The Phoenix Suns have already had an eventual offseason, and they haven't even competed in the NBA's Summer League yet. Kevin Durant is gone, Bradley Beal is going and Devin Booker just signed a monster extension to his current contract. Lots going on, and that's without considering the fact the team also has a first time head coach in Jordan Ott.
Ott's arrival has not been met with much fanfare, but that is only because much bigger names in Phoenix have dominated the headlines. Then there is Brian Gregory - who in his opening few months on the job that many didn't believe he was qualified for - has somehow turned the tide through the Durant trade and NBA Draft picks.
Oso Ighodaro full of praise for coach Ott already.
One player who is already cutting a different figure is second year forward Oso Ighodaro. The second round pick was a nice surprise last season - although given how painfully lacking the Suns were for athletic big men who wanted to defend - the bar was pretty low. Nevertheless, he proved without a doubt that he had a future with the Suns.
Ahead of Summer League play Ighodaro has come across to the media like somebody who is looking forward to the responsibility now that some of his veteran teammates have left. Ighodaro recently revealed both he and Ryan Dunn having being doing two-a-day practices in The Valley during the summer, and that coach Ott has been at the facility around the clock ahead of next season.
Oso Ighodaro on Jordan Ott: "Me and Ry have been doing 2-a-days all summer, and when we come back at night, he's still in here....I think being a leader and showing you're in it with us and not just saying you're gonna work hard but actually doing it has been really great to see" pic.twitter.com/GBxBstIZIx
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) July 9, 2025
This is an excellent early window into what the Ott era can look like in Phoenix, and the importance of Ighodaro and Dunn to his roster cannot be understated. These are two youngsters who it is hoped will grow alongside a first time head coach, while Booker acts as the veteran who it is hoped everybody else elevates their game to play around.
Contrast that with the last two coaches to call Phoenix home, and it is hard to remember players gushing about either Mike Budenholzer or Frank Vogel early in their tenures. Ighodaro also has big shoes to fill this coming season - and although Khaman Maluach has a ton of potential - he is still only 18-years-old.
With Mason Plumlee not coming back and Nick Richards on the trade block, there is suddenly a need for Ighodaro to play some real minutes. New addition Mark Williams could answer a lot of this team's problems, but he has to stay healthy in order to do so. Even if he manages to play 65 regular season games - and he has never managed more than 44 in a season - there will be space for Ighodaro.