Oso Ighodaro
Power Forward and Center, 6’10”, 235 pounds, 23 years old, 1 year of NBA experience
This upcoming season is one that fans are hoping for some fun compared to last season. They are banking on this youth movement to take stride finally, and one of those leaders in that department is Oso Ighodaro.
Ighodaro spent his rookie season in the Valley and showed he could be a solid piece for the Suns in this new direction. Even if he was given sporadic playing time, like the other rookie in Ryan Dunn, Oso displayed
that he could be utilized in this system. This year, he hopes to turn the heads of fans, like he did at the summer league, to make a name for himself in this league.
2024-25 Recap
For being a rookie in Mike Budenholzer’s “random” system, Ighodaro brought the energy in the front court that was needed. With Jusuf Nurkic having disagreements with the coach, and Mason Plumlee looking lost out there. Ighodaro was able to buy some minutes and finally impressed fans. Similar to Dunn, he saw sporadic minutes throughout the year and saw the bulk of minutes in the last two months of the season. In the limited time, he was able to showcase himself as a solid complementary piece to these stars. He could crash the boards and help the Suns, who were in desperate need of rebounding, once Nurkic was benched. Even with Nick Ricahards being added at the deadline, it was still evident Ighodaro needed to be used to help what seemed to be the worst front court in the league.
His best game of the season that I can remember was late in the year vs the Toronto Raptors. In this game, the Suns blew the socks off them (which was a shock), and Ighodaro was a beast in the contest. He had nine points, nine rebounds, four assists, one block, and one steal with a plus/minus of +39. Even if it was against a weaker opponent, this proved to the fans that Ighodaro could help out in multiple ways to provide a win, something very few players could do since they were mainly specialists in a specific aspect of the game.
Contract Details
After he was selected in the second round by the Phoenix Suns after trading up to get him, Oso Ighdaro signed a 4-year $8 million deal heading into his rookie season. This would allow him to sign a rookie-scale agreement and allow the Suns to see what they have in store with a future piece. So far, what we have seen is that he is definitely worth around $2 million per year, and if he continues to grow, he can secure a nice contract extension that is beneficial not only for him but also for the Phoenix Suns.
Strengths and Weaknesses
When analyzing Ighodaro’s game, it is clear where his strengths and weaknesses truly reside on the court. Discussing the positives, his strengths include rebounding and passing in the post on offense, with his defensive versatility being key on the other side. For Ighodaro, his frame is a mixture of a power forward and center, so he can share the benefits of what they both can contribute while on the court. He did lack some size last year, but with him putting on this muscle, it seems he wants to hold down the paint like we expect. His ability to excel in all these categories helps him be helpful on the court, aiding the stars in whatever they need at the moment.
The one weakness, besides his frame (which he is trying to change), is his ability to stretch the floor and hit a three-point shot. This was also shown at Marquette in college and translated over to the NBA in his first year. Oso Ighodaro shot only two three-point shots this year and missed both of them. With stretch fours in Kevin Durant and Bol Bol being off the roster, you would hope Ighodaro could replicate that three-point scoring to a certain degree. Only time will tell if he can fill that role, but if he does become more comfortable from three-point land, he could work himself into that definitive role, instead of competing in the long jam for the center position.
One Key Factor
Where does Oso Ighodaro fit within this lineup? Since the Suns have drafted Khaman Maluach at pick ten in this latest draft, you would expect him to get some development time this year. Adding to that, the Suns still traded for Mark Williams, who I hope will be their starter. This leaves Oso Ighodaro and Nick Richards still in this front-court rotation and brings up the question of where they fit. With Ighodaro having trouble stretching the floor to hit the three-point shot, it is hard to put him in a power forward position. With his frame as well, people have had questions about what his actual position is and if he can fit into that role.
Prediction Time
The last time we saw Oso Ighodaro out there on the court was the Summer League, and he impressed every Suns fan. The forward looked to be a different beast versus some weaker competition, where he could shine as one of the stars on the court. The Suns had Ighodaro playing power forward and center for this team, but were also letting him run some point forward for this team. Now this is something I don’t expect to translate into the season as much as we saw it, but it could be another facet of Ighodaro’s game that could see him get playing time. He looked more aggressive on the boards and looked more comfortable on the court with his poise on both sides of the floor. The big man can be disruptive in the paint with his long reach, and clearly was a difference for the Suns in that aspect.
Stat Prediction: 73 Games Played, 6.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.9 BPG, on 67/18/70 shooting splits
Final Thoughts
I am excited to see Oso Ighodaro take the court for the Suns this upcoming season. He was a solid selection for this team last year and deserved more burn throughout the season in Phoenix. Seeing how he handled the Summer League has only made me more intrigued about what he can be for the Suns. I don’t think he will be a game-changer this year, but I do like what he can bring to this team in the development stages they are currently in.
If he can reach his true potential, he could be a perfectly sound offensive big man for this bench unit, and one that I would cherish every memory of getting to see him on the court.
