Oso Ighodaro looked great in the preseason opener for the Suns.
We are one game into the Phoenix Suns preseason and there is already plenty to digest. The team walked away with an impressive (for the depth) 118-114 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night. But it’s the preseason. It’s not about the wins and the losses. Unless you lost by 40 points. Then we’re gonna have to talk about it.
But no, it’s about seeing players on the team, some of them for the first time, and how they connect within the confines of their roles.
Jusuf Nurkic missed Sunday’s game due to a middle finger injury and is expected to be sidelined for the next two Suns games. In his absence, Mason Plumlee stepped into the starting lineup, giving us an extended look at Suns rookie and second-round pick Oso Ighodaro as a result of Plumlee’s increased playing time. And you can’t help being excited by what you see.
Just look at this Oso Ighodaro pass pic.twitter.com/X3dmWufKGt
— Mike Vigil (@protectedpick) October 7, 2024
Oso played a team-high 27 minutes for the Suns and my first impression? He looks like he belongs. It may not sound like a groundbreaking observation, but there’s real value in having that sense of belonging on an NBA court.
I think back to the last time the Suns had a rookie on their preseason roster: Jalen Smith. Selected 10th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, there were high hopes he could fill the Suns’ void at power forward. However, it quickly became apparent that he didn’t look like he belonged on the court. He played timidly. He was hesitant. He lacked confidence. All of this is understandable. After all, he was a rookie.
All of those qualities were on display for Ighodaro on Sunday. Though he won’t stretch the floor or help with spacing due to his lack of an outside shot, he consistently made a positive impact. Whether it was through dribble handoffs or keenly finding cutters, Oso left a strong impression.
Lobs and Dimes.
Oso Ighadaro finished with 12 PTS and 5 AST in his first taste of NBA action.
It is so fun to watch this man play basketball. pic.twitter.com/ss6DO4eDXz
— Suns Are Better (@SunsAreBetter) October 7, 2024
Not bad for the 40th overall pick, eh?
The statistics? 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, and 4 rebounds. But it was more than statistics. It was knowing where to be, which could be a lost art. It was a display of basketball IQ.
And it was the push shot.
Oso push shot!! pic.twitter.com/UgDBgD8BxT
— Suns JAM Session Podcast (@SunsJAM) October 7, 2024
“It was great,” Ighodaro said after the game. “Going out there and competing, trying to get a win. I had a lot of fun.”
So did we. Watching both Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn step in an provide competent and productive minutes was the highlight of the first game of the preseason. We will most likely see more of Oso throughout the week as Nurkic continues to sit.
The youth movement is strong in Phoenix.