Video: Evan Mahaffey, Jake Diebler and Aaron Bradshaw of Ohio State
Ohio State’s Evan Mahaffey, Jake Diebler and Aaron Bradshaw speak with reporters on July 9, 2024.
Less than three weeks after the release of the last official roster additions, the complete 2024-25 Ohio State men’s basketball roster is finally in one place.
In an offseason of unprecedented turnover, new coach Jake Diebler has overseen the revamping of a roster of 16 total players, six of whom saw action last season as scholarship players, and the rest are a mix of transfers, walk-ons and newcomers, one of whom is the program’s first international player in 12 years.
It wasn’t until July 30 that the final pieces were officially announced. Now, with veteran transfer guard Ques Glover and Croatian big man Ivan Njegovan on the team, the Buckeyes held their first full-team meeting Monday as Ohio State begins fall classes this week. Widely rated as one of the top 25 teams in the preseason, the Buckeyes will begin fall workouts preparing for the official start of practice on Sept. 23 and the season opener against Texas in Las Vegas.
What happens between now and then will lay the foundation for what the Buckeyes can become under Diebler. While Ohio State still has a lot to sort out in terms of making connections within its roster, one question is facing all 13 healthy players who will be treated as scholarship players this season. Sophomore Taison Chatman will miss the season with a knee injury, while walk-ons Colby Baumann and Braylen Nash will provide additional depth in practice.
The players are listed in alphabetical order.
Can Aaron Bradshaw leave the field?
There is arguably no player who exudes more intrigue than Bradshaw, a lively 7-foot-10 center who is as tall and athletic as he is thin. While his physical ability to play in the post against Big Ten centers is a concern, the Kentucky transfer’s biggest challenge may be how well he can shoot from the three-point line. He hit 4 of 14 threes at Kentucky and will be expected to stretch the field for Ohio State. That will open up opportunities for several other low-post threats on the team, but failure to do so will likely result in clogged lanes and fewer open shots.
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Is there a role for Kalen Etzler?
While Ohio State lost five players to the transfer portal, rarely used forward Etzler opted to stay and fulfill his promise to the program as a member of the 2021 recruiting class. After a redshirt year, Etzler has totaled 44 minutes of playing time in 16 appearances over the past two seasons. He scored 7 points in 2022-23 and logged just 14 minutes of playing time without a goal last season. It seems unlikely at best that he will move up to the regular rotation, but he can make an impact if he increases the daily level of competition in practice.
How much can Ques Glover handle?
The market for roster additions thins dramatically in the summer and the transfer portal is largely devoid of talent. When Ohio State lost Chatman, the coaching staff quickly pivoted and found an experienced replacement in Glover. He has played a total of 99 games in four years at Florida and Samford, but most recently transferred from BYU to Kansas State before suffering a season-ending injury that cost him 2023-24. Ohio State’s backcourt is led by Meechie Johnson and Thornton, but Glover will be tasked with providing additional depth. He has played three games against top-50 KenPom teams since the start of the 2021-22 season. How much can he offer the Buckeyes?
Will Ohio State get the best year out of Meechie Johnson Jr.?
Johnson began his career with the Buckeyes, playing two years at Ohio State before transferring to South Carolina. He flourished in the SEC and became a second-team all-conference player, averaging 14.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 2023-24. Now he’s back in his home state, taking on a major role at his former program in his final year of college basketball. Johnson isn’t afraid to shoot and is more than ready to make big shots. Can he take all of that to the fullest at Ohio State and settle in alongside Bruce Thornton to give the Buckeyes a dangerous, experienced backcourt?
Can Evan Mahaffey develop into a permanent offensive force?
After transferring from Penn State, Mahaffey took on a major role with the Buckeyes, tied for the team leader in starting games with 35. Despite spending the season caring for his father’s successful heart transplant, he showed the defensive versatility and natural athleticism that led some former coaches to call him a potential NBA talent. To get there and keep his starting spot this year, he’ll need to translate his offensive potential into production. Last year, he played the fifth-most minutes, scored the ninth-most points and hit just 2 of 17 threes. Mahaffey scored 18 points in 11 games with Diebler as coach.
