Things largely have not gone according to plan at Ohio State in recent memory, and the Buckeyes haven’t really been a factor in the Big Ten for some time. Jake Diebler has been trying to change that momentum since taking over in February 2024 and is fresh off his first trip to the NCAA Tournament. However, the Buckeyes aren’t quite into contender status even fresh off a 21-win campaign.
Ohio State will have a different look next season with Bruce Thornton out of eligibility, shedding their leading scorer and one of the most productive guards in recent memory for the program. 7-footer Christoph Tilly is also gone after averaging double-figures last season. It’s far from a bare cupboard, as John Mobley IV is back for his junior year after averaging nearly 16 points per game last season. The frontcourt also returns both Amare Bynum, a starter as a freshman, and another 7-footer in Ivan Njegovan.
A notable freshman class will certainly help matters, highlighted by Top 10 prospect Anthony Thompson. A 6-8 small forward, Thompson should be a full-time starter from the jump, while 4-star guard LJ Smith should also get a significant role. The transfer class adds a unique blend of talent into the mix, getting Kentucky big Andrija Jelavic and a pair of mid-major guards in Jimmie Williams, a significant scorer at Duquesne, and Curtis Givens from Memphis.
The cream of the crop of that class is clearly Justin Pippen, especially after what he’s accomplished to this point in his career. The 6-3 guard from California with the familiar family name was a Top 75 prospect in 2024 who was a bench piece as a freshman at Michigan. Pippen then found his footing on the west coast at California, averaging 14.2 points and 4.6 assists per game in the Golden Bears’ backcourt.
Pippen was a major playmaker at California and certainly a considerable reason why that program won 22 games last season. He now steps into a major role running the point at Ohio State and has some great pieces around him here in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes have great size and potential in that frontcourt and really needed someone like Pippen who can dish it out and really lead this team.
The backcourt of Mobley and Pippen gives the Buckeyes a chance to make some kind of noise in the Big Ten this season as they each settle into their junior years. A lot of Ohio State’s potential rests in how that frontcourt comes together, though there’s certainly the pieces here for notable play in Columbus. Important pieces were added and that was definitely a must for Diebler and his staff this offseason.
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