While the Atlanta Hawks did not have the game they wanted against the Utah Jazz, they were able to debut their rookie Onyeka Okongwu. Let’s take a look at how he went.
The Atlanta Hawks have had a problem all season, When Clint Capela, their starting center, goes to the bench, they have no one to defend the pant effectively. The Hawks have tried Nathan Knight and Bruno Fernando but both have struggled for various reasons. Now, the sixth pick of the 2020 draft, Onyeka Okongwu is available and the Hawks are going to use him.
It took 11 games but Okongwu was finally ready against the Utah Jazz. He was available for the Phoenix Suns matchup but as we all know, that was postponed due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Nevertheless, Okongwu was ready when he took the court in the first quarter against the Jazz.
On the first offensive possession he was involved in, Okongwu took a wild, nervous shot which was not even close. He then scored his first NBA points when he was trying to back his man down in the post but did not have the strength to move him. He sort of flipped the shot up in hope and it went in.
The Atlanta Hawks are going to benefit from Onyeka Okongwu’s energy
Okongwu’s only other bucket of the game was a thing of beauty and should give the Hawks faithful a lot of hope for the future. Tony Snell drove to the hoop and put a shot up which missed, bouncing off the rim. Okongwu was able to judge the bounce off the rim, time the leap, get around the defenders and stuff the ball in the hoop with authority.
First NBA slam: ✔️#TrueToAtlanta x @BigO21_ pic.twitter.com/TOhOURCfBM
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 16, 2021
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It is these type of energy plays which get fans excited, particularly in a loss because they know their guy is playing his heart out. Okongwu is going to get plenty of time on the court to show that he is worth it but making plays like this one has a positive impact on his coach and his teammates.
Okongwu finished the game with four points, five rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 14 minutes of action. Three of those rebounds came on the offensive end which just shows that he has a good read of where the ball is going to go.
The next game up for the rookie should be a little easier. Against the Jazz, he was playing on Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors who are among the best one-two punches at the center position in the league.
In the Portland Trail Blazers game, he will not have to face Jusuf Nurkic due to injury. Instead, he will be taking on Enes Kanter and Harry Giles, neither of which are as defensively strong as the Jazz rotation. It would be good to see the rookie shine in this game.