 per game during his second campaign. During his first two seasons, he only played in 98 of a possible 154 games. Of those 98 games, Okongwu only started in 10 of them. He then suffered a major shoulder injury and underwent surgery following the 2021 season.
With Capela beginning to regress and Okongwu improving year-over-year, it was only a matter of time until he started games at center for the Hawks. Four seasons in, that hadn’t happened just yet. By the numbers, Okongwu was getting better every year, but he only started 36 games during his first four seasons in the league.
Onyeka Okongwu Had to Adapt or Get Left Behind
During his first two seasons, Okongwu attempted just three shots from beyond the arc. In fact, the average distance of Okongwu’s field goal attempts was 3.3 feet from the basket.
After falling to the Miami Heat in the 2022 playoffs, Okongwu told reporters “The next time you see me, I will have a jump shot.”
As promised, Okongwu did expand his game. Historically, some players who enter the league with an inconsistent shot develop one over time. There are a few prominent examples, such as Al Horford and Brook Lopez, who have developed three-point abilities throughout their careers. Because of it, they have been able to carve out roles on teams, even in their late 30s.
By the 2023-2024 season, the results were starting to show. Okongwu attempted threes on 18.9% of all his field goal attempts. This included an increase in three-point percentage from 0% during his first two seasons to 33.3% by year four.
Even with the improvements in his game, it still wasn’t enough to become an every-night starter.
Time To Shine
Heading into the 2024-2025 season, Okongwu was still not starting. That would all change on Jan 20, 2025, when he made his first start of the season against the New York Knicks, and then nearly every game after that.
In 40 games as a starter, Okongwu averaged 15 points and 10.1 rebounds per game while shooting 36.2% from three on 2.4 attempts per game.
To cap off his season, Okongwu scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in 50 minutes against the Miami Heat in the Play-In Tournament in a losing effort. Still, while the season was over for Atlanta, Onyeka Okongwu proved he could be a nightly starter in the league.
As Capela entered unrestricted free agency, it was clear that Atlanta was going to move on. Okongwu was entering year six, but he was still just 25 years old with even more room to grow.
Finding His Niche
This season, Okongwu is getting more opportunities than ever. For the first time in his career, he is averaging over 30 minutes per game, and it has led to a career year. Okongwu is averaging a career-high in points per game (16.1), assists per game (3.3), and his shooting percentages are high across the board.
The confidence Okongwu is playing with is off the charts. He went from attempting a combined 233 three-point attempts in his first five seasons to attempting over 300 threes this season alone. He is shooting a career-high 39.1% from three on 5.4 attempts per game.
A team he took advantage of this season was the Portland Trail Blazers. In two games against them, Okongwu attempted a total of 27 threes. He made 12 of them, shooting 44.4% from three and averaging 25.5 points and 9.5 rebounds across both games.
This season, Okongwu is attempting 44% of his field goals from three-point range, the highest percentage of his career. He is attempting a lot while also shooting it at a very efficient rate. At some point, these numbers will stabilize over his career, but Okongwu is adapting his game as an undersized big man.
He isn’t a spectacular rebounder — Okongwu ranks 32nd in the NBA in rebounding percentage at just 13.5%. He ranks 24th in rebounds per game and 19th in total rebounds this season.
However, Okongwu has found a way to become a starter by becoming an elite three-point shooter. His shooting makes up for his lack of size and rebounding prowess, and he’s a big part of what the Hawks are going to build moving forward.
Leave a comment