How Has Hawks’ Onyeka Okongwu Evolved His NBA Game?

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.