Onyeka Okongwu suffers dental fracture after elbow from Jaylen Brown

Onyeka Okongwu suffered a spectacular injury during the Atlanta Hawks’ victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night (117-106). The Hawks center took an elbow to the face from Jaylen Brown in the fourth quarter, causing a dental fracture that will sideline him for at least one game.

An unintentional contact with serious consequences

The incident occurred as Brown was trying to break free from a double team involving Okongwu and Dyson Daniels. The Celtics wing was called for a flagrant foul for the contact. Despite his injury and blood flowing from his mouth, Okongwu courageously returned to the court to shoot his free throws, making one of two to bring the score to 107-92 in Atlanta’s favor.

After the game, Brown spoke about the unfortunate incident: « I was just being aggressive like I always am. It’s just a basketball play, it’s unfortunate. Okongwu is a good player, and I know from my own experience with a facial fracture and broken teeth… It wasn’t intentional, and I know it’s going to be a long day at the dentist for him, I hope he has a good recovery. »

Jaylen Brown’s elbow DESTROYED Okongwu’s right side of his mouth 😭 pic.twitter.com/zJJq9aI2Vs

— Logion Noops (@LogionNoops) January 29, 2026

Brown is referring to his own injury from two seasons ago, when he suffered a facial maxillary fracture after a collision with teammate Jayson Tatum. He had missed four games before returning with a protective mask.

Okongwu stays positive despite the injury

Despite the severity of his injury, which cost him at least one tooth, Okongwu showed remarkable spirit. He even shared a photo of his bloodied mouth on his Instagram account with the message « Good winssss birdsss », celebrating his team’s victory.

Hawks coach Quin Snyder praised his player’s courage: « He’s tough. It’s a good thing dentistry is a profession. I don’t know what he’ll need. He’s pretty banged up. He took a hell of a hit. I told him he’s still handsome, but it’s a good thing people can fix his teeth, because he’s going to need work. »

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Before leaving the game, Okongwu had compiled 17 points and 6 rebounds, shooting 6/12 from the field and 2/6 from three-point range. The Hawks, who are on a four-game winning streak, will have to do without their center when they face the Houston Rockets on Thursday night as they attempt to extend their winning streak.