Ohio State men’s basketball player preview: Aaron Bradshaw
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Bradshaw comes to Columbus as a former five-star and top center in the 2023 recruiting class after spending one year at Kentucky
Even though it is still October and fans are locked into college football, the fall also means that college basketball is right around the corner.
From now until the start of the hoops season in early November, we will be doing player previews and team previews for all the players on the men’s basketball team and the new-look Big Ten Conference.
The Aaron Bradshaw File
Name: Aaron Bradshaw
Position: Center
Class: Sophomore
High School/Previous School: Camden High School / Kentucky
Hometown: Rahway, N.J.
Weight: 215 pounds
Height: 7-foot-1
Breakdown
Bradshaw was one of the top recruits in the entire 2023 recruiting class and was the No. 1 center. He originally committed to Kentucky and completed his freshman season there, but after John Calipari decided to move to Arkansas, Bradshaw entered the transfer portal, where he committed to play for Jake Diebler and
Ohio State.
He showed flashes of that five-star potential in his freshman season, winning SEC Freshman of the Week on Jan. 8, 2024. He played in 26 games and made 10 starts. He averaged 4.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game with the Wildcats, but he was always a bit behind after missing the first month of the season while recovering from a foot injury.
He had seven double-figure scoring efforts, including a season-high 17 points in only his second collegiate game vs. Penn on Dec. 9.
After recovering from his injury, he made his first collegiate start and scored 12 points in the CBS Sports Classic win over No. 9 North Carolina on Dec. 16. He also made the game-sealing free throws in the final minute.
As mentioned, Bradshaw was a five-star recruit who was ranked as high as No. 2 in the 2023 class by Rivals and 247Sports, and was a McDonald’s All-American. He was named to the NJ.com First-Team All-State and averaged 12.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game as a senior at Camden High School.
Expected Role
Bradshaw is the most interesting player on this 2024-25 team. If he is able to match his potential, he will be one of the most talented big men to come through Columbus in two decades. However, he struggled with plenty of things at Kentucky in his first year, including defense and staying out of foul trouble. He can only reach his potential if he is on the floor.
It is also important to include that he missed the first month of games and a lot of off-season training time due to an injury. That first month is crucial for a freshman’s development, and it is hard to throw young guys into the fire for conference play, especially in the SEC.
Adam Finkelstein, the Director of Scouting for 247Sports, said in April that, “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.”
He added, “Production didn’t always live up to his potential, though. His motor and physicality were both clear works-in-progress during his high school years.”
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