The Atlanta Hawks are poised to make a run in the 2026 playoffs after an A+ offseason, yet one major question remains. Is Oneyka Okongwu truly a playoff-caliber center? He is certainly a playoff-caliber player, but perhaps he fits best in a different role.
After entering the starting lineup last season, Okongwu showed why the Hawks gave him an extension. The undersized big man tallied 15 points, 10 rebounds, 0.9 blocks, and 0.7 steals per game per game on improved efficency. Over his 40 games as a starter, he showed flashes of an improved skillset and played with tremendous energy.