We’re going team-by-team across Big Ten men’s basketball to assess where everyone stands and how things could shake out in 2026-27.
Next up is Ohio State, which showed some real progress last season in Jake Diebler’s second full year at the helm. The Buckeyes closed the year well, winning five of their last eight in the regular season including victories over No. 24 Wisconsin and No. 8 Purdue. They defeated eventual Elite Eight team Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament and pushed eventual national champion Michigan hard, but ultimately fell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. OSU underwent some roster turnover in the offseason, and now looks like a potential Big Ten contender.
WHO’S GONE:
- Bruce Thornton (19.9 PPG) (exhausted his eligibility)
- Devin Royal (13.7 PPG) (transfer — Villanova)
- Christoph Tilly (11 PPG) (exhausted his eligibility)
- Brandon Noel (6.6 PPG) (exhausted his eligibility)
- Taison Chatman (4.3 PPG) (transfer — Utah)
- Puff Johnson (2.3 PPG) (exhausted his eligibility)
- Gabe Cupps (1.7 PPG) (transfer — Illinois-Chicago)
- Colin White (0.9 PPG) (transfer — Akron)
- Mathieu Grujicic (transfer — uncommitted)
WHO’S BACK:
- John Mobley Jr., G, Jr. (15.7 PPG)
- Amare Bynum, F, So. (9.7 PPG)
- Ivan Njegovan, C, Jr. (2.6 PPG)
- Myles Herro, G, R-Fr.
- Josh Ojianwuna, F, R-Sr.
WHO’S NEW:
Transfer portal
- Jimmie Williams, G, Sr. (15.1 PPG at Duquesne)
- Justin Pippen, G, Jr. (14.2 PPG at California)
- Curtis Givens III, G, Jr. (9.4 PPG at Memphis)
- Andrija Jelavic, F, Jr. (5.5 PPG at Kentucky)
Freshmen (Rankings from 247Sports)
- Anthony Thompson, F (five-star, No. 7)
- LJ Smith (four-star, reclassifying from 2027)
- Alex Smith, F (three-star, No. 159)
- Vuk Lazarevic, F (international, unranked)
RETURNING MINUTES: 33.5 percent (per barttorvik.com) (13th in the Big Ten)
Why it will work
Mobley is one of the better returnees in the Big Ten, though he no longer has Thornton to draw attention away from him. Still, after shooting over 41 percent from 3-point range last season, there’s little doubt he’ll be an impact player for OSU. Bynum turned in a really encouraging freshman campaign and it’s easy to see him building on that and becoming an even bigger force inside. Williams, Pippen, and Givens look like solid transfer portal additions to the lineup and/or rotation.
But really, much of Ohio State’s potential comes down to Thompson, the highest-rated freshman entering the conference. It’s never a sure thing for a freshman to come in and immediately be a difference-maker, but whether or not its fair, Thompson will carry those sorts of expectations. He’s athletic and long, a good shooter and ball-handler, and excels defensively. If he lives up to the hype, Ohio State could be really good in 2026-27.
Why it won’t
It’s no small task replacing a program’s all-time leading scorer. As much potential as the Buckeyes have, there’s always a chance that Thornton’s departure leaves a void too big for them to fill.
But mainly, there are some depth concerns with Diebler’s squad. A starting lineup of Mobley, Pippen, Williams, Thompson, and Bynum would be one of the strongest in the Big Ten, but there isn’t a ton behind them. Givens is a nice backcourt option as either a sixth man or a starter, but beyond that, Ohio State will need other guys to develop and take steps forward. That could happen, but it isn’t a given.
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