Josh Okogie

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Josh Okogie

| image = Josh Okogie (cropped).jpg

| caption = Okogie with the Phoenix Suns in 2022

| position = Shooting guard

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 4

| weight_lbs = 213

| league = NBA

| team = Charlotte Hornets

| number = 12

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|9|1|df=y}}

| birth_place = Lagos, Nigeria

| high_school = Shiloh (Snellville, Georgia)

| college = Georgia Tech (2016–2018)

| draft_year = 2018

| draft_round = 1

| draft_pick = 20

| draft_team = Minnesota Timberwolves

| career_start = 2018

| years1 = {{nbay|2018|start}}–{{nbay|2021|end}}

| team1 = Minnesota Timberwolves

| years2 = {{nbay|2022|start}}–{{nbay|2024|end}}

| team2 = Phoenix Suns

| years3 = {{nbay|2024|end}}–present

| team3 = Charlotte Hornets

| highlights =

Third-team All-ACC (2018)
ACC All-Freshman Team (2017)

| nba_profile = josh_okogie

| bbr = okogijo01

}}

Joshua Aloiye Okogie ({{IPAc-en|ə|ˈ|k|oʊ|g|i}} {{respell|ə|KOH|ghee}};{{cite press release|title=2023-24 start of season NBA pronunciation guide|url=https://www.nba.com/news/2023-24-start-of-season-nba-pronunciation-guide|website=NBA.com|date=October 24, 2023|access-date=May 18, 2024}} born 1 September 1998) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and was selected 20th overall in the 2018 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves where he spent his first 4 seasons before signing with the Phoenix Suns in 2022. He also represents the Nigeria national team.

Early life

Okogie immigrated with his family to the United States when he was three years old. The family settled in Snellville, Georgia, where Okogie started playing basketball for Shiloh High School.{{cite web|title=Brooklyn Nets Draft Prospect: Josh Okogie|url=https://www.nba.com/nets/news/draft/2018/brooklyn-nets-draft-prospect-josh-okogie|website=NBA.com|access-date=16 January 2025}}

College career

File:GT vs NC A&T basketball Dec 2016 - Josh Okogie.jpg

As a 6'4" shooting guard, he was not ranked by ESPN in the recruiting class of 2016.{{cite web|title=Josh Okogie, Shiloh , Shooting Guard|url=https://247sports.com/Player/Josh-Okogie-84024/high-school-145505|website=247Sports.com|access-date=2 April 2018}} He signed with Georgia Tech and as a freshman, Okogie averaged 16.1 points 5.4 rebounds per game and was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team.{{cite news|title=Basketball: Pastner, Lammers, and Okogie Earn All-ACC Honors|url=https://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/2017/3/5/14822420/georgia-tech-basketball-pastner-lammers-okogie-earn-all-acc-honors|work=From The Rumble Seat|access-date=2 April 2018}} He was a third team 2017–18 All-ACC selection as a sophomore.{{cite web|title=ACC Announces All-Conference Team, Postseason Awards|url=http://www.theacc.com/news/2018/3/4/mens-basketball-acc-announces-all-conference-team-postseason-awards.aspx|website=TheACC.com|date=4 March 2018|access-date=6 March 2018}} As a sophomore, Okogie led Georgia Tech in scoring with 18.2 points per game. After the season he declared for the 2018 NBA draft but did not hire an agent, thus leaving open the possibility of returning to school.{{cite news|title=Georgia Tech' G Josh Okogie to enter NBA draft|url=http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22776913/georgia-tech-josh-okogie-announces-plans-enter-nba-draft|work=ESPN|agency=Associated Press|date=15 March 2018|access-date=2 April 2018}} However, he confirmed his intentions on entering the NBA Draft on 21 May.{{cite news|first=Mark|last=Bradley|title=Josh Okogie is leaving Tech, which is bad news for Josh Pastner|url=https://www.myajc.com/blog/mark-bradley/josh-okogie-leaving-tech-which-bad-news-for-josh-pastner/KH2SMMSVIubOhwvap1HhRN/|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=21 May 2018|access-date=22 June 2018}}

Professional career

=Minnesota Timberwolves (2018–2022)=

File:Okogie4-20190120.jpg

On 21 June 2018, the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted Okogie with the 20th overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft.{{cite news|first=Ken|last=Sugiura|title=Timberwolves draft Josh Okogie at No. 20|url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/timberwolves-draft-josh-okogie/h5zWaWe7Rry2zYzrmduReP/|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=21 June 2018|access-date=22 June 2018}} On 2 July, he signed with the Timberwolves.{{cite web|title=Timberwolves Sign Josh Okogie|url=https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/timberwolves-sign-josh-okogie|website=NBA.com|date=2 July 2018|access-date=2 July 2018}} He participated in the 2018 NBA Summer League. After Jimmy Butler was traded from Minnesota in early November, Okogie entered the starting lineup, averaging nearly 22 minutes a game on the season. After the season, he participated in the 2019 NBA Summer League. On January 29, 2019, he was named a member of the World Team for the 2019 Rising Stars Challenge.{{cite web|title=Doncic, Simmons headline Mtn Dew Ice Rising Stars rosters|url=https://www.nba.com/article/2019/01/29/2019-mtn-dew-ice-rising-stars-roster-official-release|website=NBA.com|date=29 January 2019|access-date=1 February 2019}}

=Phoenix Suns (2022–2025)=

On 2 July 2022, Okogie signed with the Phoenix Suns.{{cite web|title= Suns Sign Josh Okogie|url=https://www.nba.com/suns/news/suns-sign-josh-okogie|website=NBA.com|date=5 July 2022|access-date=5 July 2022}} On 7 December, Okogie scored a career-high 28 points in a 125–98 loss to the Boston Celtics.{{cite web|title=Suns' Josh Okogie: Erupts for career-high 28|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/suns-josh-okogie-erupts-for-career-high-28/|website=CBSSports.com|date=7 December 2022|access-date=24 February 2023}}

On 13 July 2024, Okogie re-signed with the Suns.{{cite web|first=Alex|last=Kirschenbaum|title=Suns Re-Sign Josh Okogie To Two-Year Contract|url=https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2024/07/suns-re-signing-josh-okogie-to-two-year-contract.html|website=HoopsRumors.com|date=13 July 2024|access-date=13 July 2024}}

=Charlotte Hornets (2025–present)=

On 15 January 2025, Okogie and three future second-round picks were traded to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Nick Richards and one future second-round draft pick.{{cite web|title=Charlotte Hornets Acquire Josh Okogie, Three Second-Round Draft Pics From Phoenix Suns|url=https://www.nba.com/hornets/news/charlotte-hornets-acquire-josh-okogie-three-second-round-draft-pics-from-phoenix-suns|website=NBA.com|date=15 January 2025|access-date=16 January 2025}} Okogie would make his debut five days later on 20 January, being second in the team's overall +/- differential behind only Cody Martin in Charlotte's 110–105 win over the Dallas Mavericks.https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-cha-0022400599/box-score On 24 January, during his third game with the Hornets, Okogie would record a double-double with season-highs of 16 points and 10 rebounds in a 102–97 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202501240CHO.html

National team career

Okogie plays for the Nigerian national basketball team and participated in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.{{cite news|first=Scott|last=Rafferty|title=FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019: Scores and highlights from Day 1|url=https://in.nba.com/news/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2019-recap-scores-highlights-from-day-1/2dxsenclu5pp13ctncdra7s7w|website=NBA.com|date=31 August 2019|access-date=2 September 2019}}