NBA Draft Scouting Report: Marquette's Oso Ighodaro
Oso Ighodaro
Forward | Marquette
Height: 6'11” | Weight: 225 lbs
2024 Draft Age: 22.10
Kirthmon F. Dozier-USA TODAY NETWORK
Prospect Profile
A forward with good length, Ighodaro has the frame and skillset to make an immediate impact at the NBA level with another season of development. He has good footwork, is a smart player and plays within a defined role.
A three year player, last season was really the one in which he popped. Playing alongside first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper, he was able to compliment the team well. Ighodaro scored better than 11 points on 66% shooting in year three, while also dishing out 3.3 assists per game.
The Marquette forward is a good decision maker for his size, and while he may not have the upside to be an offensive hub as a passer, he does have really good vision for his position. In fact, he notched a 19.1% assist rate last season which is incredible for a big.
As a scorer, Ighodaro does most of his damage in the paint. Whether it’s a dunk, layup or even a short floater, the touch and power are both there. He’s never attempted a 3-pointer at the college level, but is a great lob threat and sets solid screens. He’s an offensive catalyst, even when he’s not the one actually scoring the ball.
Defensively, Ighodaro has the length to really make things happen as a disruptor. He produced 54 blocks and 32 steals in total last season through 36 games. The incoming fourth year college player also boasts the foot speed to defend in space, but also match up against 7-footers. To take another step forward on that end, adding weight and getting stronger will be key, as he’s somewhat thin at this point.
If he’s going to take the next step, Ighodaro will need to emerge as a better rebounder and shooter. He notched just an 11.9% rebound rate last season and didn’t show nearly enough as a jump shooter. In the modern NBA, bigs have to either space the floor or dominate the glass on both ends to even have a chance to earn minutes. While Ighodaro doesn’t meet that criteria today, he does do several other things very well that could allow him to be a late draft pick and emerge as a role player someday.
A former three-star recruit, Ighodaro is on the cusp of developing a few key skills and becoming a real NBA contributor. This season at Marquette, he’ll need to take on an even bigger role and assert dominance to increase his stock.
Highlights
Draft Projection
Second-Round Pick in 2024 NBA Draft.
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