Hornets provide injury update on forward Josh Okogie

Okogie has not appeared in a game since late January.

Charlotte Hornets forward Josh Okogie drives to the basket against Brooklyn Nets guard Keon Johnson during the second half at Spectrum Center. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Josh Okogie is finally making his way back to the court.

The Charlotte Hornets' forward has ramped up his rehab from a nagging left hamstring strain and started individual workouts this week, the team said Monday. Charlotte's medical staff plans to check his progress again in two weeks.

It's been a tough break for Okogie, who's watched from the sidelines for over a month since tweaking his hamstring against the Clippers on Jan. 31. The Hornets had just pried him away from Phoenix in January, shipping out center Nick Richards and a handful of second-rounders to land the defensive-minded wing.

Okogie showed flashes of what made him attractive to Charlotte's front office in his brief seven-game stint before going down. The fifth-year pro put up 10 points a night while hounding opponents for 2.7 steals per game on 43.4% shooting.

Josh Okogie throws it down for his first dunk as a Hornet 🐝pic.twitter.com/wpN7TcIsJz

— Hornets Nation (@HornetsNationCP) January 30, 2025

He turned heads with a standout performance against LeBron James and the Lakers on Jan. 27, when he dropped 19 points and swiped four steals in a tight 112-107 defeat at the Spectrum Center.

The former Georgia Tech star and 20th pick in the 2018 draft spent four seasons in Minnesota before a two-and-a-half-year stint with the Suns. Though never known as a scorer, Okogie's reputation as a bulldog defender has kept him valuable throughout his career.

His return can't come soon enough for the struggling Hornets (14-45), whose defense has struggled without him, notably surrendering 145 points in a four-game stretch in late February.

- MORE STORIES FROM HORNETS ON SI -

Steph Curry shares thoughts on his yearly return to Charlotte with the Warriors

Nick Smith Jr. shares insight into Hornets mentality ahead of matchup against Golden State

Hornets look for payback against Warriors after blowout last week

Can the Hornets catch the Washington Wizards for the worst record in the NBA?