Although the Atlanta Hawks fell short in their season opener against the Raptors, they ensured that they set the tone for their offensive identity this season. Arguably, no player represented this identity better than Onyeka Okongwu last night, dropping 18 points and 6 rebounds in a little over 30 minutes of play.
Okongwu has started his 2026 campaign on a high note, making him an early contender for the Sixth Man of the Year award. In his first four years in the NBA, Okongwu averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds per game, with a steady increase in production each season.
This season looks to be following the same trend for Okongwu, though his performance last night could indicate that he's taking a step far above his usual season-by-season progression.
It's a one-game sample size, of course, but if we look back to his preseason performances, we see that Onyeka Okongwu has carved out a clear role for himself: a mobile big man who provides the spark for the bench.
Onyeka's numbers weren't eye-popping, averaging just under 10 points and 5 rebounds in his three preseason games, but Atlanta has shown that they're making Okongwu a focal point of the rotation. His minutes per game have increased with every season, and his 30 minutes last night just continue to affirm this trend.
In addition to his offensive progressions, Onyeka has always had a strong defensive presence. Coming out of the 2020 NBA Draft, Okongwu was selected for his elite defensive instincts and shot-blocking ability.
He's fit that draft profile to a tee thus far, and if his offensive progression continues to exceed expectations this season, then we could see Okongwu being talked about as a serious candidate for the 6MOTY.
What should fans be looking for?
What separates Okongwu from the rest of his peers is the role that he's already established. As previously mentioned, he is an anchor for the Atlanta bench, but his efficiency numbers mirror those of a starter. His efficiency, combined with the actual volume, is a rare thing to see for a bench player.
If Okongwu can continue to elevate Atlanta's second and third units, this could give Atlanta a unique statistical advantage. With bench points playing a bigger and bigger role with each season, someone like Okongwu, with a clear role in this offense, will find himself with a lot more opportunities to showcase this progression and chemistry.
The last thing that plays in Onyeka's favor for this award is the narrative that already surrounds him. It's common knowledge that a narrative plays a lot into the NBA awarding system, and a former first-round pick who's worked from the bottom of the depth chart to seeing real minutes off the bench might just be the perfect story for the voters to cling to.
While last night's outing didn't result in a Hawks win, it did show fans what is soon to come. When the bench is clicking, the success is almost inevitable, and Onyeka Onkongwu's efforts are going to be the main driving factor behind that.
The door is as wide open as ever for Onyeka Okongwu to win the 6MOTY; all he has to do now is just keep walking through it.