Tag: Oso Ighodaro

Report: Suns sign 40th pick Oso Ighodaro to 4-year rookie contract

Former Marquette forward Oso Ighodaro, the 40th pick in the draft, reportedly signed a four-year contract with the Suns.

Former Marquette forward Oso Ighodaro, the 40th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, reportedly signed a four-year, $7.9 million contract with the Phoenix Suns, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN.

Ighodaro was named to the All-Big East second team after averaging 13.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals on 57.6% shooting from the field in 36 games. He ranked fourth in the conference in field-goal percentage and eighth in win shares (5.2).

The contract reportedly has a significant guarantee that will give Ighodaro one of the highest guaranteed salaries among second-round picks. He is one of eight second-rounders to sign at this point in the offseason.

Ighodaro became the 53rd player in program history to reach 1,000 career points (1,078) this past season. He registered seven 20-point games, including a season-high 24 points and five rebounds on March 9 in a win over Xavier.

He is expected to suit up with the Suns in the NBA Summer League starting on July 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team will play at least five games, beginning with the Golden State Warriors at the Thomas & Mack Center (11 p.m. EDT, ESPN2).

Ighodaro will be joined in summer league by first-round pick Ryan Dunn, along with undrafted free agents Jalen Bridges, Tyrese Samuel, Tyson Walker and Mason Walters, among others.

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Phoenix Suns traded away one hometown player during NBA draft, then traded for another local standout

The Phoenix Suns were busy during the NBA draft, trading away the rights to former local high school player DaRon Holmes but drafting another, Oso Ighodaro.

Sometimes, professional teams like getting hometown heroes. Other times, it seeks talent from other places.

With the Suns’ NBA draft, the organization both picked a player who attended a local high school and traded away a pick that was used on another Phoenix-area standout. It wasn’t quite the Mikal-Bridges-Philadelphia-76ers Situation, but an interesting turn of events allowed the Suns to do so.

Phoenix traded its first-round pick, No. 22, to the Denver Nuggets for a package that netted them picks 28, 56, and two future second-rounders. With that pick, the Nuggets chose center DaRon Holmes, a former Millennium High School (Goodyear, Ariz.) star who was named Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior for his averages of 23.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.8 blocks and 3.1 assists per game. While the Suns‘ needed another big, they chose to pass on the player from the Phoenix suburb.

They maneuvered with the 56th pick in the draft to move back up to No. 40, which they used on center Oso Ighodaro, another Phoenix native. Ighodaro was part of the 2020 Desert Vista (Phoenix) High School championship team, a season in which he averaged 15.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 4.4 blocks per game.

In truth, the hometown rarely matters much. LeBron James would have been selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers regardless of his Akron connections; the Charlotte Hornets want Steph Curry because he’s Steph Curry, not just because he went to high school there.

But sometimes, the connection may play a role. The previous Phoenix management team selected Deandre Ayton, who played high school basketball at local Hillcrest Prep and college at the University of Arizona first overall in 2018 despite also hiring Luka Doncic’s former head coach that same offseason.

As for this Suns management group, it seems like trading Holmes was about collecting some much-needed assets, and drafting Ighodaro was about his fit and potential. It has little to do with the high schools.

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Oso Ighodaro: NBA draft scouting report and intel

2002 | 6’9.5 | 6’11 WS | 222 LBS Team: Marquette Agency: Klutch Sports Best aggregate mock draft rank : 29 / Worst rank: NR 2023-24 stats: In 2023-24, Ighodaro averaged 13.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. He …

2002 | 6’9.5 | 6’11 WS | 222 LBS

Team: Marquette

Agency: Klutch Sports

Best aggregate mock draft rank: 29 / Worst rank: NR

2023-24 stats:

In 2023-24, Ighodaro averaged 13.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. He shot 57.6 percent from the field and 62.3 percent from the foul line.

All-Big East forward Oso Ighodaro declares for 2024 NBA draft

Ighodaro was named to the All-Big East second team after averaging 13.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals.

Marquette senior forward Oso Ighodaro announced on social media that he will forgo his remaining college eligibility and declare for the 2024 NBA draft.

Ighodaro was named to the All-Big East second team after averaging 13.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals on 57.6% shooting from the field in 36 games. He ranked fourth in the conference in field-goal percentage and eighth in win shares (5.2).

The 6-foot-11 standout became the 53rd player in program history to reach 1,000 career points (1,078) this past season. He registered seven 20-point games, including a season-high 24 points and five rebounds on March 9 in a win over Xavier.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5jhMcGvVM8/

Ighodaro is considered a potential first-round pick this year. He emerged as a tremendous playmaker and offensive connector for the Golden Eagles with his vision and passing ability. He was also dominant at times in the post and can finish with either hand.

He will have the opportunity to improve his draft positioning in team interviews and workouts over the pre-draft process. He could also be invited to compete in the G League Elite Camp or draft combine next month in Chicago, Illinois.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

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Notre Dame’s experience can’t compete with Marquette’s youth

“Staying old” didn’t work in this matchup.

From the beginning of the season, [autotag]Mike Brey[/autotag] has lauded the experience on Notre Dame’s roster. However, one basic rule of sports is that if a team is young and talented enough, it can be a serious threat to experience. That threat played out Sunday at Purcell Pavilion. In the end, [autotag]John Shumate[/autotag]’s Ring of Honor induction at halftime was the only experience worth celebrating in a 79-64 loss to Marquette.

The story of this game was that the Irish (7-3) were outplayed and outhustled by a younger and hungrier opponent. The Golden Eagles (8-3) turned up the defensive pressure and forced the Irish into ugly shots and poor decision-making, ultimately resulting in 10 Irish turnovers to the Eagles’ three.

Even when they found openings in that defense, the Irish weren’t able to make enough shots regardless of distance. They somehow only trailed by five at halftime, but the Eagles finally made them pay with more offensive power afterwards, and it was their fans rocking Purcell Pavilion before the game even ended.

Kam Jones led all scorers with 25 points. Oso Ighodaro had a double-double of 16 points and 18 rebounds, seven of them coming on the offensive end. which undoubtedly contributed to the Eagles’ 22-7 advantage in second-chance points. Olivie Prosper scored 14, and Tyler Kolek had 11 points to go with a game-high six assists.

Although [autotag]Nate Laszewski[/autotag] and [autotag]JJ Starling[/autotag] scored 20 and 12 points, respectively, they combined to shoot 11 of 27 (40.7%) from the field. No one else on the Irish scored more than eight points. That’s not exactly a recipe for success, and the chances for that success won’t get any easier with Georgia awaiting in Atlanta next week.

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