Prospect Spotlight: Osa Ighodaro

The state of Arizona has seen a rapid increase in national media attention and recruitment. This is based in large part to a crop of Nationally ranked kids. Nico Mannion has captured attention worldwide after playing for the Italian National Team. Kyree Walker is a player who many identify as a future pro. Daley Terry has seen his recruitment skyrocket in the short span of six months. Jason Harris remains one of the most physically talented players in the country. Shon Robinson moved to town from Chicago and instantly established himself as one of the players with the highest upside on the West Coast.

For a state which has not historically been known for producing a high volume of elite talent, having five young players of this stature has brought a lot of eyes to the Grand Canyon State. The biggest question now is who is the next player to explode on the scene and blow up?

Osasere Ighodaro is a safe bet to join this crop of high major kids. The 6’9” lanky, unassuming kid with the flattop and the baby face can do some of everything on a basketball court. He will play point guard on the offensive end, effectively making the right read on a pick and roll, then come down and guard a big man and be a rim protector.

Prospect Spotlight: Osa Ighodaro

In an age where it is common to teach big kids guard skills, it is still uncommon for someone this size to move so fluidly and naturally. This leads to the question, though, why isn’t Ighodaro already a household name? When considering a player among the elite, the flaws are important to note.

His unassuming nature is something that stays with him when he steps on a basketball court. This causes him to settle for good games rather than dominating the game in the many ways in which he is capable. Sometimes confidence and success act as the chicken and the egg, as nobody can definitively pinpoint which comes first. Osa’s case is no different.

This summer, he has taken another step towards being a dominant player, while college coaches have taken more interest in him. He has heard from UCSD, UCSB, Denver, Princeton, Cal Poly, Santa Clara, and Yale. Further, Northern Arizona, Montana, and San Jose State have all extended scholarship offers.

A 4.0 student who names his “court vision” as his greatest current strength, and his motivation for getting a scholarship is “I want to get a free education”, it shows that he gets it. He is a smart, humble kid who sees the big picture, so the increased notoriety should not deter him from continuing to work hard. If he is able to fill out and is allowed to play his uniquely versatile game, he will be special.

It is July of 2018 and this may be the first time you are hearing about Osa, but it most certainly will not be the last.