Jake Diebler retained a good chunk of last year’s team, but he needs those players to continue to improve.
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You’re Nuts: Which Buckeye men’s basketball player will take the biggest jump next season?
Jake Diebler retained a good chunk of last year’s team, but he needs those players to continue to improve.
Connor: Taison Chatman
As good as Devin Royal has been, he actually wasn’t the highest-rated recruit in Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class. That honor goes to Chatman, who was No. 39 in the 247Sports composite rankings in that class.
He only played in 17 games two years ago as a freshman, but what I remember being impressed by in his limited minutes is that fact that he never looked rushed. He settled way too often, taking 15 of his 18 shots that year from three-point range, but I the shots usually came in a rhythm and Chatman took them confidently. He was 6-of-18 shooting over 17 games during the 2023-2024 season, and was 4-for-15 from three-point range.
Like it or not, Chatman is going to play a crucial role on this year’s team. Thornton and Mobley will start, but right now it is looking like Chatman and Gabe Cupps could be the other guards in the rotation, as well as incoming freshman Dorian Jones.
Justin: John Mobley Jr.
As big of a jump Devin Royal took from his freshman to sophomore season, I expect the same from John Mobley Jr.
This is not necessarily true regarding statistics, since Royal had a much smaller role in his freshman season than Mobley did, so it was easier for all of his stats to go up. I expect him to take a large leap in college basketball acumen and maturity.
A large part of playing college basketball is learning how to play college basketball, and the offseason from freshman to sophomore season is a pivotal time for that development. As a freshman, you are still dealing with the transition to college life, and now as a sophomore, you can focus more on the actual basketball since you have adjusted.
Mobley was put into a tough spot last season as a true freshman, as he was thrust into a starting role and one of the top minutes played for the Buckeyes after Meechie Johnson left the team. He went through some growing pains, but ultimately played very well for a freshman, even briefly popping up on NBA Draft boards.
Now, he will head into his second season with all that experience.
