“Fight on, Dribble on” is a weekly column by Joseph Domingot about how Trojans are performing in the NBA.
With the NBA All-Star weekend coming up, some of these former Trojans have been performing at All-Star caliber levels recently, even if they didn’t make the game itself.
In the past seven days, six Trojans have suited up on NBA hardwood.
This week, we’ll call attention to two Los Angeles natives and former lottery selections, both on teams competing for playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.
Onyeka Okongwu
Onyeka Okongwu has made a remarkable contribution for the Atlanta Hawks as a starter. Since replacing starting center Clint Capela, the former Chino Hills High School star and California Mr. Basketball has averaged around 33 minutes a night and made leaps offensively, scoring in double digits in his previous nine consecutive games.
The former No. 6 pick from the 2020 Draft began his week with one of his most efficient nights of the season. Okongwu and the Hawks faced the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 9, where Okongwu scored 21 and with hyper-efficient 75/50/100 splits in a crucial victory against the Embiid-less Sixers.
Okongwu followed that up with a defensively solid game against the Houston Rockets. On the second night of a back-to-back, the 23-year-old notched just 11 points but added three blocks in the Hawks’ second win in as many games. It marked the fourth time this season that Okongwu has blocked three shots or more in a game.
Two nights later, in a matchup of play-in tournament contenders, the Hawks and the Chicago Bulls, the former First Team All-Pac-12 big man racked up a double-double against the Bulls. He chalked up 11 points and 12 boards in a critical loss.
However, it would go from bad to worse for the Hawks, as their part-time starting center was ruled out in their Valentine’s Day matchup against the Charlotte Hornets. It was revealed that Okongwu will be out for at least a week with a toe injury, but the Hawks are optimistic that his return will be imminent after All-Star weekend, and they’ll need him back soon to continue their playoff push.
DeMar DeRozan
Deebo has been scorching hot since the start of the month. In his last six games, he has scored 20-plus points, averaging 28 points per game, officially proving himself an All-Star snub.
The Compton native began last week in the midst of a four-game away trip southeast against the Orlando Magic. The 14-year veteran notched 28 points with only one made three-pointer in a six-point loss in Florida.
The 34-year-old continued his scoring rampage against Okongwu’s Hawks two nights later. In a matchup featuring three former Trojans, including Nikola Vucevic. DeRozan proved that he is still the alpha in a long-standing line of USC men’s basketball in the pros. The former No. 10 pick in the 2009 NBA draft scored 29 points on 59% shooting en route to a double-digit victory between two current play-in teams.
In his last matchup prior to the All-Star break, the six-time NBA All-Star continued his insane scoring streak against the division rival Cleveland Cavaliers and another former Trojan in Evan Mobley. DeRozan tallied 24 points and six dimes in a single-possession loss on Valentine’s Day.
The two-time All-NBA forward has been excellent at drawing fouls during his scoring run, averaging eight free throws in his last three matchups. He and the Bulls will hope he keeps his form past the All-Star break.
“Fight on, Dribble on” runs every Friday.