Josh Okogie’s impact already goes beyond stats. Why veteran may be just what Hornets need
Besides providing a much-needed respite following a month of seemingly non-stop travel, the nine-game homestand the Charlotte Hornets are immersed in has another dutiful benefit.
Allowing Josh Ogokie to gather himself, catching his virtual breath.
The seventh-year guard had his world turned upside down on Jan. 15, when the Hornets acquired him from the Phoenix Suns along with three second-round picks in exchange for Nick Richards and a second-round pick. And he’s slowly settling into his new environment, getting more in tune with things back on this side of the Mississippi River.
“Like you said, it was definitely a whirlwind but these guys embraced me, showed me love,” Okogie told The Observer. “So, it was easy just to kind of get acclimated.”
Through Okogie’s initial three games wearing a purple and teal uniform, it certainly has that kind of feel. Although he’s not going to overwhelm the opposition in one particular area, he brings a little bit of everything.
Block a shot. Hit a 3-pointer. Grab a rebound. Play defense.
Grinding it out is a huge part of Okogie’s makeup. That mentality is something he’s had since entering the NBA in 2018, when he was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round following two seasons at Georgia Tech, where he earned All-ACC third team honors as a sophomore.
“That’s just the epitome of what I do and kind of have that blue collar work ethic,” he said. “Work hard, no excuses. Just get the job done.”
In helping the Hornets split the first two games of their longest homestand of the season, Okogie turned in a pair of solid performances. During Friday’s loss to Portland, he tossed in 16 points — recording season bests in free throws made (nine) and attempted (12) — to go with a season-high 10 rebounds and a season-high-tying three steals.
It was his initial double-double of the season and marked his second game in a row with three steals, with the first coming in his Hornets’ debut on Monday versus Dallas.
Against the Pelicans in Saturday night’s win, Okogie pitched in with seven points, four rebounds, three steals (again), two blocks and two assists in 20 minutes off the bench. He had a nifty buzzer-beating layup in the third quarter, crashing to the court in the process, and one of the first people to go run — off the bench — to pick Okogie up was star guard LaMelo Ball.
And that’s why his reach extends beyond the court and statistics. It’s deeper.
“Love the impact that he’s given our team,” coach Charles Lee said. “No. 1, he just has a great feel for the league, the game, what the game asks of you, the competitiveness. He’s already added a vocal element to our team, which I think we can definitely use. When you have a young team, and as much as I talk, they get tired of hearing me probably. So, it’s nice when their teammates speak up and have things to say.”
In fact, during recent film sessions, Okogie made sure his opinion was heard.
“He’s already been kind of vocal in what he sees in the game and tries to just do it in a healthy way,” Lee said, “where he creates some conversations amongst our guys, and we are able to get on the same page and learn a little bit from him as well. So, I love that.
“And then I just think the competitiveness that he has and how he goes about his daily routines, there’s a professionalism, there’s a care factor there that’s going to really help and maybe become contagious in the organization when you have a lot of people like that.”
That mentality is welcomed. From all directions.
“He’s bringing energy from a defensive standpoint,” Josh Green said. “Offensive rebounds and just that burst of energy that we’ve really needed. And also professional. He’s been very good, he’s been very vocal since Day One and it’s something that we’ve needed.
“It’s very important to have someone who’s been on a winning team like the Suns, being able to use his voice. It means a lot to everybody. I think everybody can learn from it and go from there. But overall, it’s always good to have just good people around.”
Okogie, 26, sure seems to be enjoying himself.
“It’s been fun,” he said. “It’s a good group with a lot of energy, plays free, plays loose and just likes to have fun. It’s kind of refreshing to go out there and just play as hard and that be what the coaches and the organization (are) trying to implement in the players.”
Not bad for someone who had no clue what the organization was about just two weeks ago and little idea what he’d be with the Hornets mere days after playing them twice within a span of a week earlier this month.
“For me, being on the West Coast, we didn’t pay a lot of attention to East Coast teams,” Okogie said. “But to come here and see the potential of this group — this is a really good team. Obviously, the record might not reflect that, but the work that they put in, the potential that this team has in how hard we play, how fast we play and how connected we are, I feel like the sky’s the limit for this team.”
