A lifelong hoopster, it’s no wonder Onyeka Okongwu made it to the NBA at the tender age of 19! Despite his first full season for the Atlanta Hawks being marred by injuries, he managed to bounce back well. And now he’s in the best patch of form we’ve ever seen from him in the NBA.

Okongwu became the first Hawks player in franchise history to record at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in an appearance off the bench. He pulled off this insane feat in the Hawks’ 122-117 victory over the Phoenix Suns in January 2025. So, how are the Hawks compensating Okongwu for his efforts? Let’s find out.

How much does Onyeka Okongwu make? Hawks star’s contract revealed 

According to Spotrac, Okongwu signed a four-year rookie-scale contract with the Atlanta Hawks, worth $26,422,143 part-guaranteed in November 2020. The first two years were fully guaranteed, while the following two years were not. The Hawks exercised their team options to retain Okongwu for both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 NBA seasons. Throughout the four years of his rookie deal, he went on to earn an average annual salary of $6,605,536.

Although it seems the Hawks weren’t quite ready to pull the trigger on the youngster’s extensions in 2022. But seeing his potential, they ended up activating this clause. What a relief that must have been for Okongwu! In the final year of his deal, they showed how much they valued Okongwu by signing him to a massive new deal. Atlanta offered him a brand new 4-year, $61,980,000 rookie extension contract. 

This time, the entire amount in the contract is guaranteed, with him taking home an average annual salary of $15.49 million! This contract will run out at the end of the 2027/28 season and by then he’d have earned a hefty $88 million in just salaries. This means Okongwu will be an unrestricted free agent in 2028/29 if he decides to not renew his contract further in Atlanta.

Which draft class does Onyeka Okongwu belong to?

Onyeka Okongwu was drafted during the 2020 NBA Draft in the first round by the Atlanta Hawks. Onyeka was the 6th overall pick. Despite signing a contract with Atlanta in November, he only made his debut in the new year against the Jazz on January 15, 2021. He came off the bench in his debut, playing 14 minutes and registering 4 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. Not bad for a 20-year-old.

His best game in his rookie season came against the Houston Rockets in his final appearance in the regular season. Playing 33 minutes, he dropped a double-double with 21 points and a mammoth 15 rebounds! What a way to cap off your first regular season in the NBA. All in all, the Hawks’ center averaged 4.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 50 games in his first season.

Sadly, for Okongwu, he wouldn’t get much playtime once the playoffs started. Even though his team made it to the Eastern Conference Finals that year, most of his appearances would come off the bench. And this is why he didn’t have much of a contribution to make when the Milwaukee Bucks eliminated his team in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.

In the coming seasons, he turned out to be a steady and solid bench presence whenever he was fit. The concerning aspect is that he’s reached the 80-game mark in just one season, the next highest appearance mark being just 55 in 2023-24. As his game develops further, the Hawks Center will eventually receive more shine. Surely, Okongwu will be a household name as his career progresses!