It took some time, but Onyeka Okongwu finally made the jump last season as the full-time starting center, and there’s no surprise that the move went well. After a stretch of good games from Okongwu on the bench, Quin Snyder decided to move him to the starting lineup, and the Hawks were able to do many different things on both sides of the ball.
On offense, Okongwu provided the Hawks with another player to space the floor. He’s been adamant over the years about shooting more 3-pointers, and he did
so, averaging 2.0 per game last season, after averaging 1.3 the season before. Not only did he provide the shooting, but his playmaking was solid as well.
On defense, his versatility allows him to guard multiple positions if he needs to, and for an “undersized” center, he was a good rebounder, especially when creating second-chance opportunities on offense.
This is what the Hawks want to see from Okongwu this season, but he may have even more room to grow into his role when looking at the new additions on the team. With the addition of Kristaps Porzingis, everyone has been wanting to know who will be the starting center between the two. Okongwu was even asked at Media Day how he sees his role coming into this season after starting last year.
“I feel like I’ll play a big part in what we’re going to do. I don’t know what’s that going to be specifically, but whatever it is, I’m going to be at my best at all times,” Okongwu said.
If Okongwu is the starter once again, he’ll have a lot to build on from last season. First, he showed off the different ways that he can make plays for his teammates. Him and Dyson Daniels found real chemistry on backdoor cuts, and with more connectors on the team like Nickeil Alexander-Walker, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he developed something with him.
Over the years, Okongwu and Jalen Johnson have also shown to have real chemistry on the floor, and that should improve as well. Snyder has always let it be known that he wants the Hawks to shoot a lot of 3-pointers, and toward the end of last season, Okongwu showed that he wasn’t scared to let it fly. On defense, he offers the versatlity that the Hawks want, and he should continue to thrive in that area.
With the main question being who will start between Okongwu and Porzingis, the better question will be if they will ever see the floor together. Snyder has hinted at being more open to different lineups this season due to the versatility that’s on the team now, and both Okongwu and Porzingis embody that word. With Okongwu’s evolution as a solid shooter and a player who can hold his own on defense, there is a world where he can see the floor with Porzingis.
For example, in the event that an opposing team is going big in the frontcourt, the Hawks should be comfortable with deploying a lineup with both players, especially since Porzingis is a shot blocker. Though Okongwu can guard different positions, there are still some centers that can give him problems because of his size, and that’s where Porzginis comes in. Things get even more interesting on offense, and with Okongwu’s ability to find his teammates and knock down shots, he can move to the four.
Last season, Okongwu averaged 13.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and he could post those kinds of numbers again this season. It’ll be interesting to see what areas of Okongwu’s game grow this season, and where he’ll make his impact the most on the team.
