2025-26 Season
ONYEKA OKONGWU
2025-26 Season
ONYEKA OKONGWU
PBP Credit: Every play is analyzed from play-by-play data. Scorers get difficulty-adjusted credit, assisters get creation value based on the shot opportunity they created, and turnovers are classified by type. Shot difficulty is derived from 1M+ shots across 4 seasons. Full methodology
TEAM COMPARISON
of 16 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
Similar Players
Same position, closest production profile this season.
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 234 Forwards with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
Onyeka Okongwu's early season was defined by a radical, occasionally chaotic metamorphosis into a perimeter-hunting big man. He completely warped Utah's defensive scheme during the 11/13 vs UTA matchup, erupting for 32 points on 8-of-14 shooting from deep to post a staggering +16.2 impact score. Yet, his newfound offensive aggression sometimes came with hidden costs. Despite pouring in 18 points on 11/28 vs CLE, his impact score slipped into the red at -1.4 because unseen negatives overshadowed his strong interior finishing. Fortunately, Okongwu still found ways to salvage his value on quiet scoring nights. He managed a solid +3.5 impact score on 11/08 vs LAL despite scoring just 12 points. Elite defensive anchoring and switchability kept his overall rating firmly in the green that night, revealing his immense non-scoring value.
A bizarre identity crisis defined this stretch, as Onyeka Okongwu oscillated wildly between anchoring the paint and masquerading as a high-volume perimeter chucker. His sudden obsession with outside shooting frequently tanked his value when the jumpers refused to fall. During the 11/30 vs PHI matchup, his relentless work on the glass yielded 13 rebounds, but a brutal barrage of ill-advised threes (0-for-7) acted as a hidden cost that dragged his overall impact down to a dismal -8.8. Yet, when the perimeter gamble actually paid off, he completely warped opposing defensive schemes. Look no further than his 12/27 vs NYK masterpiece, where a shocking 6-for-10 explosion from beyond the arc fueled 31 points, 14 rebounds, and a massive +13.5 impact score. Unfortunately, his focus wavered on the other end of the floor just as often. Even with decent rebounding activity during the 01/13 vs LAL contest, severe defensive breakdowns cratered his overall impact to a disastrous -12.7. He remains a fascinating, deeply frustrating puzzle.
Onyeka Okongwu spent this twenty-game stretch undergoing a radical offensive identity crisis, trading his traditional interior game for a wildly erratic green light from beyond the arc. This newfound floor-spacing experiment peaked during the 03/01 vs POR matchup. He connected on a staggering 7-of-12 from deep to post 25 points and a massive +16.6 impact score. However, his perimeter infatuation often carried hidden costs. During the 01/21 vs MEM contest, he tallied a respectable 18 points but posted a -3.9 impact score because his expanded range came attached to costly defensive lapses that dragged down his overall value. Conversely, Okongwu was sometimes at his absolute best when his shot completely abandoned him. He managed just 10 points on a miserable 2-of-7 shooting night in the 02/26 vs WAS game, yet still drove a highly positive +6.5 impact score by leaning entirely on elite rim deterrence and dominant interior defense.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Very consistent. Okongwu posts positive impact in 77% of games — you almost always get a productive night. Scoring varies by ~6 points, but the overall contribution stays positive.
Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 56% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.
Defensive difference-maker. Okongwu consistently forces tough shots and protects the rim — opponents shoot worse when he's guarding them.
Tends to go on runs. Longest hot streak: 9 games. Longest cold streak: 2 games.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Based on 73 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.
ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM
His shooting stats against each primary defender this season
ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED
How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.
SEASON STATS
GAME LOG
75 games played
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