The rosters of college basketball are awfully hard to keep track of these days. With the transfer portal and Name, Image and Likeness opportunities, rosters look completely different from one season to the next, and we’ve definitely seen that be the case at Ohio State as well.
Head coach Jake Diebler did a pretty hard reset last offseason and has done similar things this offseason, some of it out of necessity. The Buckeyes lost one of the program’s all-time greats with four-time captain and program-leading scorer Bruce Thornton moving on to the NBA draft, and there were others who went into the transfer portal, while others came to Columbus out of the portal.
The roster should be more or less set now, so it feels like a good time to project and predict what the Ohio State depth chart might look like next season, including the starters and depth pieces on the bench. Here’s a look at the projected depth chart for the Ohio State basketball team for the 2026-27 season.
Ohio State basketball projected starters, depth chart for 2026-27
Point Guard
Starter: Justin Pippen
Backups: John Mobley Jr., Curtis Givens
Replacing Bruce Thornton won’t be easy, and we’ll surely see Mobley get some time running the point as we saw at times last year. However, the sharp-shooting Mobley is much better off the ball, spotting up and coming off of plays designed to get his shot, so look for Scottie Pippen’s son, Justin, who transferred from Cal, to get a crack at running things. If Memphis transfer Curtis Givens can show the ability to play in the Big Ten, he, too, could factor in.
Shooting Guard
Starter: John Mobley Jr.
Backups: Jimmie Williams, Curtis Givens, Anthony Thompson
Getting Mobley back was a big win for Ohio State, and he will almost assuredly lock down the guard spot off the ball. It would be no surprise at all if he leads the team in scoring by running off screens, spotting up from deep, and also continuing to develop his skills in the paint. Jimmie Williams is an intriguing and experienced option that could get some significant playing time, along with wherever the coaching staff believes Givens fits into the guard lineup. Also, the coaching staff could experiment with moving Thompson here if Mobley runs the point for a bigger lineup.
Small Forward
Starter: Anthony Thompson
Backups: Jimmie Williams, Amare Bynum
Five-star recruit Anthony Thompson will no doubt get the nod in starting and should be an immediate scoring option. He’s the highest-rated recruit since Jared Sullinger, and there are huge expectations for what he can do for Ohio State. Jimmie Williams could also slot here, and in some cases, if the coaching staff wants to play big, they can rotate the taller and more physical Bynum here.
Power Forward
Starter: Amare Bynum
Backups: Andrija Jelavic, Anthony Thompson, Alex Smith, Ivan Njegovan, Josh Ojianwuna,
There’s little doubt that the ultra-athletic and physically imposing Amare Bynum will fill this spot. He was a revelation last season and had a breakout second half of the year. He should take an even further step forward and provide more scoring and rebounding. Behind him, Kentucky transfer Andrija Jelavic and freshman Alex Smith could get some time. In addition, for a smaller and quicker lineup, the coaches may opt to move Thompson into this spot to create mismatches at times. Also, don’t rule out getting two bigs in the lineup and moving either former Baylor transfer Josh Ojianwuna or Ivan Njegovan here.
Center
Starter: Josh Ojianwuna
Backups: Andrija Jelavic, Ivan Njegovan, Vuk Lazarevic, Amare Bynum
There are really only a few players who can man the blocks for Ohio State, and if Ojianwuna is indeed healthy, he could be a problem for the rest of the league because of his ability to score at the rim and be an imposing rebounding option. It’s hard to imagine him getting massive minutes coming off injury, so Jalavic and Njegovan should also get some time. If the coaching staff wants to go small, quick, and athletic, it would be an interesting option to put Bynum and his athleticism on the blocks. It’s unclear how freshman Vuk Lazarevic, who was added late, will factor in, but at 7-foot, 1-inch, he would be a development piece that could eventually factor in, especially if he can protect the rim.
Bench Pieces
Myles Herro and Braylen Nash – Neither is likely to get much playing time, but with things out of hand, or in a break-the-glass type of emergency, we could see the two get some time on the floor.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Projecting the Ohio State basketball lineup for the 2026-27 season
Reporting by Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
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