NBA Draft 2023: Breakout prospect candidates to watch in NCAA Tournament

Oso Ighodaro – Marquette – Junior – 6’9, 205 lbs

One of the breakout prospects this year, Ighodaro was a key piece to Marquette’s dominant regular season run. NBA teams who trekked up to Milwaukee to see other teams often came away impressed with Ighodaro. He does a lot of the things you look for in a modern center. He is a terrific passer, comfortably operating dribble hand-offs on the perimeter, and threading defenses with his passing out of the short-roll and mid-post.

Ighodaro is an active and mobile defender but struggles against more physical, traditional fives. He may run into a few of those in this region with Oscar Tshiebwe potentially looming in the Sweet 16, and Zach Edey or Duke’s mesh of front-court players in the Elite Eight.

Ighodaro doesn’t shoot and isn’t the best rim-runner, but can drive against slower-footed bigs and get to a short floater. Ighodaro and Kolek are probably the best point guard/center passing duo in the country, and they’ll need Ighodaro to hold his own inside to make a run.

Ighodaro may come back to school next year, but he is certainly in the second-round/two-way mix right now. A deep Marquette run could help him get a guaranteed contract.