Why a rookie already looks like he belongs on the Phoenix Suns' court

We're one game into the Phoenix Suns preseason and there's already a lot to digest. The team walked away with an impressive (for depth) 118-114 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night. But it's the preseason. It's not about wins and losses. Unless you lost by 40 points. Then we have to talk about it.

But no, it's about seeing players on the team, some for the first time, and how they connect within the confines of their roles.

Jusuf Nurkic missed Sunday's game with a middle finger injury and is expected to be sidelined for the next two Suns games. In his absence, Mason Plumlee stepped into the starting lineup and gave us an in-depth look at Suns rookie and second-round pick Oso Ighodaro due to Plumlee's increased playing time. And you can't help but be amazed by what you see.

Oso played 27 minutes for the Suns and my first impression? He looks like he belongs. It may not sound like a groundbreaking observation, but having that sense of belonging on an NBA court is truly valuable.

I think back to the last time the Suns had a rookie on their preseason roster: Jalen Smith. Since he was selected 10th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, there were high hopes that he could fill the Suns' void at power forward. However, it quickly became clear that he didn't belong on the pitch. He played coy. He hesitated. He lacked self-confidence. All of this is understandable. After all, he was a newbie.

Ighodaro showed all of these qualities on Sunday. Although he doesn't stretch the floor or help with spacing due to his lack of an outside shot, he has consistently made a positive impression. Whether through dribbling handoffs or sharply finding cutters, Oso made a strong impression.

Not bad for 40th overall, right?

The statistics? 12 points on 6 of 8 shooting, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 4 rebounds. But it was more than just a statistic. Knowing where you should be might be a lost art. It was a demonstration of basketball IQ.

And it was the push shot.

“It was great,” Ighodaro said after the game. “Going out there and competing, trying to get a win. I had a lot of fun.”

Us too. The highlight of the first preseason game was watching Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn provide competent and productive minutes. We will most likely see more from Oso throughout the week as Nurkic continues to sit.

The youth movement is strong in Phoenix.