The decision of where to play college basketball for Bronny James, son of the great LeBron James, is not officially official, but all indications are that Bronny will stay in LA with his Laker dad and join the USC Trojans.
Ohio State was one of the schools that was on his list and not landing James is a blow but his impact on the court probably would have been less than the hoopla surrounding his arrival back in Ohio.
Another major story coming into the 2023-24 season is the situation or what many have called the hot-seat for Buckeye’s head man Chris Holtmann. Ohio State is coming off a disappointing 16-19 season where they missed out on the NCAA Tournament, for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
The roster for the hoops team looks to be transformed from last year with four incoming freshman, and three transfers added, to the already six returning scholarship players.
The loss of freshman sensation Brice Sensabaugh will be tough but he has been projected to be a top 20 pick in the NBA Draft. Ironically, the team played better without him in the Big Ten Tournament.
The Transfers:
Jamison Battle from Minnesota, is a scorer who averaged 15.1 points and shot 33.9% from 3-point range, during two seasons with the Gophers.
Evan Mahaffey transferred to the Buckeyes from Penn State this past Wednesday, and the 6-6, 200-pound forward has a ton of potential, but he is raw.
Dale Bonner is a versatile guard who transferred from Baylor. The 6-2, 170 pound Bonner is very good defensively, and will be used when the Buckeyes go to a 3-guard lineup.
The Freshman:
Taison Chatman is a 4-star guard from Totino-Grace, in Minneapolis. Chatman is a cerebral player who keeps his composure on the court, while also being a versatile scorer.
Devin Royal is a 4-star power forward from Pickerington Central, in Central Ohio. Royal is a strong, and plays tough in the paint. He is not afraid to take contact, while also driving to the hoop.
Scotty Middleton is a 4-star small forward from Sunrise Christian, in Wichita, Kansas. The 6-6 wing has very long arms who can also play lockdown defense. Middleton needs to work on his offensive game however.
Austin Parks is a 3-star center from Memorial, in Saint Marys, Ohio. The 6-9, 240 pound center should provide the type of physicality that is needed in the Big Ten especially with the likes of Michigan State.
The Returning: Bowen Hardman, Kalen Etzler, Bruce Thornton, Zed Key, Roddy Gayle Jr., Felix Okpara
Of the returning scholarship players Bruce Thornton provided key scoring all season last year, and Roddy Gayle Jr. showed that he can be a scorer, especially in the Big Ten Tournament.
If Zed Key can live up to the hype then this group can signifcantly help Ohio State become a viable team once again.
Chris Holtmann needs them to.
-Ed in Columbus
@Ed_In_Columbus
*Photo courtesy of Buckeye Sports Bulletin*
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