Josh Dooley
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You're Nuts: What kind of player should Ohio State men’s basketball target in the transfer portal?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes have two open roster spots to fill.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Just when we thought that the Ohio State men’s basketball roster was nearly set or complete, the transfer portal snatched up yet another Buckeye. Weeks after saying that he was 100% committed to OSU, Felix Okpara announced on Sunday morning that he had experienced a change of heart and was entering the portal, joining Roddy Gayle, Scotty Middleton, Zed Key, and Bowen Hardman as part of a Scarlet and Gray exodus.
Okpara’s exit opens another roster spot for Ohio State, and leaves just one member of the team’s acclaimed 2022 recruiting class. Bruce Thornton is the last man standing, as long as he sticks around in Columbus. But at this point nothing would surprise me. NCAA basketball is essentially just AAU now, and I for one hate it. I absolutely hate it with every fiber of my being. Great job, NCAA! You’ve kneecapped college sports and created a club environment/system with no rules... Sweet.
But since we’re here, let’s address the state of Jake Diebler’s roster. The Buckeyes now have two open spots. And fortunately, there are still plenty of quality players available (in the portal). However, not all of those players are a perfect fit with/for OSU.
Diebler’s team is loaded with guards, most of whom are of the undersized combo variety. Less than ideal, but that’s fine. I’m happy to ride with Thornton, Meechie Johnson, Taison Chatman, and incoming freshman Juni Mobley. On the wing, Devin Royal, Evan Mahaffey, and Micah Parrish offer scoring, defense, and glue guy-ness, respectively. And Aaron Bradshaw is a high-ceiling big man. But other than that, there are glaring weaknesses and very specific holes in/on the roster which Ohio State must look to fill.
So what are those weaknesses, and who exactly will fill these holes? Sorry, that became awkward... But anyway, I’m glad you asked. Because Gene and I are here to answer in today’s edition of You’re Nuts.
In my opinion, the Buckeyes really need a big who can also shoot. I’m not talking Kristaps Porzingis per se, but someone who can at least competently guard opposing forwards and/or centers, grab a handful of rebounds, and then knock down a shot or two outside of the paint. These guys don’t grow on trees – and Ohio State hasn’t had this archetype since arguably Kaleb Wesson – but they do exist. Even more so now, as modern basketball has continued to evolve into more of a pace and space game.
A big who can shoot would be a best of both worlds-type deal for OSU, offering not one, but two things the team is currently missing: Size and perimeter shooting, as if my archetype description was not obvious enough.
Bradshaw is the only “contributor” over 6-foot-6 for the Buckeyes, which screams rebounding margin — and not in a good way for our beloved Scarlet and Gray. This essentially locks him (Bradshaw) in at the center position, with Austin Parks as the only backup currently available. The latter was a coveted center recruit coming out of high school but played only 20 minutes as a freshman.
If both Bradshaw and Parks were to succumb to foul trouble or injury, who would Ohio State deploy at center? Mahaffey? Good luck with that against the next Zach Edey. So yeah, size is a big need. No pun intended.
As far as shooting goes, well, OSU just doesn’t have a lot of snipers on the current roster. Jamison Battle’s departure leaves Thornton as the team’s most “efficient” outside shooter, and he connected on (just) 33.3% of his three-point attempts last season. Johnson and Parrish can knock down a few treys here and there, but both are largely inefficient from distance. Soooo, where exactly does the perimeter shooting come from? This isn’t 1984, three or four three-point makes a game isn’t going to get it done.
Fortunately, there is at least one player out there who perfectly fits the “stretch four” description. And he recently visited Ohio State! His name is Sam Walters, and he would be THE ideal addition for Diebler and Co.
Walters was a top-100 player in the 2023 recruiting class, who committed to Alabama over Florida, LSU, and several other P5 programs. He then played in 37 games for the Tide, contributing 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in a shade over 12 minutes (played) per. Not bad for a true freshman playing on/for a Final Four team. But I fear that I am burying the lead here...
Not only did Walters play a role for Bama, but he is also 6-foot-10 with a sweet shooting stroke! Which means that he is exactly what the Buckeyes are and have been missing. And we have a real sample size to evaluate, too. Because Walters attempted 99 threes, draining 39 of them. That’s legit, folks. He also connected on 82.5% of his free throws, just for good measure.
