An inside player who guarantees efficiency as a finisher and smart shot selection. He excels in scoring around the basket, utilizing his speed and footwork to create high-percentage opportunities.
BORN: 15/09/2001
LAST TEAM: UMBC Retrievers (NCAA)
HEIGHT: 6-6 / 198 cm
WEIGHT: 215 / 98 kg
PRO
- Solid finisher
- Defensive versatility
- Rebounder – energy player
WEAKNESSES
- Shooting range
- Undersized
- Foul management
VIDEO
ACTUAL
POTENTIAL
INTRODUCTION
Josh Odunowo is a power forward who began his collegiate basketball career at Columbia University. Throughout his journey, he consistently became a key player, being part of the starting five and leading the Ivy League with a 61.1% field goal percentage in the 2023–24 season. In his graduate transfer season to the Retrievers, Odunowo proved to be a key contributor, becoming the best rebounder, blocker, and stealer, as well as the third top scorer and assistman, showcasing his efficiency and versatility on the court. His performance earned him recognition as one of the top newcomers in the America East Conference.
PHYSICAL
Josh Odunowo possesses a sturdy and athletic frame suitable for the forward position. His strength and physicality allow him to compete effectively in the post and secure rebounds against taller opponents. While not an elite leaper, he demonstrates good mobility and balance, enabling him to navigate through traffic and finish plays around the rim. He runs the floor well and brings a lot of energy on both ends, but there are concerns about his conditioning over extended minutes. His playing time is often limited by foul trouble, which makes it harder to evaluate whether he can sustain his effort consistently over longer stretches.
OFFENSIVE PHASE
Josh Odunowo is an inside player who guarantees efficiency as a finisher and smart shot selection. He excels in scoring around the basket, utilizing his speed and footwork to create high-percentage opportunities (56.6% on 5.5 attempts during his NCAA career). He moves without the ball, both with cuts and as a roller, but it is from the post that he finds most of his baskets, particularly from the left side attacking toward the center of the paint. However, this is a scenario that helps defenses read him, and he needs to expand his repertoire of options to better manage possessions (1.7 turnovers per game). While he can attack his defender off the dribble in one-on-one situations, his shooting range is limited, as he has never scored beyond the three-point line (0/10 on the season), and even his mid-range shooting has room for improvement, as shown by his free throw percentage (57.7% on 4.1 attempts). Additionally, he has shown improvement in his reading, averaging 2.1 assists per game over the last two seasons, indicating a growing ability to facilitate and make plays for teammates.
DEFENSIVE PHASE
Josh Odunowo leverages his physicality and awareness to guard multiple positions effectively. On the perimeter, he can switch, and his lateral quickness allows him to stay in front of quicker players. He is reactive, and his anticipation leads to 1.1 steals per game, but he needs to be more disciplined to avoid opening easy paths to the basket. He contributes on the boards with 5.2 rebounds per game and provides rim protection (0.8 per match). While he may face challenges against taller, more athletic forwards, his effort and understanding of defensive schemes make him a reliable team defender. However, his energy and ability to attack opponents can lead him to struggle with foul management (2.5 on average in 22 minutes during his college career). This also limits his ability to stay on the floor for longer stretches.
IMPROVED AREAS
Josh Odunowo needs to expand his offensive skillset, particularly by developing a more reliable mid-range shot. Diversifying his post game would also prevent defenses from keying in on his preferred moves. On the defensive end, improving his discipline and foul management is crucial, as he often finds himself in early foul trouble that limits his availability. His profile projects him as a valuable rotation player off the bench, capable of giving short bursts of high-impact. For his rookie year, he can provide impact in a mid-low level league with the potential for development in a couple of seasons.