Hornets reveal positive injury update ahead of matchup with Magic

Charlotte's bench immediately got better with the return of Josh Okogie.

Jan 24, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Josh Okogie (12) celebrates during the second quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Just an hour before the Charlotte Hornets' home game against the Orlando Magic, the team announced that veteran forward Josh Okogie had been upgraded from questionable to available. This marks his first game since January 31st when he went down with a hamstring strain.

Okogie was expected to just be a depth piece/roster filler for the Hornets, who acquired him and three second-round draft picks earlier this season in exchange for center Nick Richards and a second-round pick.

But in his brief stint on the floor for the purple and teal, Okogie showed flashes of being someone that the Hornets could use long-term off of the bench. The flare he brings defensively is much needed. This young bunch has struggled on the defensive end of the floor, more so with the consistency aspect of it. His energy, determination, and grit elevate the play of the other four guys on the court and it showed in those seven games.

Arguably, the biggest surprise was the scoring punch he brought to the table. He reached double figures twice and had three other games where he was one basket away from reaching that mark. Okogie his shots at a 43% clip and 39% from three - over nine percentage points higher than his career average.

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