Onyeka Okongwu: 'I should get a Rising Stars nod'
In his second season, Onyeka Okongwu has shown flashes of the potential Atlanta envisioned after selecting him sixth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Okongwu has been an efficient player for Atlanta, leading the team with a plus-3.2 rating when he’s on the court. Across the NBA, only Okongwu, Rudy Gobert and Robert Williams are the only three players currently averaging nine or more points, six or more rebounds, and shooting at least 70 percent from the field.
He leads all second-year players with an offensive rating of 135.8 and a net rating of 25.4, per Stats Pass. He also ranks second among second-year players in contested two-point shots (7.1) and screen assists (2.3).
Okongwu spoke with HoopsHype and discussed his return from injury to start the season, why he should be considered for the Rising Stars Challenge, the season for the Hawks, why he compares himself to Bam Adebayo and Draymond Green long-term, and more.