The upcoming season for the Ohio State men’s basketball team marks the commencement of the Jake Diebler era in Columbus, with a roster and coaching staff undergoing significant changes. The additions of Meechie Johnson, Aaron Bradshaw, Sean Stewart, and Micah Parrish, alongside the departures of Roddy Gayle, Felix Okpara, Scotty Middleton, Zed Key, and Bowen Hardman, as well as a completely revamped coaching staff, promise a distinct look for the 2024-25 campaign.
Anticipations are naturally elevated given the overhaul, and indeed, Diebler has assembled a formidable supporting staff and a transfer class featuring two former McDonald’s All-Americans, an All-SEC second-team pick, and a starter from a national championship-winning team. However, amidst these high expectations, one particular anticipation appears overly ambitious, in my view:
The expectation that Ohio State men’s basketball will clinch the Big Ten title in the 2024-25 season.
While it’s reasonable to anticipate their qualification for the NCAA Tournament and a top-tier finish in the conference, especially with the expanded 18-team format, winning the conference outright in Diebler’s inaugural season seems overly ambitious.
Primarily, he is tasked with integrating a completely new roster, albeit benefitting from the return of two-year starting point guard Bruce Thornton. However, the other four projected starters, Johnson, Parrish, Stewart, and Bradshaw, are all transfers embarking on their debut season in Columbus. Although the team boasts considerable talent, the process of establishing chemistry and optimizing rotations could entail early-season challenges, particularly with a demanding non-conference schedule featuring opponents like Texas A&M, Kentucky, and Texas, as well as participation in an early-season tournament.
Moreover, the landscape of the Big Ten itself is in flux, with uncertainties surrounding potential conference contenders due to significant roster changes in several teams. This renders the expectation of winning the conference in the Buckeyes’ first year under Diebler as somewhat unrealistic.
This skepticism stems from the current dynamics of college basketball, where the transfer portal enables swift program transformations. While the Buckeyes possess the talent to compete at a high level, the intricate meshing of the roster and a formidable schedule present formidable hurdles. Thus, it wouldn’t be surprising if the team encounters early-season setbacks while navigating rotations, minutes distribution, and player roles, including integrating freshmen like Juni Mobley and Colin White, and assessing sophomore development in Devin Royal and Taison Chatman.
While I believe the Buckeyes will flourish under Diebler’s leadership and contend for conference titles and deep tournament runs in the future, the likelihood of an immediate turnaround and clinching the title in the inaugural season appears uncertain.
