Connor Lemons
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New Albany’s Braylen Nash settling in as ‘one of the guys’ for Ohio State men’s basketball
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy of @OhioStateHoops on X
Nash passed up on multiple D-I and D-II athletic opportunities to walk on at Ohio State.
There were always going to be opportunities available for Braylen Nash to compete at a high level in college once he finished high school. The question was just where, and in what sport?
Nash, a 2024 graduate of New Albany High School, averaged 17 points and three rebounds per game as a senior, leading the Eagles to their first league title in eight years. Nash was named first-team all-league, was named the player of the year in the Ohio Division of the Ohio Capital Conference, and became just the second player in his school’s history to score 1,000 career points. Nash also starred on the football field for New Albany, playing wide receiver and quarterback.
Opportunities presented themselves to Nash his senior year — he could play basketball for a D-II or D-III school. Division-I football became an option, potentially. If he wanted to stick with basketball, he could try walking on at a larger university, knowing that his role would look drastically different than what he was accustomed to.
“I could’ve played football at Cornell, or maybe even Air Force” Nash said on Tuesday during Ohio State’s media day. “Between football and basketball there were a few different opportunities.”
But Nash, who grew up an Ohio State fan, was exposed to Buckeye basketball at a young age by a close family friend who happened to be on staff at the time — former Ohio State assistant and current Ohio University head coach Jeff Boals.
Boals’ son Chase, who walked on to the OU men’s basketball team this fall, ironically enough — is one of Nash’s best friends. Through that connection, Nash was able to attend Ohio State games, see behind the scenes, and experience Ohio State basketball in a way very few kids get to. He was hooked.
“I was always in here, in the practice gym, going to all the Ohio State games with Chase. That’s a big reason why I fell in love with Ohio State basketball,” Nash said.
So, when the opportunity presented itself in the spring to wear an Ohio State jersey and make an impact on the program he’s held in high regard for so long, he jumped at it. Nash left other opportunities on the table — ones that would’ve seen him get on the court or field more often, no doubt — to don the scarlet and gray. To him, contributing to the program he’s loved for so long meant so much more.
“It was always my dream to play high level basketball, be a part of a team, and have some sort of impact at this level. Growing up, I was always watching Ohio State basketball and being around it just made me always have that goal to want to reach it some day. So when I knew I had the opportunity to maybe walk on somewhere and Ohio State was an option, I just went and took it.”
Nash credits his high school coach at New Albany, Tim Casey, and Jeff Boals for helping connect with Jake Diebler and the Ohio State program in the spring, to make his dream a reality. Of all the options available to him, playing for Ohio State felt like the best move.
“Coach Boals, Coach Casey and Coach W were a big reason why I was able to get here,” Nash said. “We just went over my best options, and I think this was best in my head, and I don’t regret it at all.”
Now a member of Jake Diebler’s first team at Ohio State, Nash is settling in as “just another one of the guys” on a team that features former five-star recruits, all-league players in the SEC and Big Ten, multiple Mr. Basketball award winners, and a Gatorade Player of the Year. Nash credits the coaching staff with creating an atmosphere where everyone is on the same level, as well as players like Bruce Thornton for making it clear that the everyone on the team is held to the exact same standards, regardless of their scholarship situation.
“Right away when I came here, he (Bruce) told me he doesn’t care if I’m a walk-on. He’s going to treat me like I’m a scholarship player, hold me to the same standards, and he hangs out with me just like I’m any normal dude (on the team). I think that’s really translated down, nobody really looks down upon or treats me any different than a normal player. That was one of the major things I wanted coming here as a walk-on, I didn’t want to be treated any different. And I think that also goes on the coaching staff, they treat me just as any other player on the team.”
Nash will see plenty of scout team duties at practice this season, but at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, he’ll be tasked with guarding Thornton and other guards at practice, preparing them for Big Ten foes, and helping them grow as players as they help him improve, too.
If there’s one thing that’s become abundantly clear from watching a Jake Diebler practice, it’s that everyone has a job to do at all times. Braylen Nash seems completely confident in the decision he’s made to come to Ohio State, and excited to do whatever he can to make an impact for the program he’s always loved.
