It has been a quiet month or so for Marquette in the NBA, but Oso Ighodaro has seen an increase in both production and minutes since the calendar turned to 2025. He is averaging over 21 minutes per contest in January, where he is scoring 6.2 points per game on just under 60% from the field.
Not only is he seeing an increase in production and minutes, but he is also seeing time on the floor late in close games. On Sunday night the Suns trailed the Charlotte Hornets by a score of 113 to 111 with just over 2 minutes to play in the 4th quarter. On a roster that boasts All Stars Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal…it was Oso Ighodaro that knotted the game at 113 and then gave Phoenix the lead for good at 115-113.
With 2:05 remaining, Oso took a pass from Devin Booker and slammed it home for the tie.
A turnover by Charlotte gave the ball back to Phoenix, where Oso caught a pass from future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant and flushed it home for the lead.
From there, Phoenix would add on one more basket and win by a final of 118 to 113. Oso finished with 10 points (8 in the 4th Quarter), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block. This performance helped the Suns win their 4th game in the last 5 contests and get back to .500 with a 19-19 record.
After the game, Booker and Durant praised Oso for his “passion and enthusiasm” and “being ahead of the learning curve”. Both of those were very evident in his time in Milwaukee and it is clear that his knowledge of the game is what has him earning the trust of his veteran teammates.
It has been a great start to 2025 for Oso. He’s been elite in his versatility defensively, and is getting himself in the right spots for easy baskets on offense. Coming from a Shaka Smart program that preaches being a Star in your role, it appears Oso is doing just that.
Elsewhere, the Jimmy Butler drama continues, as he currently serves a 7 game suspension handed out by the Miami Heat for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team”. It appears that things are coming to an end for Jimmy in Miami, and Phoenix is the team to watch in terms of a trade…so it is possible we see Jimmy and Oso together in the same lineup come February. It remains to be seen how this would happen, but it has been reported by more than one outlet that Jimmy and Phoenix want to get this done. We will have more as the season unfolds!
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