Utah Jazz guard Josh Okogie revealed in an appearance on the One54 Africa podcast that some of his closest friends stay with him, but it's not only for the reason you might think. While Okogie has love for his "homies," they serve another important purpose: security.
"The NFL, it's easier to have a normal life because you don't leave the house that often," Okogie said. "So whatever city that you're in, you live there. So for instance, if I was on the Atlanta Falcons, I'm only leaving the house maybe on Wednesday for a Thursday night game, on Sunday for a Monday night game, Saturday for a Sunday game, and then after the game, I'm flying back home.
"And if I have two home games in a row, I'm probably home for three weeks without leaving," Okogie continued. "But in the NBA, we will leave for two weeks, come back, do this, come back. Just from a safety perspective… And the thing people don't understand is our schedules are public. People know when you're not home. People can rob your house and see, 'Oh, I know when he come back home. I'm see him on TV.'
"They'll rob your house while watching you on TV," Okogie added. "… People don't understand you need kind of that support."
If you don't have a girlfriend or a wife, it certainly isn't a bad idea to have your friends around. Not only is it good to have company during difficult times, but they also ensure your belongings are safe when you're out of town for one of the 41 road games in a season. If you think Okogie might be being a bit paranoid about this, you're mistaken.
Many NBA players have been victims of burglary in recent years. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's home in Oklahoma City was burglarized in October 2025. Less than a year earlier, in December 2024, Luka Doncic's Dallas home was burglarized .
Just a month before that, Bobby Portis' Milwaukee home was burglarized in November 2024. Mike Conley's house was also broken into in September 2024.
After Doncic became the third case in the NBA in 2024, the FBI warned sports leagues about professional athletes being targeted by organized crime groups . Okogie might have avoided getting on this list by having his friends around.
"If I'm doing something in my house but I'm not home, they can help me out and facilitate everything," Okogie said. "And also after a long game, 'cause we play a lot of games, you just sometimes you need somebody to talk to, you need to go grab some wine. Your homies right there the whole season. And some of them, they'll fly home and come through; parents will fly in."
Okogie, the No. 20 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, is currently in his ninth season in the NBA. The 28-year-old signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Jazz in the summer and is now averaging 2.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game in 2026-27.