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy of @OhioStateHoops on X
Nash passed up on multiple D-I and D-II athletic opportunities to walk on at Ohio State.
There were always going to be opportunities available for Braylen Nash to compete at a high level in college once he finished high school. The question was just where, and in what sport?
Nash, a 2024 graduate of New Albany High School, averaged 17 points and three rebounds per game as a senior, leading the Eagles to their first league title in eight years. Nash was named first-team all-league, was named the player of the year in the Ohio Division of the Ohio Capital Conference, and became just the second player in his school’s history to score 1,000 career points. Nash also starred on the football field for New Albany, playing wide receiver and quarterback.
Opportunities presented themselves to Nash his senior year — he could play basketball for a D-II or D-III school. Division-I football became an option, potentially. If he wanted to stick with basketball, he could try walking on at a larger university, knowing that his role would look drastically different than what he was accustomed to.
“I could’ve played football at Cornell, or maybe even Air Force” Nash said on Tuesday during Ohio State’s media day. “Between football and basketball there were a few different opportunities.”
But Nash, who grew up an Ohio State fan, was exposed to Buckeye basketball at a young age by a close family friend who happened to be on staff at the time — former Ohio State assistant and current Ohio University head coach Jeff Boals.
Boals’ son Chase, who walked on to the OU men’s basketball team this fall, ironically enough — is one of Nash’s best friends. Through that connection, Nash was able to attend Ohio State games, see behind the scenes, and experience Ohio State basketball in a way very few kids get to. He was hooked.
“I was always in here, in the practice gym, going to all the Ohio State games with Chase. That’s a big reason why I fell in love with Ohio State basketball,” Nash said.
So, when the opportunity presented itself in the spring to wear an Ohio State jersey and make an impact on the program he’s held in high regard for so long, he jumped at it. Nash left other opportunities on the table — ones that would’ve seen him get on the court or field more often, no doubt — to don the scarlet and gray. To him, contributing to the program he’s loved for so long meant so much more.
“It was always my dream to play high level basketball, be a part of a team, and have some sort of impact at this level. Growing up, I was always watching Ohio State basketball and being around it just made me always have that goal to want to reach it some day. So when I knew I had the opportunity to maybe walk on somewhere and Ohio State was an option, I just went and took it.”
Nash credits his high school coach at New Albany, Tim Casey, and Jeff Boals for helping connect with Jake Diebler and the Ohio State program in the spring, to make his dream a reality. Of all the options available to him, playing for Ohio State felt like the best move.
“Coach Boals, Coach Casey and Coach W were a big reason why I was able to get here,” Nash said. “We just went over my best options, and I think this was best in my head, and I don’t regret it at all.”
Now a member of Jake Diebler’s first team at Ohio State, Nash is settling in as “just another one of the guys” on a team that features former five-star recruits, all-league players in the SEC and Big Ten, multiple Mr. Basketball award winners, and a Gatorade Player of the Year. Nash credits the coaching staff with creating an atmosphere where everyone is on the same level, as well as players like Bruce Thornton for making it clear that the everyone on the team is held to the exact same standards, regardless of their scholarship situation.
“Right away when I came here, he (Bruce) told me he doesn’t care if I’m a walk-on. He’s going to treat me like I’m a scholarship player, hold me to the same standards, and he hangs out with me just like I’m any normal dude (on the team). I think that’s really translated down, nobody really looks down upon or treats me any different than a normal player. That was one of the major things I wanted coming here as a walk-on, I didn’t want to be treated any different. And I think that also goes on the coaching staff, they treat me just as any other player on the team.”
Nash will see plenty of scout team duties at practice this season, but at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, he’ll be tasked with guarding Thornton and other guards at practice, preparing them for Big Ten foes, and helping them grow as players as they help him improve, too.
If there’s one thing that’s become abundantly clear from watching a Jake Diebler practice, it’s that everyone has a job to do at all times. Braylen Nash seems completely confident in the decision he’s made to come to Ohio State, and excited to do whatever he can to make an impact for the program he’s always loved.
Continue reading...