But make no mistake: Okongwu has been the real deal, and his play passes both the numbers test and the eye test. Head coach Nate McMillan made a point early in the season of saying that young players were not going to get playing time solely for the purpose of development. They were going to have to earn their minutes. Okongwu did, and the 21-year-old elevated his play from a high starting point to an even greater level. “He has earned minutes to play, and yes, he’s still developing,” McMillan said. “That will be the case for the next couple of years. He’s a young buck that has a lot of potential. We’re seeing his growth.”