The Atlanta Hawks have selected two-time California Mr. Basketball award winner Onyeka Okongwu with the No. 6 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Sources: Atlanta is selecting Onyeka Okongwu with the No. 6 pick in the NBA Draft.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 19, 2020
A 6-foot-9, 245 pound forward who starred at the University of Southern California, Okongwu was listed as one of the best defensive players in the 2020 NBA Draft class. He has a high-revving motor, and his size allows him to switch onto a multitude of positions.
Onyeka Okongwu isn't just a stud on the defensive end of the floor, though. He's also more than capable of creating a shot and scoring the rock. However, his three-point percentage will need to improve as he makes his way through a new career in the NBA.
It quickly became evident that Okongwu was going to be a force for the Trojans. In his collegiate debut, he recorded 20 points, 13 rebounds and a school-record eight blocks to lead USC to a 77–48 victory over Florida A&M.
In his 28 games played at USC, Okongwu racked up averages of 16.2 points on 61.6 percent shooting from the field (25.0 percent from beyond the arc), 8.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 2.7 blocks and 1.2 steals in 30.6 minutes per outing.
In recognition of his outstanding play at USC, Okongwu was named to the First-team All-Pac-12 squad.
Prior to his days of playing with the Trojans at USC, Onyeka Okongwu played alongside Lonzo and LaMelo Ball at Chino Hills High School in California. As a freshman, his team won the state championship, which vaulted his name into national recognition. He went on to be a four-year starter and left the school as a five-star recruit.
Let's see how the Hawks choose to utilize Okongwu's unique set of skills going forward.
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