Onyeka Okongwu Named Hawks Player With Most to Prove in 2026-27

The Atlanta Hawks have a lot to prove in 2026-27, but Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes says one player has more to prove than anyone else: Onyeka Okongwu.

Some fans will disagree. They'll say that after a terrific 2025-26, Okongwu has nothing left to prove. That would be a fair perspective.

But two comparable seasons in a row would say much more.

Okongwu has been spacing the floor for a few seasons, but last year was his breakout year from beyond the arc. Okongwu hit 37.6% of his 5.2 threes per game. The year prior, he connected on 32.4% of his 2.0 attempts per game.

That's an incredible leap in both volume and efficiency. Okongwu needs to repeat it, and that's what Hughes is hitting on.

"If Okongwu can back up last year's breakout with another high-efficiency, high-volume season from deep, he'll elevate his profile—as a candidate for a massive extension, as a trade chip, as a key piece of the Atlanta Hawks' core—in every possible way," Hughes wrote.

That's an accurate assessment. Yet, there's more to what Hughes is saying here. The suggestion is that if Okongwu proves his mettle as a shooter, he could become a trade candidate.

Is that a viable route for the Hawks?

Perhaps. A center who can shoot like Okongwu did last year would have plenty of value around the league.

He took 5.2 threes per game after attempting only 2.0 the year before. That's a huge difference. The percentage went up with the volume, too.

Now, he needs another year like it.

One good shooting season can happen. Two in a row would make it much easier to believe this is simply who Okongwu is now.

Perhaps, but it feels more likely that keeping Okongwu will be the Hawks' best option. To Hughes' credit, he understands that.

"Nothing opens up the floor for a first-option alpha like a big man who can space to 25 feet," Hughes wrote.

Exactly.

There's been discussion of Okongwu's size. At 6-foot-10, he's on the shorter side for a 5. It's been suggested that the Hawks could look for a bigger center moving forward.

If Okongwu proves that he's one of the best shooting 5s in the NBA, that becomes a much less appealing route.

Size matters, but so does having a center who can drag his defender away from the rim. Okongwu can do that while still giving Atlanta a lob threat in the pick-and-roll.

His defense isn't much of a question, either. Versatility on that end has been part of his game for years. As far as being a starting-caliber player goes, Okongwu has already proven plenty.

The shooting is what changed last season.

We've also seen players have one career year from three and come back down the next season. Okongwu needs to avoid that.

Other Hawks also have something to prove in 2026-27, but Okongwu's situation remains particularly notable.

Atlanta is aware of his defensive capabilities and his ability to finish at the rim. Last season brought a new element to his game.

If Okongwu goes back to shooting around 32% from three, the discussion about his fit at center probably won't disappear.

If he shoots around 37% again on five or more attempts per game, that's a different conversation.

At that point, the Hawks would have a center who can protect the rim, switch defensively, finish lobs, and space the floor.

That's a difficult player to replace.

So yes, Okongwu has plenty to prove. He doesn't need to become a completely different player. He just needs to show that last season's biggest development was real.

His status as a cornerstone player for the Hawks will remain tied to his three-point shooting efficiency. If Okongwu can prove that last year was no fluke, it's likely Atlanta will keep him around no matter who else it adds to the roster.

He'll have proven himself too foundational to the team to move.