The NBA recently released the list of players appearing in the Castrol Rising Stars game during All-Star Weekend, and there was no room for Ryan Dunn or Oso Ighodaro.
A surprising development, especially for Ighodaro, who has found his feet from the bench in Phoenix after a bad start in the centre.
Ighodaro’s snub proves there is still a lot of work to be done
But if we’re being completely honest about the development of the second round, you know he would never beat out any of the names below for a spot in that second-year group.
2026 NBA Rising Stars Rosters: pic.twitter.com/WXLjq3Ui2i
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 26, 2026
Earlier this month we looked at the progress Ighodaro has made, especially on defense, as he learns how to use his large frame and athleticism to irritate opponents.
He’s coming at a pace that the Suns are happy with right now and that’s acceptable for a group that’s restructuring (while also being ahead of schedule), but that doesn’t mean he’s broken out the way Ajay Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson or Cam Spencer have.
The two main factors keeping him from getting anywhere near this list couldn’t be further apart, and one of them isn’t even something Ighodaro can change.
What he could work on to improve his stock away from The Valley is an attacking game that hasn’t grown beyond the basics thus far.
Yes, he can dunk the ball hard and run to the rim on broken plays, which is an even bigger factor defensively, but there isn’t a real go-to move or scoring package in his game yet.
Being a solid defender will do wonders for your standing with the coaching staff and the attentive fans, but no one else will care. Certainly not as part of a mid-season practice match.
If Ighodaro can become more consistent with his jumper from different areas of the court and get some back into the basket game, he will have even more success.
Unfortunately, he does play in Phoenix, and right now that also means he’s being overlooked and can’t do anything about it.
Even with the Suns surprising everyone, the order of recognition for that is as follows;
Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Jordan Ott, Mark Williams, Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen, Jordan Goodwin, Royce O’Neale, Jalen Green for about 20 minutes, you know what I mean…
Ighodaro is nowhere near the top of the list of big-name players for a team that not many casual fans care about at this point. He would always be reprimanded for that.
That’s totally fine too, and he should use this as motivation to prove that he’ll be a part of what the Suns have going on in the long run. He is on the right track, even if he is not a rising star.
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