Player card
- Team / role: Phoenix Suns second center, short-roll passer, first replacement for Mark Williams
- Healthy rotation: 14 MPG
- Season projection: 70 GP, 14 MPG
- 9-cat line: .630 FG (1.9/3.0), .500 FT (0.5/1.0), 0.0 3PM, 4.3 PTS, 3.6 REB, 1.6 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.5 BLK, 0.8 TO
- Projection confidence: Medium-low
- Formats: Deep nine-cat center and Williams handcuff; limited points value until minutes rise; useful long-term passing-big depth
Role and evidence
Ighodaro played all 82 games in 2025-26 and averaged 6.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 22.1 minutes. He shot .653 from the field but only .453 from the line. Source: Hashtag Basketball, updated 2026-07-02. Confidence: medium-high.
Phoenix's three-year deal with Williams and continued investment in Khaman Maluach reduce the base to 14 minutes, but Williams' foot history creates many games in which Ighodaro can reach 22-26. He is more likely than Maluach to absorb the full tactical role because he can pass, defend in space, and stay connected on offense.
Category shape
- Wins: FG%, rebounds, steals, blocks, and assists for a center.
- Neutral: Low turnovers in a small role.
- Costs: FT% can be punitive even on one attempt; no threes or scoring volume.
- Build fit: Punt-FT% category teams and deep formats; natural Williams handcuff.
Points and dynasty outlook
Hashtag's early-July dynasty board ranked Ighodaro No. 188, while its July 18 keeper crowd put him No. 153. The crowd premium likely reflects his age and per-minute category diversity, but Williams' new contract caps the clean path. Sources: Hashtag dynasty, updated 2026-07-02, Hashtag keeper, updated 2026-07-18. Confidence: medium-low.
Floor, base, ceiling
- Floor: 10-12 minutes if Williams is healthy and Phoenix prioritizes Maluach development.
- Base: 14 minutes with strong FG%, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.1 stocks.
- Ceiling: Williams misses extended time; Ighodaro reaches 26 minutes, seven-plus rebounds, three assists, and 1.5 stocks—standard-league value in punt FT%.
Draft verdict
Ighodaro is not a 12-team draft target at 14 minutes, but he is one of the clearest handcuffs on the roster. His free throws determine whether the injury-created upside is a broad category win or a specialized one.
Career record
Pre-NBA: Four seasons at Marquette (2020-24), growing from a five-game freshman to a 11.4 PTS/5.9 REB/3.3 AST junior and a 13.4 PTS/6.9 REB/2.9 AST senior — second-team All-Big East both years and a second-team Academic All-American in 2023-24. The passing that defines his NBA game was already visible (3+ assists as a college big). Draft: 2024, Round 2, Pick 40, Portland Trail Blazers — traded to Phoenix on draft night.
| Season | Age | Team | GP | MPG | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PM | FG% | FT% | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 22 | PHX | 61 | 17.1 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | .604 | .580 | 0.6 |
| 2025-26 | 23 | PHX | 82 | 22.0 | 6.5 | 5.1 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.0 | .653 | .453 | 1.2 |
| Career | — | PHX | 143 | 20.0 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | .637 | .491 | 1.0 |
Durability: No injury record of note — 61 games as a rookie was rotation-driven, then all 82 in year two.
Trajectory: Two seasons show every per-minute category moving the right way — rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and FG% all up in year two — except free throws, which collapsed from .580 to .453 and are the single stat gating his fantasy usefulness. In 2026-27 he competes for the backup-center role behind Mark Williams and against Khaman Maluach's development priority. He becomes fantasy-relevant the moment Williams (foot history) misses extended time: at 24-26 MPG his FG%, boards, assists and stocks play in standard punt-FT% builds, which is precisely why he is the handcuff this dossier says he is.
Career sources: ESPN career stats · StatMuse season averages · Wikipedia
Open questions
- Is Ighodaro clearly ahead of Maluach when Williams sits?
- Can his free throws improve beyond the mid-40s?
- Will Phoenix use Ighodaro and Williams together in any frontcourt matchups?