Josh Okogie says the reason some NBA players keep friends living with them goes well beyond comfort. On the One54 Africa podcast, the Utah Jazz guard said those people around the house can be part company, part backup security.
Okogie explained that the NBA’s travel-heavy schedule makes players more vulnerable than athletes in other leagues. He contrasted that with the NFL, where players are home more often because they’re not constantly flying in and out of town.
“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.”
He said having friends around matters for more than just security. If he needs help with something at home while he’s away, they can handle it. And after long nights and long stretches on the road, there’s also the simple value of having somebody there.
“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.”
The concern isn’t coming out of nowhere. The article pointed to several recent burglaries involving NBA players, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City in October 2025, Luka Doncic in Dallas in December 2024, Bobby Portis in Milwaukee in November 2024 and Mike Conley in September 2024. After Doncic became the third NBA burglary case in 2024, the FBI warned sports leagues that organized crime groups were targeting professional athletes.
Okogie, the No. 20 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, is in his ninth NBA season. The 28-year-old signed a two-year, $12 million deal with Utah in the summer and is averaging 2.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.3 steals and 0.3 blocks per game in 2026-27.
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