Sports Illustrated
The first full season of the Jake Diebler era in Columbus, Ohio, was a bit of a roller-coaster ride. The highs, like blowing out Kentucky at Madison Square Garden and winning at Mackey Arena against Purdue, were high. The lows (losses in five of seven to close the season and a few ugly home defeats) were just too low to get the Buckeyes into the NCAA tournament. That sets the stage for a critical second season for Diebler, who was a surprising internal hire after energizing the Buckeyes as an interim coach following Chris Holtmann’s midseason dismissal. It’d be premature to put him on the hot seat, but similarly to Rodney Terry’s hiring (and firing) at Texas, it’s hard to feel like Diebler has the benefit of the doubt of a splashier external hire should Ohio State underachieve again this season.
The good news is that the Buckeyes be very good in 2025–26. To Diebler’s credit, he retained three huge pieces in Bruce Thornton, Devin Royal and John Mobley Jr. this spring. Based on T-Rank’s returning usage stat, the only high-majors with more continuity are Purdue and Notre Dame.
Thornton is one of the most efficient players in the country. The list of high-major players to have had a season like the one Thornton had last year (17 points, 50% from field, 40% from three, 85% from the free throw line, 50 made threes) includes names like Buddy Hield, Mikal Bridges, Doug McDermott and Mark Sears. He’s an All-American-level talent who just hasn’t won enough to get that type of national respect.
Meanwhile, Royal and Mobley are on a significant upward trajectory. Royal took a huge leap as a sophomore and is a matchup problem at the three and the four. He’s skilled, tough and physical and may have another big jump in him. Mobley is an electrifying shooter and a perfect piece to play off Thornton. But it’s the retooled pieces around this strong trio that will define whether the Buckeyes get back dancing in 2025–26.
Projected Starting Lineup
PG: Bruce Thornton
SG: John Mobley Jr.
SF: Devin Royal
PF: Brandon Noel
C: Christoph Tilly
Key Reserves: G Taison Chatman, W Mathieu Grujicic, F A’mare Bynum
Key Additions
Ohio State’s center spot last year was brutal to watch, especially on the offensive end. Christoph Tilly has the chance to change that. He’s a highly skilled 7-footer who’s effective playing as a distributor on the perimeter and can even hit the occasional pick-and-pop three. He may give some back defensively, but Tilly could be a game-changing add who makes life a lot easier for Thornton and Mobley. Baylor transfer Josh Ojianwuna would add more physicality, though his status is in doubt after a serious knee injury late last season.
At the power forward spot, Wright State transfer Brandon Noel and freshman A’mare Bynum should factor in. The move to the Big Ten will be a major adjustment athletically for Noel, but he could settle into a more defined role as a stretch four next to the physical Royal. Bynum brings more athleticism and physicality, which could make him a valuable piece defensively. Ohio State could also play smaller by sliding Royal down to the four, creating room for a returner like Colin White or 18-year-old German wing Mathieu Grujicic, who lit up the U18 European Championships this summer averaging nearly 25 points per game.
Causes for Concern
Starting at the top, Diebler is the least-proven coach in our Top 25, and it’s hard not to feel like the Buckeyes left some meat on the bone last season. There was little excuse for late-season losses like a 21-point drubbing by a wounded Northwestern or its first-round Big Ten tournament loss to Iowa in the final days of the Fran McCaffery era. His work this spring to retool this roster was impressive, but there’s a wider range of outcomes with this group than some of the squads with more veteran head coaches in these rankings.
The biggest on-court concern is likely on the defensive end, especially if Noel commands the lion’s share of minutes at the four. A Tilly/Noel frontcourt could be rough defensively, especially if paired with an undersized Thornton/Mobley backcourt.
The Bottom Line
From both a talent and continuity standpoint, this group looks like an upper-third Big Ten team. The Buckeyes’ offensive ceiling might be one of the five or so best units nationally. Concerns about the defense and a head coach who’s in just his second full season running a program are real, but this group’s ceiling is high if it all comes together.
