Onyeka Okongwu made a promise three years ago.
"The next time you see me, I will have a jump shot," Okongwu stated in a presser at the conclusion of the 2022 season. While his promise did come true to an extent immediately afterwards, it wasn't proven beyond a shadow of a doubt.
While Double O certainly attempted exponentially more three pointers after the 2022 press conference than before, these percentages didn't exactly pop off the stat sheet. 30.8% in 2022-2023, 33.3% in 2023-2024, and 32.4% in 2024-2025 were all stark improvements from the 0.0% on zero looks per game from deep in Okongwu's two years prior, but were they making good on his promise? Not so much.
However, Okongwu's shooting slowly improved year after year. Not necessarily in terms of raw percentage, but in terms of shot volume, shot quality, and shot form. While box score watchers wouldn't be able to tell based on the above shooting metrics year by year since 2022, Hawks fans who have watched Onyeka's form over the years knew it was only a matter of time before the young stud put it together.
This season, it's finally all coming together for the big man out of USC.
Okongwu is in the midst of a breakout campaign
After what can be described as nothing short of a flawless charades performance of a human flamethrower shooting 8/14 from deep in a big-time win against the Utah Jazz, Okongwu capped off what's already been a strong start from deep this year.
While his percentage prior to the Jazz battle was certainly impressive, the now 39.6% metric for Big O is a beautiful sight to behold. Well above league average, not to mention on a high volume of over four three pointers attempted per game, the Hawks' long-awaited shooting project has now apparently arrived in full form.
Okongwu's breakout from deep has long been in the works, and now that it's here, the possibilities for Quin Snyder to put him into new actions and space the defense out in ways unimaginable three years ago, before his famous promise, should be nothing short of categorically thrilling for Hawks fans.
When Trae finally returns to action, he'll be even more unstoppable than ever before with the likes of two lethal pick-and-pop threats to share the court with - the proven sniper Kristaps Porzingis and now the promising long-range assassin Onyeka Okongwu.