Last Updated on April 17, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Osasere Benjamin “Oso” Ighodaro is an American professional basketball player known for his skills as a center.

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Osasere Benjamin Ighodaro
  • Nationality: American
  • Date of Birth: July 14, 2002
  • Hometown: Mesa, Arizona
  • Height: 7 feet 0 inches (213 cm)
  • Weight: 235 pounds (107 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet 3 inches (221cm)
  • Shoe Size: Size 19 (US)
  • Position: Center
  • Jersey Number: 4
  • High School:
    • Desert Vista High School (Phoenix, Arizona): Ighodaro was a standout player, averaging 10 points, six rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game as a junior. He was rated a four-star recruit and committed to Marquette University over offers from Stanford, Texas, and Vanderbilt.
  • College:
    • Marquette University (2020–2024):
      • Freshman Year (2020–2021): Played in five games before suffering an injury, leading to a medical redshirt.
      • Redshirt Freshman Year (2021–2022): Appeared in all 32 games, averaging 5.5 points per game.
      • Redshirt Sophomore Year (2022–2023): Named to the Second Team All-Big East Conference, averaging 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game.
      • Redshirt Junior Year (2023–2024): Continued to excel, earning Second Team All-Big East honors again, with averages of 13.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
  • NBA Draft 2024: Selected 40th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers; his rights were traded to the Phoenix Suns on draft night.
  • Teams Played For:
    • Phoenix Suns (2024–present): Signed a four-year contract with the Suns on July 4, 2024. Made his NBA debut on October 24, 2024, recording two points, six rebounds, and a block in over twelve minutes of play in the Suns’ 116–113 overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
  • Championship Rings: None.
  • Parents: Dawn and Osaro Ighodaro.
  • Siblings: One sister, Osaso.
  • Children: None.

Player Archetype / Play Style

Oso Ighodaro’s player archetype is that of a connective playmaking big, a modern frontcourt facilitator whose value comes from mobility, intelligence, screening, passing, and defensive versatility more than from traditional back-to-the-basket scoring. Defensively, he projects as a switch-capable scheme big who can move his feet, rotate on time, protect the rim as a helper, and guard multiple frontcourt assignments, though his lighter frame means he is better suited to team defense and mobility than to wrestling with the league’s biggest interior bruisers every possession. Offensively, Ighodaro fits as a short-roll passer, dribble-handoff hub, screener, cutter, and opportunistic finisher, with his feel and unselfishness helping offenses flow even without him serving as a high-volume scorer. Physically, he brings good size for a mobile big, a strong frame, fluid movement skills, and enough length and coordination to impact plays in traffic and out in space. Overall, his play style is defined by versatility, processing speed, and connective skill, making him the kind of big man who can raise the floor of a lineup by doing a little bit of everything well. (NBA)

NBA.com — NBA 2024 Draft Prospects | Oso Ighodaro
Sports Illustrated — NBA Draft Scouting Report: Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro
NBADraft.net — Oso Ighodaro
NBA.com — 8 standout prospects from 2024 NBA Draft Combine