Nigerian freshman Joy Ighovodja becomes ‘defensive menace’ for Wichita State basketball
The wing has been putting to use his 6-foot-10 wingspan and 39-inch vertical during practices this preseason. Wichita State freshman basketball player Joy Ighovodja, known as a defensive menace for his 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame and 39-inch vertical, has made a challenging transition to the United States. The 18-year-old Nigerian, who only began playing competitive basketball four years ago, had been preparing to play college basketball in the US since 2019 through NBA Academy Africa. WSU coach Paul Mills has been sold on the potential of the 6-ft-10 guard, who has improved as a shot-maker. Despite being a true freshman on a team with college basketball veterans, Ighovanodja has embraced his defensive-first role in practice.
Veröffentlicht : vor 2 Jahren durch Taylor Eldridge in Sports
The first few months in America have made for a challenging, but rewarding transition for Wichita State freshman basketball player Joy Ighovodja.
Through NBA Academy Africa, the 18-year-old from Nigeria, who only began playing competitive basketball four years ago, had been preparing to make the leap to play college basketball in the United States since 2019.
One of the biggest adjustments? Going to school in an actual classroom.
“Where I’m from, it’s all online classes,” Ighovodja said. “I’m still adjusting because a lot of things are happening right now. It’s been a lot of thinking, but it’s been great.”
A constant has been basketball, although the way WSU coach Paul Mills thinks about and talks about the game is different than anything Ighovodja has ever experienced.
Mills has been sold on the potential of the 6-foot-4, 205-pound guard since watching him play last summer at the NBA Academy Games, where he was measured with a wingspan of 6-foot-10 and a 39-inch vertical. Ighovodja originally signed to Mills at Oral Roberts, then followed the coach to WSU this spring.
“I really like that coach believes in what I can do and what I can become,” Ighovodja said. “He holds me to that expectation. That’s been great because I’ve never had a coach who coaches you so hard not because of what he wants, but because he knows what you can do. That’s a great thing to have someone who wants the best out of me. Everyday I show up and think, ‘What can I do? How can I become better?’”
Mills and his staff are adamant believers in analytics, not to force players to shoot certain shots, but to identify which shots are the best for them.
Tracking every single shot is something new to Ighovodja, who says he has enjoyed learning about what is and isn’t an efficient attempt. He’s worked hard on sprinting the floor and being in shoot-ready position in the spots on the floor where the coaching staff wants him. His shooting percentages have steadily risen this offseason, progress the coaching staff has appreciated.
“Joy has been very coachable and he’s actually improved as a shot-maker,” Mills said. “He probably had some jet lag during his first few practices, but he’s really improved as a shot-maker. He’s already a defensive menace, so if we can get him better as a shot-maker from a percentage standpoint and get his stamina up where his menacing skills can last a little bit longer, he is really going to have a presence.”
Defense is where Ighovodja can already put to use that 6-foot-10 wingspan and 39-inch vertical. Matched with his athleticism, it’s not hard to imagine how he earned his “menace” title from Mills.
Being a true freshman on a team filled with college basketball veterans, Ighovodja has embraced his defensive-first role in practice.
“I really take pride in my defense because coach Mills says that’s how you get on the floor,” Ighovodja said. “We have a lot of guys who know how to score and I’m just a freshman, so scoring isn’t something I should be thinking about. I love to play defense as much as I can. Sometimes I get scored on, but I don’t give up. I just keep playing.”
That next-play mentality has been noticed by his teammates.
“What impresses me the most is that he’s just a rookie and he makes mistakes, but it never changes his energy or his effort,” WSU veteran Colby Rogers said. “When I was a freshman and I was making mistakes, the biggest thing was to just keep playing hard. I used to think about the last mistake and then that would compound the mistakes. Transitioning from high school to college, the game is so much faster and you have to play with a short memory. Joy has that ability to just keep playing hard.”
“He’s able to take hard coaching and he obviously is young and will make mistakes, but he learns from them and he tries to play the right way. He puts his best foot forward each and every day. As a freshman, he’s got a long road ahead of him and picking up on the little tips now is going to be super beneficial for him down the road.”
Initially, it seemed likely WSU would redshirt Ighovodja with so many veteran options ahead of him on the depth chart at wing.
But with Jalen Ricks’ departure from the team before the season and the unlikelihood of Ronnie DeGray III receiving a waiver from the NCAA as a two-time undergraduate transfer, Ighovodja could have a path to limited playing time right away.
WSU opens its regular season on Monday, Nov. 6 against Lipscomb, while the Shockers play their lone exhibition game, against Rogers State, 1 p.m. this Sunday inside the Roundhouse.
This story was originally published October 23, 2023, 11:57 AM.
Themen: Basketball, Kansas, Wichita