Phoenix Suns' Josh Okogie Finds New Passion in Photography
Known for his defensive prowess and boundless energy on the basketball court, Phoenix Suns guard Josh Okogie has found a new passion this summer: photography. The 25-year-old, known as much for his tenacity as his scoring, has spent the offseason focusing his fierce competitive spirit on capturing images behind the lens.
Okogie's burgeoning interest in photography emerged almost serendipitously while he was on vacation in Milan, Italy, during Fashion Week. It was there that he picked up a Sony a7 III camera, spurred on by a friend's suggestion to test his skills in this new arena.
“I've kind of figured out how the camera works, how to do the settings, how to do the white balance and all that. So it's been pretty cool," said Okogie, recounting his journey from novice to an increasingly adept amateur photographer.
Despite his progress, Okogie remains self-critical of his photographic endeavors. “I'm still not good. I'll say 90-95% of my pictures are BS, but I feel like I've gotten better -- slightly -- each day I've taken pictures," he admitted.
His tenacity on the court translates to his approach behind the lens as well. Okogie has ventured into capturing live basketball, a challenging endeavor that has tested his ability to keep pace with the game's rapid movements. In Las Vegas, he photographed high-intensity events, including the NBA Creator Cup celebrity game, the Los Angeles Lakers-Houston Rockets summer league game, and a showdown between his own Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors.
“It's very fast. Every time somebody dunks, by the time I take a picture, he's already done finished the dunk and he's already playing defense,” Okogie noted, emphasizing the challenge of adjusting to the speed of professional basketball. “I feel like the biggest improvement I have to make is adjusting to the speed of the game and not only anticipating, but also being at the right angle to get the best picture.”
Okogie draws inspiration from seasoned photographers within the NBA community, particularly David Sherman of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Barry Gossage of Phoenix. Their expertise and experience serve as guiding lights for him as he hones his craft. “That's my guy. He films the Wolves and he also films a lot of other NBA-sanctioned events. So I've always paid close attention to David,” he said.
For Okogie, the essence of photography lies in capturing the emotion behind moments. “Because you want the picture to replicate the feeling of the play for those who weren't there," he shares, encapsulating his philosophy towards this new passion.
As the summer progresses, Okogie plans to expand his photographic portfolio by shooting WNBA games during the offseason. Yet, his commitment to the Phoenix Suns remains unwavering. Recently, he signed a two-year, $16 million extension, signaling his dedication to contributing energy and intensity on both sides of the floor.
“My mentality is just to go out there and just try to give this team the energy that they need on both sides of the floor,” said Okogie, outlining his objectives under new Suns coach Mike Budenholzer. “We have a lot of talent on this team, but I want to be the battery of this team, if that makes sense. The motor of this team, to get people going, get people excited to play, get people moving.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Okogie sees a highly competitive Western Conference. He is optimistic about the Suns' potential, contingent on a strong training camp and early cohesion. “The West is going to be really competitive next year. I feel like we can be as good as we want to be. I feel like our ceiling is as high as we make it. I'm excited. I feel like if we get a good training camp and we start to jell, the sky's the limit for us,” he said, brimming with confidence about the road ahead.
As Okogie navigates the dual paths of basketball and photography, he continues to bring the same fervor and determination to both pursuits, embodying the spirit of an athlete always eager to conquer new challenges.