What is the limit for John “June” Mobley Jr.?
After Jamison Battles’ prolific shooting last season, the standard shooter role on this year’s team is up for grabs. One potential candidate for the Buckeyes’ shooting position is the freshman with roots in Central Ohio, who was named the top “sharpshooter” of his 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports. Mobley has range and talent, and Chatman’s injury will likely open up an opportunity for Mobley to play a few more minutes in each game. How well will his shooting ability translate to the high-major level?
Who is Ivan Njegovan?
This is the least known part of Ohio State’s 2024-25 roster. Njegovan is the first foreign player to sign with the Buckeyes in 12 years and hails from Croatia, where he has played against older players on a regular basis. Diebler describes the 6-foot-1, 250-pound man as talented, but it’s hard to say yet what Ohio State might have in Njegovan. How will he adjust to college basketball in another country, what will his skill level look like and what kind of role can he fill? At this point, it’s all a mystery.
How ready is Austin Parks?
With Felix Okpara and Zed Key almost exclusively manning the center position last season, Parks played the second-fewest minutes among scholarship players, finishing the year with 3 points and 5 rebounds despite appearing in just nine games. The development Parks made during his freshman season happened almost entirely behind closed doors of practice. Now that Okpara and Key are both transferring, Parks has a real opportunity to take on a rotation role behind Bradshaw. Sources within the program have positive things to say about Parks’ development, but until he starts playing, it’s hard to say what he can do.
What’s in Micah Parrish’s offensive bag?
During his stints at Oakland and San Diego State, Parrish has built a reputation as a fierce, tenacious competitor who does the little things to help his team win. He’s primarily taken on a strong defensive role and emerged as a secondary player on offense, particularly in his last two seasons with the Aztecs, where he finished sixth in scoring in 2022-23 and fourth in 2023-24. He will still be expected to set the pace and provide leadership on defense, but the Buckeyes are banking on a more pronounced offensive output from the fifth-year player. After hitting a career-low 29.2% from beyond the arc last year, is a comeback in the cards?
Is Devin Royal’s 3-point shot ready?
As a freshman, Royal was used sporadically until Diebler replaced Chris Holtmann. With consistent playing time, Royal blossomed late, averaging 7.6 points per game over the final 11 games after scoring 3.2 points over the first 22. He proved to be a smart, physical player with the ability to finish at and near the basket, but a three-point shot eluded him. Royal hit just 3-of-20 (15.0%) three-pointers as a freshman, and any ability to continue to stretch the floor this year will help him earn even more playing time. Royal feels poised for a breakout year.
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Will Sean Stewart’s productivity increase with more minutes?
Despite not getting much playing time during his season at Duke, the transfer forward led the Blue Devils in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentages, according to KenPom.com. While he was ninth on the team in average minutes played (8.4), Stewart was fifth in rebounding average (3.2). Those numbers, along with his physicality and skill level, pave the way for him to have a potentially standout season as a starter in Diebler’s system. Of note: Stewart missed part of the summer due to injury, which may set him back a bit when the fall begins.
Can Bruce Thornton improve his 3-point shot?
Efficiency will be the key word for Thornton. In his two seasons at Ohio State, Thornton hit 35.0% of his three-pointers, and as a freshman he hit 37.5% of his 3.2 attempts per game. Last season, he averaged 5.0 shots from beyond the arc per game, but made just 33.3% of them. In the first 10 games, Thornton hit 23-of-55 (41.8%) before hitting 35-of-119 (29.4%) the rest of the game. At a youth camp in Central Ohio in July, Thornton said becoming a more efficient shooter was at the top of his list of summer goals. For a player who will already lead the team in minutes and assists as a captain, improving his long-range shooting would be a significant benefit.
Will Colin White’s work ethic get him on the pitch quickly?
White, a promising prospect from rural Ohio, came to Ohio State with an impressive prep career under his belt, but it appears he faces an uphill battle for playing time. That may still be the case, but the 2024 Mr. Ohio Basketball has made a quick impression with the Buckeyes thanks to his consistent work ethic and competitive spirit. He will face the usual hurdles all freshmen face, but will White be able to carve out a more prominent role sooner than originally expected?
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