(WNFL/MARQUETTE COMMUNICATIONS) – Here’s what you need to know about the NBA draft and the 2 Marquette players hoping to hear their names announced Wednesdaynight or Thursday in the NBA draft.
Former Marquette University men’s basketball players Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro are hoping to hear their respective names called this week at the 2024 National Basketball Association Draft.
The draft will be conducted on Wednesday, June 26 (first round) at 7 p.m. CT and Thursday, June 27 (second round) at 3 p.m. CT.
11 Tyler Kolek
A two-time Consensus Second Team All-America selection and BIG EAST Player of the Year as a junior, Kolek concluded his career second all-time at Marquette in assists (697) and led the nation in assists per game (7.7) in 2023-24.
Kolek 2023-24 Season Notes (Sr.): Scored game-high 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting in win at No.23 Illinois (Nov. 14) and also chipped in six rebounds, four assists and two steals… Reached 1,000 career collegiate points with 3-pointer against Southern (Nov. 28) and now has 1,393 points (1,155 at MU) and is the fourth player (Tony Miller, Dominic James, Travis Diener) in MU history with over 1,000 points and 600 assists… Scored 28 points versus Texas (Dec. 6)… Scored career-high 32 points at Villanova (Jan. 30), finishing 10-of-20 from the floor and 5-of-8 from distance…Also chipped in nine assists, six rebounds and three steals in 39 minutes and is first BIG EAST player to reach those numbers since Notre Dame’s Chris Quinn in 2005-06… Scored 27 points for a second-straight game in win at Butler (Feb. 13) and also added seven rebounds and five assists… Second all-time at Marquette with 697 assists and set program’s single-game record with 18 assists against DePaul (Feb. 21)… Fourth player in last 25 years of BIG EAST play with at least 25 points, five assists and five rebounds in at least four games (Shamorie Ponds, Bryce Cotton, Kemba Walker)…Led the nation in assists-per-game (7.7) this season…Had nine double-doubles this season and 13 for his career (four in 2022-23)… Posted three-straight double-doubles in NCAA games against WKU (Mar. 22), Colorado (Mar. 24), and NC State (Mar. 29)…One of four left-handed players on the roster (Norman, Kam Jones, Ross).
13 Oso Ighodaro
Ighodaro earned Second Team All-BIG EAST Conference accolades his final two seasons and was named the BIG EAST Scholar-Athletes of the Year and Academic All-America Second Team last year.
ighodaro 2023-24 Season Notes (Sr.): Named to Allstate Maui All-Tournament team after averaging 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game… Grabbed season-high 16 rebounds, in win over Creighton (12/30/23)… Scored 22 points at Seton Hall (1/6/24)… Shot 9-of-11 from the floor en route to 18 points and also added seven boards and five assists vs. Villanova (1/15/24)… Flirted with triple-double at DePaul (1/24/24), finishing with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists… Named to BIG EAST Honor Roll (1/29/24)… Collected eighth-career double double with 10 points and 10 rebounds at Georgetown (2/3/24)… Fourth double-double (ninth career) came with 17-point, 10-board effort at Butler (2/13/24)… Became 53rd player in MU history with 1,000 points (1,078) against UConn (3/2/24) on Senior Night… Scored career-high 24 points in regular-season finale against Xavier (3/9/24)… All-BIG EAST Second Team selection for the second-straight season.
Fourth-year head coach Shaka Smart has had five players selected in the first round, including a pair of lottery picks (Jaxon Hayes and Mohamed Bamba, Texas), and eight former players total compete in the NBA.
Marquette NBA Draft Facts
All-Time Selections: 58
First MU Selection: Gene Berce (1948 – New York)
Most Recent MU Selection: Olivier-Maxence Prosper (2023, Round 1, Pick 24 – Sacramento) – traded to Dallas
Highest MU Selection: Dwyane Wade (2003 – 5th overall pick, Miami)
Last Time Two MU Players Selected In Same Draft: 2012 (Jae Crowder, Cleveland – Darius Johnson-Odom, Dallas) and 1983 (Doc Rivers, Atlanta – Terrell Schlundt, Dallas)
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