Amidst the plethora of injuries that the Phoenix Suns are currently dealing with, Chandler native Oso Ighodaro was able to do something in his young NBA career that he never had before.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!With Jusuf Nurkić (left ankle sprain) ruled out after playing against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, Ighodaro was able to start his first-ever NBA game vs. the Orlando Magic. Altering the lineup, Suns coach Mike Budenholzer has gone to a two-center system since the team needs size with Kevin Durant (left calf strain) also sidelined, resulting in Ighodaro being paired along with Mason Plumlee.
In the game, the Suns rookie used as much energy and effort as he could, slammed a few dunks and overall shined despite the result on the scoreboard, a 109-99 loss to the Magic. The 22-year-old amassed 12 points, seven rebounds and two assists in a season-high 32 minutes. There was an injury scare when Magic center Goga Bitadze collided hard with him just moments into the third quarter, but the two were able to recollect themselves and stand back up.
“I just try to stay consistent no matter what my minutes are like. We have an older team, guys miss games and I just have to be ready,” Ighodaro said postgame. “I am growing, will continue to learn and continue to get better, so I’ll watch the film and see what I can do better.”
When reflecting on how Ighodaro fared against the Magic, Tyus Jones also shared his thoughts on how his teammate did in his first start, believing all of his hard work paid off.
“I thought it was good. He’s been preparing for that moment, so I am excited for him, happy for him,” Jones said. “A lot of hard work went into that, and it’s not going to be his last. I thought he was ready to play, he brought great energy for us tonight.”
Ighodaro was born in Mesa, raised in Chandler and attended Desert Vista High School. A four-star recruit out of high school, the 7-foot big-man decided to go to Marquette for college for four years (2020-24). The Portland Trail Blazers drafted him with the No. 40 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft before he was instantly traded to the Suns.
So far in his first season back home in Phoenix, he is averaging 4.0 points and 3.8 rebounds. Even when the Suns are at full strength, Ighodaro still plays a meaningful 14.4 minutes per game.
From growing up as an Arizona local to being part of the future of his hometown team, Ighodaro will look to take advantage of every second he gets on the court because he already has a strong supporting cast that believes in him.
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers the Phoenix Mercury, Suns and ASU Athletics for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
