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C Aaron Bradshaw (Official Thread)

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ScriptOhio

ScriptOhio

Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
247sports.com

Aaron Bradshaw, Kentucky Wildcats, Center (BK)

Aaron Bradshaw is a 7-0, 207-pound Center from Roselle, NJ.
247sports.com 247sports.com

amt-99545bdef7daa6d31fc56e943a64b29bb461d1bf-459d4b53-2023aaron_bradshaw_03er-1-scaled.jpg

Aaron Bradshaw​

Aaron Bradshaw was viewed as the top center prospect in the national class of 2023. He was 7-feet plus, mobile, and athletic with good hands, a soft touch that extended out to the three-point line, and shot-blocking ability. Production didn’t always live up to his potential though, with his motor and physicality both being clear works-in-progress during his high school years.

It was more of the same this year at Kentucky, especially after his transition to the college game was impeded by an injury that cost him the first few weeks of the season. While he made an immediate impact upon returning in early December, he saw his role diminish as the season went on. He finished the season averaging just 4.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 13.8 minutes per night.

While there is unfortunately now a pattern of underachieving, what is debatable is how much of that is contextual, after playing on teams built around DJ Wagner throughout high school. What remains undeniable is that Bradshaw’s ceiling remains high if he ever fully commits himself to maximizing his potential. There just aren’t many seven-footers who can space the floor vertically and with their shooting while simultaneously being able to protect the rim and move their feet laterally.

 
Bradshaw certainly has a lot of promise. He has a base to build off of in terms of 3-point shooting, which is unique for a freshman 7-footer. He has great athleticism and length. 5.8 fouls committed per 40 minutes last season, that's one area he will need to adjust. Fix that, add some strength and keep working on that jumpshot, and he could be excellent.
 
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WHAT BRADSHAW BRINGS TO THE BUCKEYES​

Diebler’s made the vision for his Ohio State outfit clear: he wants to run the floor, play aggressively and roll depth to keep players fresh. Bradshaw’s skill set at center is a fantastic fit for that mentality.

Bradshaw runs the floor about as well as possible for a player possessing 85 inches of height, with the hops to be a threat on the receiving end of alley-oops and as a shot blocker on the defensive side of things.

His athletic traits give him a ceiling skyscrapers are jealous of, but refinement of his post game will be necessary to unlock his full potential as a scorer. A touch of weight could help him deal with the physicality of Big Ten centers, but it will be a delicate balance to maintain the athleticism that makes him such a promising player.

What makes Bradshaw’s addition all the more impressive is that it’s unclear exactly what his role will be. Starting center Felix Okpara is returning for his junior season with the Buckeyes in 2024-25, taking a big step in his sophomore campaign with 6.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game, the latter number second-most in the Big Ten.

Bradshaw has the versatility to play the power forward position if the Buckeyes want to play a large lineup, but the more likely option is Bradshaw being the top big off the bench. Diebler has shown he’s willing to give his depth pieces plenty of minutes to maintain a high pace, and Bradshaw and Okpara could make one of the best one-two punches at center in the conference if not the country.

Devin Royal is the more likely candidate to pencil into the starting power forward spot for the Buckeyes at this stage. Austin Parks provides further depth at center to round out the roster in the frontcourt.
 
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scarletandgame.com

Which of the new transfers will impact the Ohio State basketball team the most?

The Ohio State basketball team added several new transfers this offseason. Which of them will make the biggest impact?
scarletandgame.com scarletandgame.com

Which of the new transfers will impact the Ohio State basketball team the most?​

The Ohio State basketball team added several new transfers this offseason. Which of them will make the biggest impact?

The Ohio State basketball team added a bunch of new transfers this offseason. In fact, the roster turnover is quite high for the Buckeyes. That is something that is the new normal for college basketball. The transfer portal has completely changed how teams construct their rosters.