Walters’ size and shooting prowess is/would be so, so perfect for OSU. He could seamlessly fit in at the four, flanked by Bradshaw and Royal, giving the Buckeyes one of the most talented front courts in the Big Ten. And that’s before we even get to the holy basketball triumvirate of Thornton, Johnson, and Chatman. I know I’m probably going a bit overboard there, but you get my point.
Ohio State lacks size and shooting, and Sam Walters checks both boxes. So make it happen, Diebs. I need to know that the Buckeyes will not go into next season with Evan Mahaffey as a backup big and Meechie Johnson as the team’s relied-upon sniper... No offense to either. But go get Sam I Am!
Without even knowing which direction Josh would be going in today’s edition of You’re Nuts, I had written in our LGHL Slack group last night that I was very intrigued by Walters after I saw that he was on campus this past weekend. A 6-foot-10 sharpshooter is definitely appealing, especially given that Ohio State has lost five of its top six three-point shooters from this past season and has just two scholarship players remaining listed at over 6-foot-6 — not including incoming Kentucky 7-footer Aaron Bradshaw.
However, since the Buckeyes now have two spots to fill with Okpara now in the portal, for the purpose of this exercise I am going to pretend that Josh’s selection of Walters is taking one of the two spots. There is certainly no guarantee that the Alabama transfer will eventually choose Ohio State, but for my half of You're Nuts I will pretend Walters is in, filling both the need for three-point shooting as well as size.
With that in mind, it opens the door for me to go in a variety of directions to fill that one final roster spot. I really would like to go after another three-point shooter, even if Walters is in the mix, as Diebler’s group has lost virtually all of its ability to stretch the floor. This has been addressed somewhat with Micah Parrish, who shot over 35% from downtown in 2021 and 2022, but his three-point shooting took a dip down to 29.2% this past season. Respectable numbers, but definitely not the over 43% from beyond the arc of guys like Battle and Middleton.
Tucker Anderson and Kasean Pryor are two intriguing options still on the board, while Jalen Sullinger — son of JJ, nephew of Jared — is also still out there, but seemingly without much interest from Ohio State. There is also of course Trey Townsend, who at this point seems like the most likely candidate out of all remaining transfer portal players — Walters included.
Anderson, who spent his freshman campaign at Central Arkansas, averaged 14.5 points per game this past season while shooting over 38% from downtown. The 6-foot-9 forward was named the ASUN Freshman of the Year, led the Bears in scoring and has three years of eligibility remaining. Pryor, meanwhile, is coming off his junior season with South Florida after two years at Boise State. A 6-foot-9 forward, Pryor averaged 13 points and 7.9 rebounds per game and shot over 35% from three-point land.
That being said, while the prospect of adding another prolific three-point shooter is enticing, I’m going with the top overall candidate on the board in my opinion: Oakland’s Trey Townsend.
What Townsend lacks in shooting prowess, he makes up for in nearly every other aspect of his game. The 6-foot-6 forward led the Grizzlies this past season in both points and rebounding with 17.1 and 8.1, respectively. Townsend also posted team-highs in assist (3.1 per game) and steals (1.3), all good enough to earn him the Horizon League Player of the Year. Townsend was even better when the lights were brightest, posting a double-double in each of Oakland’s NCAA Tournament games, including a 30-point, 13-rebound performance in a tough loss to NC State.
While Townsend doesn’t take a ton of three-pointers, he has made over 37% of his attempts in each of the last two seasons. What has perhaps been most impressive for the Oxford, Michigan native has been his consistency. Starting nearly 130 games over four seasons at Oakland, Townsend is a career 50% shooter from the floor and is averaging 14.1 points per game. He would bring a ton of experience and leadership to an Ohio State team that will be largely comprised of underclassmen.
Following an official visit to Ohio State this past weekend, there have been reports that Townsend has canceled his planned visit to Louisville. With both Diebler and his former teammate Parrish both pushing hard to bring Townsend to Columbus, it sounds like there is a pretty good chance the talented forward ends up in scarlet and gray.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes have two open roster spots to fill.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: What kind of player should Ohio State men’s basketball target in the transfer portal?
