Both have earned the trust of the coaching staff and the fan base.
The Phoenix Suns are about to reach the season’s halfway mark. We sit at 20-20 and the 10th seed in an ultra-competitive Western Conference. After a fast start to the season, we have struggled. At times this team can be difficult to watch. Our only constant is our inconsistency. Our wonderful managing editor, John Voita, provided some topics to inspire us to write. One topic caught my eye: What is the best part about this season?
There is no question in my mind! The best part of the season has been the development of our two rookies, Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro. The influx of youthful exuberance is fun to watch. Recently this team has been accused of not having fun playing basketball. It is a joy to see Ryan show emotion after a tipped ball or a defensive stop. That element has been missing since Mikal Bridges left.
While the stats are modest for both, the impact is noticeable!
Let’s start with Oso. In 33 games played he is averaging 4.1 ppg and 3.8 rpg. When he is on the court his net rating is a +1.5. Nothing stellar but he is a positive when he is on the court. He earned the trust of the coaching staff by getting crunch time minutes recently. He continues to demonstrate a high basketball IQ and is in the right place at the right time. He does not look lost or overwhelmed. Up until the acquisition of Nick Richards, Oso was the only viable lob threat big.
OSO!!!
If you thought I wasn’t going to highlight Oso Ighodaro in a game that he started, you really don’t me at all, do you?
First clip: he doesn’t want to shoot this jumper. (Will he ever is the question.) But the off-the-bounce floater over Wemby is good stuff!
The pass in… pic.twitter.com/utTW3Ds6yl
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) December 4, 2024
What can Oso become? He has limitations-does not have an outside shot to speak of and is undersized for a center. What he can do is facilitate more basketball movement with his passing skills. He is a switchable big. Oso can be a rotational piece in the NBA. If he could ever develop some type of an outside shot, he could be more. Oh yeah, he is a local kid, more reason to cheer for him.
Given that Nick Richards is in the fold as the starting center, I am interested to see how this impacts his playing time.
Let’s switch to Ryan. In 36 games played, including 20 starts, he is averaging 7.5 ppg and 3.4 rpg. He is shooting 32.3% from the three-point line and 46.6% overall. Not bad for someone with the reputation of a non-shooter.
Much has been written and said about Dunn but I want to point out one stat.
Best Defensive Field Goal Percentage (DFG%) Among Rookies In The 2024-25 NBA Regular Season (Min. 90 Total DFGA) :
1. Ryan Dunn — 40.4%
2. Matas Buzelis — 41.3%
2. Reed Sheppard — 41.3%
4. Pelle Larsson — 42.1%
5. Donovan Clingan — 42.5%
6. Ajay… https://t.co/gOoH6nx5IW pic.twitter.com/F7W5lxsUuR— Stat Defender (@statdefender) January 17, 2025
Stat Defender has Ryan ranked first in best defensive FG% among rookies.
What will Dunn become? Stat Defender also asked “Does Ryan Dunn have the potential to be the best wing defender in the NBA someday? The answer to that is yes. Do you remember Shane Battier? Let’s see what happens the rest of the season.
During Matt Ishbia’s introductory press conference, he noted that he wants to contend for championships now and in the future. With draft capital at critical lows, we need Ryan and Oso to develop into solid NBA players for this team. We are an old team, the oldest in the league and in order to remain competitive, not saying contenders, because we are not at this point, we need both rookies to thrive to ensure we remain a viable team for the future.
Watching these two grow before our eyes is the best part of this season. Hands down. What do you think?