{"id":169870,"date":"2025-07-14T10:57:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T10:57:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/169870\/"},"modified":"2025-07-14T10:57:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T10:57:14","slug":"suns-assistant-demarre-carroll-gushes-over-youngsters-very-high-iq","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/169870\/","title":{"rendered":"Suns assistant DeMarre Carroll gushes over youngster\u2019s \u2018very high IQ\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The post Suns assistant DeMarre Carroll gushes over youngster\u2019s \u2018very high IQ\u2019<\/a> appeared first on ClutchPoints<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Phoenix Suns<\/a> may have lost to the Atlanta Hawks on Summer League Sunday, 98-80, but wins and losses aren\u2019t exactly the priority during the exhibition season in Las Vegas. NBA teams are looking at their young players and the strides they\u2019ve been making, and there\u2019s no question that the Suns\u2019 top performer on Sunday<\/a> was 2024 second-round pick Oso Ighodaro, who put up 18 points (on 8-12 shooting from the floor) and nine rebounds along with three steals and two blocks.<\/p>\n

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Ighodaro did look like the most experienced player<\/a> on the floor on Sunday for the Suns, and it\u2019s only fitting, seeing as he played 61 games in his rookie year and even started six contests. While it\u2019s not quite clear what role he\u2019ll be playing for Phoenix this upcoming season, especially when the team brought in two new centers in Mark Williams and Khaman Maluach while Nick Richards is still on the roster, Ighodaro at least appears to have the support of assistant coach DeMarre Carroll<\/a>, who gave the 23-year-old some lofty praise<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he plays with so much force, downhill on both sides of the ball\u2026 it\u2019s great for us. I think it\u2019s a feel. Obviously, Oso has got a high IQ. I think he knows how people are gonna guard him. It\u2019s repetition, just keep going through it. He just gotta continue keep his development, keep growing, keep playing hard like he does and play with that force,\u201d Carroll told reporters following the Suns\u2019 loss, via Duane Rankin of AZ Central.<\/p>\n

Ighodaro is going to have to battle if he wants a spot in the Suns\u2019 rotation heading into next season. And so far, he\u2019s been making his case with his strong play during Summer League.<\/p>\n

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Suns need their young players to rise\"\u00a9<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

The Suns have to remain competitive for the next half-decade or so even after trading away Kevin Durant, as they do not control their first-round pick until 2032. And it\u2019s imperative for the Suns\u2019 young core to start helping Devin Booker out<\/a> so that they wouldn\u2019t give up a high first-rounder to the teams they owe their picks to.<\/p>\n

Ryan Dunn is expected to be a starter for the Suns, and so is Jalen Green. The team has high hopes for Williams and Maluach, as well as their second-round pick in Rasheer Fleming. Perhaps Ighodaro could also be a long-term keeper for the team, provided that he plays with the \u201cforce\u201d the Suns want him to bring every single night.<\/p>\n

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Related: Suns rumors: Devin Booker \u2018fully immersed\u2019 with Phoenix in wake of Kevin Durant trade<\/a><\/p>\n

Related: Suns\u2019 Devin Booker, Kevin Durant reunite at Drake show in London<\/a><\/p>\n