Josh’s Take
Just when we thought that the Ohio State men’s basketball roster was nearly set or complete, the transfer portal snatched up yet another Buckeye. Weeks after saying that he was 100% committed to OSU, Felix Okpara announced on Sunday morning that he had experienced a change of heart and was entering the portal, joining Roddy Gayle, Scotty Middleton, Zed Key, and Bowen Hardman as part of a Scarlet and Gray exodus.
Okpara’s exit opens another roster spot for Ohio State, and leaves just one member of the team’s acclaimed 2022 recruiting class. Bruce Thornton is the last man standing, as long as he sticks around in Columbus. But at this point nothing would surprise me. NCAA basketball is essentially just AAU now, and I for one hate it. I absolutely hate it with every fiber of my being. Great job, NCAA! You’ve kneecapped college sports and created a club environment/system with no rules... Sweet.
But since we’re here, let’s address the state of Jake Diebler’s roster. The Buckeyes now have two open spots. And fortunately, there are still plenty of quality players available (in the portal). However, not all of those players are a perfect fit with/for OSU.
Diebler’s team is loaded with guards, most of whom are of the undersized combo variety. Less than ideal, but that’s fine. I’m happy to ride with Thornton, Meechie Johnson, Taison Chatman, and incoming freshman Juni Mobley. On the wing, Devin Royal, Evan Mahaffey, and Micah Parrish offer scoring, defense, and glue guy-ness, respectively. And Aaron Bradshaw is a high-ceiling big man. But other than that, there are glaring weaknesses and very specific holes in/on the roster which Ohio State must look to fill.
So what are those weaknesses, and who exactly will fill these holes? Sorry, that became awkward... But anyway, I’m glad you asked. Because Gene and I are here to answer in today’s edition of You’re Nuts.
In my opinion, the Buckeyes really need a big who can also shoot. I’m not talking Kristaps Porzingis per se, but someone who can at least competently guard opposing forwards and/or centers, grab a handful of rebounds, and then knock down a shot or two outside of the paint. These guys don’t grow on trees – and Ohio State hasn’t had this archetype since arguably Kaleb Wesson – but they do exist. Even more so now, as modern basketball has continued to evolve into more of a pace and space game.
A big who can shoot would be a best of both worlds-type deal for OSU, offering not one, but two things the team is currently missing: Size and perimeter shooting, as if my archetype description was not obvious enough.
Bradshaw is the only “contributor” over 6-foot-6 for the Buckeyes, which screams rebounding margin — and not in a good way for our beloved Scarlet and Gray. This essentially locks him (Bradshaw) in at the center position, with Austin Parks as the only backup currently available. The latter was a coveted center recruit coming out of high school but played only 20 minutes as a freshman.
If both Bradshaw and Parks were to succumb to foul trouble or injury, who would Ohio State deploy at center? Mahaffey? Good luck with that against the next Zach Edey. So yeah, size is a big need. No pun intended.
As far as shooting goes, well, OSU just doesn’t have a lot of snipers on the current roster. Jamison Battle’s departure leaves Thornton as the team’s most “efficient” outside shooter, and he connected on (just) 33.3% of his three-point attempts last season. Johnson and Parrish can knock down a few treys here and there, but both are largely inefficient from distance. Soooo, where exactly does the perimeter shooting come from? This isn’t 1984, three or four three-point makes a game isn’t going to get it done.
Fortunately, there is at least one player out there who perfectly fits the “stretch four” description. And he recently visited Ohio State! His name is Sam Walters, and he would be THE ideal addition for Diebler and Co.
Walters was a top-100 player in the 2023 recruiting class, who committed to Alabama over Florida, LSU, and several other P5 programs. He then played in 37 games for the Tide, contributing 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in a shade over 12 minutes (played) per. Not bad for a true freshman playing on/for a Final Four team. But I fear that I am burying the lead here...
Not only did Walters play a role for Bama, but he is also 6-foot-10 with a sweet shooting stroke! Which means that he is exactly what the Buckeyes are and have been missing. And we have a real sample size to evaluate, too. Because Walters attempted 99 threes, draining 39 of them. That’s legit, folks. He also connected on 82.5% of his free throws, just for good measure.
