The Atlanta Hawks had the sixth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and selected Onyeka Okongwu on Wednesday night virtually from ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. The Hawks dropped down two spots after finishing with the fourth-worst record in the NBA last season at 20-47. Here we’ll take a look at the impact of their first-round selection on the roster and in fantasy basketball.
The Hawks have had an infusion of talent over the past few seasons. Trae Young was the biggest addition. The All-Star guard came into the NBA with question marks about his size. He put those to bed and made good on some Stephen Curry comps with a breakout season in 2019-20, finishing fourth in the NBA in scoring with 29.6 points per game. John Collins and Clint Capela will anchor things down low, the latter being acquired in a mid-season trade with the Rockets. Add in Cam Reddish, Kevin Huerter and De’Andre Hunter and Atlanta’s future is looking up.
First-Round Pick Analysis
Onyeka Okongwu was the second-best big man in this draft class, behind James Wiseman, who went second overall to the Golden State Warriors. The 19-year-old spent only one season at USC and performed well. He averaged 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in 30.6 minutes per game.
The 6-foot-9 big man also brings a strong defensive presence with a defensive rebounding percentage of 18.4 and a block percentage of 9.8. He also had a defensive rating (DRtg) of 90.5.
Earlier today, it was reported that he fractured his big toe, but it will only sideline him for 1-3 weeks. Okongwu joins a crowded frontcourt in Atlanta that already features John Collins and Clint Capela, who they acquired in a trade last season from the Houston Rockets.
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