It is a huge week for former Marquette stars Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro as they kick off their NBA rookie seasons.
They’re additionally carrying new numbers this season…for good causes. The quantity 11 Kolek wore throughout his closing two seasons with the Golden Eagles is taken by his New York Knicks star teammate Jalen Brunson, and Ighodaro cannot have quantity 13 with the Suns like he did at MU as a result of Phoenix eliminated him. for two-time MVP Steve Nash.
Kolek subsequently took No. 13 to honor Ighodaro, and Ighodaro opted for No. 4.
“Certainly one of my teammates at Marquette, Stevie Mitchell, I wished to honor him and put on quantity 4,” Ighodaro mentioned in a video posted by the NBA on social media.
Kolek was additionally featured within the video.
“It simply exhibits the relationships we’ve got with one another, in fact,” Kolek mentioned.
Wow!! Merely stunning, I’m very grateful for his or her friendship and really grateful for the setting Coach Sensible and the host staff at Marquette Males’s Basketball!!💙💛Actually a particular place to play faculty basketball!!#Ubuntu 🎥 @NBA
Let’s go #13🧡💙and #4💜🧡and #4💙💛🕺🏽🕺🏽🕺🏽… https://t.co/FJUsZP7HQW pic.twitter.com/yPonGEy4yX– Apothecary Impressed (@StephsRx) October 22, 2024
Stevie Mitchell is hit by Ighodaro carrying his Marquette quantity
On the Massive East media day Wednesday in New York, Mitchell was clearly touched by Ighodaro’s selection.
“It meant quite a bit to me,” Mitchell instructed USA TODAY Community’s John Leuzzi at Madison Sq. Backyard. “Just because he didn’t must say the issues he mentioned.
“He may have simply left it as, ‘Effectively, there is not any extra numbers, that is the quantity.’ He may have left it and mentioned, “Oh, one in all my teammates wore 4, so I made a decision to do it.” However each time somebody hears his title, it means much more to somebody. , once more, it is not stunning as a result of he is been doing these things for so long as I’ve recognized him.”
Ighodaro and Mitchell had shut ties at MU, directing actions as a pair on which they continually labored collectively, it subsequently grew to become second nature.
The 2 males had spoken about Ighodaro’s determination earlier than he made it public.
“That scream was actually cool,” Mitchell mentioned. “After which relate that to how Tyler wears No. 13 and Oso wore No. 13 in faculty.
“It was only a actually cool connection. It made my day.”
Shaka Sensible likes to see the connections proceed between his former teammates and Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro
Shaka Sensible, MU head coach at all times emphasizes the significance of relationships in its program. So it was cool for him to see the brand new numbers of his former gamers.
“We are saying the gamers make the tradition and the tradition makes the gamers,” Sensible instructed Leuizzi at Massive East media day. “So it’s a reciprocal relationship.
“And it is not one thing that is supposed to finish as soon as their profession is over. It is imagined to be a lifestyle that continues. And that is actually one of many joys of teaching, is to serving to guys undertake sure methods of being that can assist them be extra profitable for the remainder of their lives.”
Kolek made his NBA debut towards the Boston Celtics
Kolek made his NBA debut Tuesday night time, coming in with about 5 minutes left and the Knicks getting blown out by the defending champion Boston Celtics.
Kolek rapidly obtained his first NBA factors on a three-point basket.
The Suns’ first recreation is Wednesday night time towards the Los Angeles Clippers, and a great preseason may assist Ighodaro land in Phoenix’s rotation for brand spanking new coach Mike Budenholzer.
This text initially appeared within the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Marquette’s Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro have new NBA numbers
