Onyeka Okongwu Opens Year Six Anchoring Atlanta's Frontcourt
Onyeka Okongwu is not on the injury report after clearing a Day-To-Day tag on October 16, and he closed that stretch with a win over Dallas. He heads into 2026-27 coming off a 2025-26 season where he averaged 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds in 74 games for Atlanta, and he's already logged four games this season against Dallas, Indiana, San Antonio and Memphis.
By the Hawks Nightly Desk · updated 4 d ago01The story of the nightWhere he stands right nowOnyeka Okongwu is not on the Hawks' injury report.
Onyeka Okongwu is not on the Hawks' injury report. He was tagged Day-To-Day on October 12 for rest, tagged Day-To-Day again on October 16, then cleared the same day, October 16, before Atlanta's win over Dallas. In that game he played 20.1 minutes and posted 6 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, with a plus-minus of +11.0. Atlanta also won his two prior appearances: 18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists in 22.9 minutes against Indiana on October 10, and 13 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists in 21.6 minutes against San Antonio on October 8. The one loss in that stretch came October 5 against Memphis, when he had 8 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in 14.5 minutes with a minus-8.0 plus-minus.
02The numbers from last seasonLast season, 2025-26, Okongwu played 74 games for Atlanta and averaged 31.0 minutes, 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1…
Last season, 2025-26, Okongwu played 74 games for Atlanta and averaged 31.0 minutes, 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks, with 1.7 turnovers. He shot 48.0 percent from the field, 37.6 percent from three and 75.7 percent from the foul line, with a true shooting mark of 59.2 percent. His usage rate was 18.9 percent, and his plus-minus for the season was 1.5. That workload came at power forward and center, the same frontcourt spots he's listed at now.
03Background and roleOkongwu is in his sixth NBA season, all with Atlanta, wearing number 17 at 6-10 and 240 pounds.
Okongwu is in his sixth NBA season, all with Atlanta, wearing number 17 at 6-10 and 240 pounds. He came out of Southern California and is listed at forward-center, the frontcourt combination that lined up alongside Atlanta's guards last season. At 25 years old, he's established himself as a full-time rotation piece who can play either big spot, which is reflected in the 31.0 minutes he averaged across 74 games in 2025-26.
04Last season's playoff run against New YorkOkongwu's most recent extended run before this season came in a playoff series against the Knicks.
Okongwu's most recent extended run before this season came in a playoff series against the Knicks. He opened that stretch April 18 with 19 points and 8 rebounds in a loss, then 15 points and 8 rebounds in a win on April 20, and 9 points and 7 rebounds in a win on April 23. The series turned after that: 12 points and 6 rebounds in a loss on April 25, 16 points and 5 rebounds in a loss on April 28, and 4 points and 6 rebounds in a loss on April 30, that last one coming in 31.8 minutes with a minus-38.0 plus-minus, the worst mark of the stretch.
05Health picture heading into the seasonThe injury log shows a short, resolved issue rather than anything ongoing.
The injury log shows a short, resolved issue rather than anything ongoing. Okongwu was marked Day-To-Day for rest on October 12, tagged Day-To-Day again on October 16, and cleared that same day, October 16. He played in Atlanta's win over Dallas afterward, logging 20.1 minutes, 6 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. As of now, he carries no designation on the injury report, and his four games to open 2026-27 show no sign of a minutes restriction tied to that rest tag.
Okongwu15.2 ppg
Marshall15.2 ppg