Walters’ size and shooting prowess is/would be so, so perfect for OSU. He could seamlessly fit in at the four, flanked by Bradshaw and Royal, giving the Buckeyes one of the most talented front courts in the Big Ten. And that’s before we even get to the holy basketball triumvirate of Thornton, Johnson, and Chatman. I know I’m probably going a bit overboard there, but you get my point.
Ohio State lacks size and shooting, and Sam Walters checks both boxes. So make it happen, Diebs. I need to know that the Buckeyes will not go into next season with Evan Mahaffey as a backup big and Meechie Johnson as the team’s relied-upon sniper... No offense to either. But go get Sam I Am!
Gene’s Take
Without even knowing which direction Josh would be going in today’s edition of You’re Nuts, I had written in our LGHL Slack group last night that I was very intrigued by Walters after I saw that he was on campus this past weekend. A 6-foot-10 sharpshooter is definitely appealing, especially given that Ohio State has lost five of its top six three-point shooters from this past season and has just two scholarship players remaining listed at over 6-foot-6 — not including incoming Kentucky 7-footer Aaron Bradshaw.
However, since the Buckeyes now have two spots to fill with Okpara now in the portal, for the purpose of this exercise I am going to pretend that Josh’s selection of Walters is taking one of the two spots. There is certainly no guarantee that the Alabama transfer will eventually choose Ohio State, but for my half of You're Nuts I will pretend Walters is in, filling both the need for three-point shooting as well as size.
With that in mind, it opens the door for me to go in a variety of directions to fill that one final roster spot. I really would like to go after another three-point shooter, even if Walters is in the mix, as Diebler’s group has lost virtually all of its ability to stretch the floor. This has been addressed somewhat with Micah Parrish, who shot over 35% from downtown in 2021 and 2022, but his three-point shooting took a dip down to 29.2% this past season. Respectable numbers, but definitely not the over 43% from beyond the arc of guys like Battle and Middleton.
Tucker Anderson and Kasean Pryor are two intriguing options still on the board, while Jalen Sullinger — son of JJ, nephew of Jared — is also still out there, but seemingly without much interest from Ohio State. There is also of course Trey Townsend, who at this point seems like the most likely candidate out of all remaining transfer portal players — Walters included.
Anderson, who spent his freshman campaign at Central Arkansas, averaged 14.5 points per game this past season while shooting over 38% from downtown. The 6-foot-9 forward was named the ASUN Freshman of the Year, led the Bears in scoring and has three years of eligibility remaining. Pryor, meanwhile, is coming off his junior season with South Florida after two years at Boise State. A 6-foot-9 forward, Pryor averaged 13 points and 7.9 rebounds per game and shot over 35% from three-point land.
That being said, while the prospect of adding another prolific three-point shooter is enticing, I’m going with the top overall candidate on the board in my opinion: Oakland’s Trey Townsend.
What Townsend lacks in shooting prowess, he makes up for in nearly every other aspect of his game. The 6-foot-6 forward led the Grizzlies this past season in both points and rebounding with 17.1 and 8.1, respectively. Townsend also posted team-highs in assist (3.1 per game) and steals (1.3), all good enough to earn him the Horizon League Player of the Year. Townsend was even better when the lights were brightest, posting a double-double in each of Oakland’s NCAA Tournament games, including a 30-point, 13-rebound performance in a tough loss to NC State.
While Townsend doesn’t take a ton of three-pointers, he has made over 37% of his attempts in each of the last two seasons. What has perhaps been most impressive for the Oxford, Michigan native has been his consistency. Starting nearly 130 games over four seasons at Oakland, Townsend is a career 50% shooter from the floor and is averaging 14.1 points per game. He would bring a ton of experience and leadership to an Ohio State team that will be largely comprised of underclassmen.
Following an official visit to Ohio State this past weekend, there have been reports that Townsend has canceled his planned visit to Louisville. With both Diebler and his former teammate Parrish both pushing hard to bring Townsend to Columbus, it sounds like there is a pretty good chance the talented forward ends up in scarlet and gray.
Continue reading...