Predicting The Starting Five For Ohio State Men’s Basketball

Ohio State Men’s Basketball head coach Jake Diebler definitely has a revamped roster headed into his first full season in charge of the Buckeyes. The team has had some workouts this summer and many of the players have been spotted playing in the Kingdom League recently. Although the start of the season is still several months away, July feels like a decent opportunity to take an educated guess at the starting lineup for Diebler’s group.

This one is the most obvious and feels like a gimme. With a group that consists of many new faces, an experienced ball-handler to run the offense can certainly help expedite the process of getting the complete unit in sync.

The 6’2″ point guard has played in 70 games through two seasons with the Buckeyes. His sturdy, durable frame has helped him remain relatively healthy and on the floor for Ohio State. Last season he averaged a team-high 33.7 minutes per game, while also averaging 15.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Thornton has the ability to create his own shot and is dangerous when driving to the rim. The best asset he can probably bring to this next group is just control though. He knows when to slow the offense down and is usually reliable at protecting the basketball. Thornton will once again be set to get a ton of minutes.

The return of Meechie Johnson Jr. should be a welcome sight for the Ohio State basketball fanbase. The Cleveland, Ohio product’s first stint with the Buckeyes was from 2020-2022. Between those two seasons, the young guard averaged 2.8 points, .9 rebounds and .7 assists per game in 43 games played. In year two with the Buckeyes, Johnson started five games and did have some flashes of scoring potential. His game-winner against Seton Hall in non-conference play may have been his very best moment.

He then went on to play two seasons with the South Carolina Gamecocks and settled into his role as an offensive leader. Last season, he averaged 14.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

As Johnson returns to Ohio State for his second stint, the Buckeyes are getting a much more experienced player who has found his stride in college basketball. In the starting lineup for the Buckeyes, he can play off-ball in more of a shooting guard role. In the rare instances that Thornton is not on the floor, then Johnson can serve as the primary ball-handler.

Parrish is listed as a guard but at 6’6″ will serve as a wing for the Buckeyes. Parrish could be another major get in the transfer portal after he averaged 9.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game with the San Diego State Aztecs. Prior to spending two seasons with the Aztecs, he started his college career with the Oakland Golden Grizzlies and averaged 12.1 points per game in his second season.

Whether Parrish starts or comes off the bench, he will offer the Buckeyes experience on the wing. With two starting guards who like the ball in their hands, Parrish could be the perfect “three-and-d” compliment in the starting lineup. The lefty could potentially get opportunities to sit in the corner and hit open threes.

The 6’9″ power forward transfer from Duke has the potential to be a star in a big starting front court for Ohio State. Stewart was the No. 6 power forward in the 2023 recruiting class on 247 Sports. During his freshman season with the Blue Devils, his minutes were rather limited despite playing in 33 games. While only averaging 8.4 minutes per game, Stewart still averaged 2.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and .5 block per game.

Stewart is a dominant force on the glass and can finish at the rim. The way Stewart plays could lead to a bunch of second-chance points for Ohio State. Even though he is a natural big man, Stewart shows great hustle and runs the floor well in transition.

Reportedly, he is working to expand his outside game this offseason so that he can more effectively stretch the floor. Even if Stewart can knock down the occasional three, that will command some respect from opposing defenses.

Bradshaw is the fourth new face in this projected starting lineup. My confidence in him being a starter is higher than my confidence with the Stewart and Parrish predictions. This one feels like more of a sure thing. The 7’1″ transfer from Kentucky will directly replace former center Felix Okpara’s role.

In his first year of college with the Wildcats, the big man averaged 4.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and .7 blocks per game in 13.8 minutes per game. In the 2023 recruiting class, he was a five-star prospect and the No. 1 center.

Bradshaw has been playing on the same team with Bruce Thornton in the Kingdom League at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus. Not only has he been building chemistry with his new point guard, but the seven-footer has been able to show off his range from three. That will be a different aspect that other recent Ohio State big men were not able to consistently provide.

Royal is the prime candidate to snag a starting spot away from either Parrish or Stewart. In his freshman season, Royal began to show off his offensive ability in the second half of the year and scored in double-figures a few times. The 6’6″ sophomore forward is a tweener between a small forward and power forward. Even though he has wing height, his frame and play style almost suits the undersized power forward role better.

Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Royal should get a bunch of minutes. Being a physical scoring threat off the bench may be better for not only his game but also the dynamic of the team’s rotation.

Juni Mobley and Evan Mahaffey should get lots of minutes off the bench. Mobley might only be a freshman, but he is a true sharpshooter and can impose a real threat from three-point range. Mahaffey, who started most of the season last year for the Buckeyes, is a key defender on this roster. His limited offensive game should remove him from Diebler’s starting lineup.

Freshman wing Colin White and sophomore center Austin Parks could also get some time on the floor this coming season. It may not be the same kind of volume as Royal, Mobley and Mahaffey, but a rotation of 10 players seems reasonable in most situations.

With still plenty of time before the season, this is all subject to change through workouts and practices. Based on the current information on paper, this is what I happen to feel the most confident about.