Hawks select Onyeka Okongwu with No. 6 pick
With the No. 6 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks have selected USC big man Onyeka Okongwu.
Okongwu starred alongside Lonzo and LaMelo Ball at Chino Hills before attending university. During the trio's only season together, the school went 35-0 en route to the 2016 California state title and the nation's No. 1 ranking.
The 6-foot-9 center wound up playing one more year with LaMelo. He believes his time around the Ball family had a lasting impact on his development.
"It was fun playing with the Ball brothers. I've known the Ball brothers since I was 10 years old," Okongwu told reporters, including theScore, during his recent NBA draft media availability. "I remember me and Melo used to watch Chino Hills play all the time with my older brother and Lonzo on the team.
"Playing with them, I just learned how to rebound the ball a lot. Defend a lot, block a lot of shots, rim-run. All the things I learned from my first two years really translated to the rest of my life playing basketball."
Okongwu has since stepped out of the Ball brothers' shadows, ending his high school career with back-to-back California Mr. Basketball awards as the state's top player. His success continued during his lone season at USC as he led the Trojans in scoring (16.2 points per game) and rebounding (8.6).
Okongwu also earned All-Pac-12 first-team honors and is considered one of the top defensive prospects in this year's class.
Bio
Position: PF/C
School: USC
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 245 lbs
Wingspan: 7-foot-1
Max vertical: N/A
Strengths
- Outstanding rim-protector; he finished ninth in the NCAA with 2.7 blocks per game in 2019-20
- Has length and footwork to defend effectively on the perimeter
- Excellent finisher around the rim
- An active presence on the glass
- Flashed an ability to create for others
Weaknesses
- Undersized at the center position
- Has some troubles defending physical big men
- Not much of a floor-spacer. Most of his offensive work is in the post
- Needs to improve his decision-making; he committed nearly twice as many turnovers (56) as assists (30) last season