Look out, Shawn Marion. There’s a new Phoenix Suns player with a funky shooting stroke that has made waves on social media.
A clip of Suns rookie Oso Ighodaro taking warm-up shots has gone viral on X. The minute-long video shows the 6’10” big man shooting from the left and right corners. What caught fans’ attention was how odd the Marquette alum’s release looked. See for yourself.
Suns rookie Oso Ighodaro for 3. #Suns pic.twitter.com/eXCZF4o1mW
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) November 8, 2024
Ighodaro went 3/5 from the left corner and 3/8 from the opposite side. In an NBA game setting, a 6/13 shooting clip from deep would be well above average. But in practice, it’s hardly encouraging.
One thing that made Marion’s release effective was how quickly the ball left his fingertips. But Ighodaro has a much slower release that will likely make it hard to get the shot off against even a late closeout.
In four years at Marquette, Ighodaro took just two three-pointers and missed them both. He has yet to take one in the NBA through four games played.
Given how important spacing is in the pro game, it’s not surprising to see him try to add the long-range shot into his arsenal. But it’s clear that Ighodaro still has a long way to go before he can be considered a threat from long distance.
