The Phoenix Suns have themselves something in Oso Ighodaro, and it’s becoming harder to ignore by the game.
Early in the season, this wasn’t obvious. Ighodaro was showing flashes of some of the same struggles he faced as a rookie adjusting to the league a year ago. A step slow. Thinking instead of reacting. Trying to find where he fits. There were moments where it felt like he was just surviving possessions rather than impacting them.
Then, everything suddenly clicked. His confidence grew. He wasn’t
afraid to mix it up and play physically. He was barking back at teammates. It was growth in real-time right before our eyes.
Quietly, steadily, Oso Ighodaro has turned himself into an important rotation piece for this Suns team, and it’s happening in the exact ways winning teams value most.
Part of his rapid development can be attributed to Dillon Brooks taking him under his wing and showing him tough love. Kellan Olson put a great piece highlighting that relationship, along with Oso’s growth.
“Finally, he yelled at me. Finally,” Brooks said. “Been waiting for that, been getting under his skin for about three months. Finally, he exploded.” That’s when things clicked.
Another great nugget from Kellan in that piece: In 614 minutes together, Phoenix is outscoring teams by 11.7 points per 100 possessions when the pair of Ighodaro and Gillespie is out there. This duo is on some Steph/Draymond level of chemistry and playing off each other — it’s fun to watch.
Defense
Let’s start with the defense, because that’s where his case really takes shape. Ighodaro moves incredibly well on that end. He switches. He slides. He recovers.
He doesn’t look panicked when guards get him on an island. In fact, opponents are scoring just 0.70 points per possession against him in isolation, which puts him in the 98th percentile in defensive DPM. That is not noise. That is elite territory.
When he’s on the floor, the Suns are flat-out better defensively. You can see it in the activity level, and you can feel it in how possessions get disrupted. He blows up handoffs. He tags rollers. He rotates early. He’s not hunting blocks or highlights. He’s just making life harder for opponents, which is the 2025-26 Phoenix Suns mantra.
Playmaking
What’s made his rise even more valuable is that it’s not just defense. His playmaking has become a real plus. Ighodaro is comfortable making reads from the short roll, hitting cutters, and keeping the ball moving. He doesn’t stall the offense.
He doesn’t force things. He understands spacing and timing, which is rare for a young big trying to earn trust.
The 40th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft is a testament to why draft picks and player development matter, even in the 2nd round.
Here’s how Phoenix has acquired key rotation pieces in recent years:
- Oso Ighodaro – 40th pick
- Jordan Goodwin – waiver claim
- Collin Gillespie – two-way contract
- Jamaree Bouyea – two-way contract
This is a win for all of us screaming how important winning on the margins was for years.
You can see it in his minutes. You can see it in the lineups he’s part of. He’s no longer just a developmental piece getting spot run. He’s a functional part of the rotation who gives the Suns something specific. Defensive versatility, energy, and connective play that doesn’t need touches to matter.
This didn’t happen overnight. There were early struggles. There were growing pains. But instead of fading, Ighodaro leaned into what he could control. Effort. Defense. Decision making. That’s usually the path for young players who stick.
