5 wrinkles to love in Oso Ighodaro's game, and the next step in the Suns rookie's evolution

December 2, 2024

Phoenix Suns rookie Oso Ighodaro is impressing Mike Budenholzer, so here are 5 enjoyable wrinkles to his game, plus the next step in his evolution

Nov 18, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns center Oso Ighodaro (4) dunks over Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23)during the first half of an NBA game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

People who don't regularly watch Phoenix Suns games -- or prefer to watch box scores instead -- will probably wonder why a player who's averaging 4.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.4 blocks in 16.3 minutes per game would warrant a whole breakdown. But for those paying attention, Oso Ighodaro is making it harder for coach Mike Budenholzer to keep him off the court.
While his raw averages hardly leap off the page, when Ighodaro's gotten his opportunities, he's made an impact. The Suns have posted a +5.4 Net Rating with him on the court, which is the best mark among all regular rotation players on the roster. When Ighodaro's off the court, that Net Rating drops to -2.8, which is third-...