Onyeka Okonwgu has missed four games for the Atlanta Hawks after sustaining a serious mouth injury in the team's 117-106 win over the Boston Celtics on January 28. He finally made his return to action on Saturday in the club's game against the Charlotte Hornets, wearing a protective mask.
The mask made the 25-year-old center look like Bane, a villain in the Batman universe. The Hawks even played into the Bane character in its post on X, formerly known as Twitter, by sharing a quote from the famous character from “The Dark Knight Rises” film starring Tom Hardy (Bane) and Christian Bale (Batman).
You think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. pic.twitter.com/CWOJkrfUZ4
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 8, 2026
Atlanta is glad to have Okongwu back in the lineup. He's primed for a key role after the Hawks traded Kristaps Porzingis away to the Golden State Warriors. Onyeka Okongwu has emerged as a star for the franchise, as he's averaging 16.3 points (career-high), 7.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists (career-high), 1.2 steals (career-high), and 1.0 blocks per game. He's also shooting 48.2% from the floor and 36.7% from beyond the three-point line.
The injury Okongwu sustained looked horrific. He took a hard shot from Celtics star Jaylen Brown, as Browns' elbow connected with Okongwu's mouth. The Hawks star suffered a dental fracture that appeared to knock several of his teeth loose. Onyeka Okongwu was forced to undergo surgery on his mouth soon after the injury.
His return is ideal for the Hawks, as the team is right in the mix of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference. It's a close race, though, as a winning streak from Atlanta could potentially catapult the club up the rankings.