Jake Diebler had to learn this in his first offseason as a full-time head coach. He had to navigate losing three-fifths of his starting lineup. In order to do that, he went into the portal and got the best guys he could to replace them. He even was able to bring back Meechie Johnson after two years away.

In all, Diebler brought in four transfers to help with the team next season. So which of them is going to make the biggest impact on the Ohio State basketball team? All four guys should bring a value to the team immediately and should make this team ready to make the NCAA Tournament.

I think Aaron Bradshaw is going to be the guy who impacts the team the most. When the Buckeyes landed him, he initially was going to be the backup center. Now, he's the starter. He's a former five-star recruit, so he has a lot of talent. Now, he's going to get a chance to show it.

Bradshaw didn't play very much as a freshman last season. He only played 13.8 minutes a game. He's going to go from that to probably playing over 30 minutes a game. The Buckeyes think he can be a really solid defensive player with his size and his wingspan. They're hoping he can be a post presence too.
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Question to those who know on our bball team than me - Was Bradshaw brought in to supplement or replace Okpara? From an outsider, it seems like Bradshaw was going to pair up with Felix and then boom, transfer. Maybe none of us know that, but just curious.
 
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ScriptOhio said:
he initially was going to be the backup center.
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I disagree with this assertion. Despite being 7' Bradshaw is much more of a stretch 4. Center in the traditional sense isn't really a position on most teams now. It's guards, wings and forwards and has been for quite some time with some notable exceptions. I expect that he'll defend in the paint but may be more of a face the basket offensive player with his shooting ability than a back to the basket traditional center.

I also think he's more talented and skilled than Okpara and Felix saw the writing on the wall.
 
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RB07OSU said:
Question to those who know on our bball team than me - Was Bradshaw brought in to supplement or replace Okpara? From an outsider, it seems like Bradshaw was going to pair up with Felix and then boom, transfer. Maybe none of us know that, but just curious.
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I think he was brought in to team with him, not replace him. Zed Key had went through Senior Day, and went in the transfer portal April 5th, so I'm sure Diebler had an expectation that Key would not be back, hence the recruitment of Bradshaw. Bradshaw committed to OSU exactly 10 days after Key entered the portal. Bradshaw has some skills to play the 4, he has 3-point shooting ability and is as an excellent athlete, so I believed there would have been some matchups where he could have played together alongside Okpara, but of course they would also have shared the 5 spot minutes.
 
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Bill Lucas said:
I disagree with this assertion. Despite being 7' Bradshaw is much more of a stretch 4. Center in the traditional sense isn't really a position on most teams now. It's guards, wings and forwards and has been for quite some time with some notable exceptions. I expect that he'll defend in the paint but may be more of a face the basket offensive player with his shooting ability than a back to the basket traditional center.

I also think he's more talented and skilled than Okpara and Felix saw the writing on the wall.
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Bradshaw is not the guy you want alone manning the 5 position, as I agree with the notion that he sees himself as more of a facing the basket type of player, and a guy who comes down from the weak side to block shots. His lack of bulk is a concern when considering facing the heavyweights of college basketball. I would certainly give the last scholarship they have to a 250# type of big man who can hold his own in the post defensively, as that area is a real question-mark for the upcoming team right now IMO.
 
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DZ83CK said:
I think he was brought in to team with him, not replace him. Zed Key had went through Senior Day, and went in the transfer portal April 5th, so I'm sure Diebler had an expectation that Key would not be back, hence the recruitment of Bradshaw. Bradshaw committed to OSU exactly 10 days after Key entered the portal. Bradshaw has some skills to play the 4, he has 3-point shooting ability and is as an excellent athlete, so I believed there would have been some matchups where he could have played together alongside Okpara, but of course they would also have shared the 5 spot minutes.
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That was what I figured, I don't think we wanted Felix to leave with the different skill sets. I wanted to see Felix develop some more offense and awareness of the game, but he was a great shot blocker. In any event, thanks for the input and happy to have Bradshaw here.
 
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