Jake Diebler believes the Buckeyes’ intelligence, athleticism and depth have allowed Ohio State to accelerate its development entering the 2026-27 season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jake Diebler entered the summer expecting Ohio State’s development to take time.

The Ohio State Basketball team’s roster absorbed this year’s system quickly enough that Jake Diebler began expanding it earlier than expected. The Buckeyes are further along than he anticipated, giving him the opportunity to build a more aggressive style around a roster that is longer, deeper, and more athletic than it was a year ago.

“We almost were starting a little slower than we probably could have, because of how smart this team is and how quickly they picked it up,” Diebler said. “So kind of took the governor off pretty quickly, and were able to speed things up.”

That intelligence has allowed Ohio State to build more of its identity months before the season starts.

Going “good-on-good” all summer has Ohio State basketball ahead of where the team was at this point the last couple of years, according to Jake Diebler. pic.twitter.com/YY8RIMRJbs

— The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) September 21, 2026

A Faster, More Conceptual Offense

The Buckeyes want to change ends quickly and use their perimeter depth before defenses can get organized.

Amare Bynum, Anthony Thompson, Justin Pippen, John Mobley Jr., Jimmie Williams, Curtis Givens III and L.J. Smith give Diebler a collection of players capable of making decisions with the ball. Mobley Jr. is another experienced option who can create offense and make plays in space.

Ohio State wants those players involved early in possessions. The ball will be advanced quickly, often through passes ahead of the defense, with players expected to recognize opportunities as they develop.

“We want to play with great pace offensively,” Diebler said. “We want the ball to be advanced on the floor in the air. We want to throw it ahead.”

That approach puts greater responsibility on the players to read the floor. Ohio State has adjusted some of its base offensive concepts to fit the personnel, allowing the Buckeyes to attack through different actions rather than waiting for a single play to develop.

“We really drill playing out of concepts,” Jake Diebler continued. The result should be a more versatile offense with more players involved in decision-making. Diebler believes the group’s passing ability and perimeter shooting give Ohio State opportunities to attack before the defense can settle into its coverage.

Furthermore, the same pace carries over defensively. Ohio State is picking up the ball earlier, applying more pressure and looking for opportunities to disrupt opposing offenses. The depth lets Diebler keep fresh players on the floor and maintain that pressure throughout the game.

“We need to be able to put pressure on other teams, wear them down a little bit,” Diebler said.

The Frontcourt Becomes a Football Rotation

The most intriguing example of Ohio State’s depth may be in the frontcourt. Josh Ojianwuna, Ivan Njegovan, Andrija Jelavic, Holzwart and newcomer Lee Aaliya give Diebler four different options. Their size, athleticism, and skill sets let Ohio State adjust to matchups while keeping a fresh body available.

Diebler sees that variety as a potential advantage. “We have no two players alike,” Diebler said. Aaliya has already added another dimension to the group. He possesses the versatility to play multiple frontcourt positions and quickly picked up Ohio State’s offensive and defensive concepts. Diebler said the next step is expanding his responsibilities across both spots.

The chemistry has also developed quickly. Aaliya joined a group that had already built strong relationships over the summer, and Diebler said the newcomer blended in without disrupting that foundation.

His plan for the frontcourt resembles a football substitution package.

“We’re trying to convince that unit, like our advantage is our depth,” Diebler said. “So go give your two, three, four minutes as hard as you can. Next guy comes in.”

That approach allows Ohio State to play with physicality while continually bringing fresh players into the game. Ojianwuna can provide one skill set, Njegovan another, Jelavic brings his versatility and length, and Aaliya adds athleticism and another matchup option.

If the group embraces the rotation, Diebler believes the frontcourt can turn its depth into a sustained advantage.

Bringing Ohio State’s Past Into Its Future

The roster is not the only part of the program that has changed. Jake Diebler added former Buckeye legends Jared Sullinger and Will Buford this offseason, bringing two players who experienced Ohio State basketball at a high level back into the building.

Sullinger has already become an active presence around the players, working with them on the court and offering feedback during practices. Diebler described him as someone whose basketball intelligence is evident immediately.

Buford and Sullinger also give the program a direct connection to its history and the standard Diebler wants his players to understand.

“From day one, I’ve leaned into the history of this program,” Diebler said. “The goal, right, is to get back to what you keep, not the averages — like we’re trying to get back to the peak of this program.”

Diebler wants that history to live inside the program rather than sit on a banner or exist as a collection of memories.

“I’m not afraid of the expectations,” he said. “I’m not afraid of the standard that is this program.”

Sullinger and Buford’s presence gives current players access to people who experienced that standard themselves. Diebler can point to examples of what winning looked like in Columbus and use those experiences to shape the current team’s culture.

The Freshmen Have a Runway

Anthony Thompson and L.J. Smith are another piece of the equation. Ohio State brought in two five-star freshmen, adding another layer of talent to a roster already undergoing a significant transformation. Both have shown flashes this summer, while Diebler has also seen the inconsistency that naturally comes with young players adjusting to college basketball.

In a recent scrimmage, Thompson and Smith produced stretches that caught the coaching staff’s attention. On other days, Diebler has had to challenge them to become more aggressive and assertive. The progression he wants to see is consistency.

“What we’re starting to see with all those freshmen, what Alex included, is we’re starting to see less of those, ‘Hey, where you at? Need more practices,’ and more, a little bit more of their high, high-level play,” Diebler said.

The freshmen will face a different challenge once opponents begin scouting them. Tendencies will become available, defenses will adjust, and the margin for mistakes will shrink. But Diebler is willing to let them experience that process.

“This is a really good freshman class,” he said. “They just need to show day after day what they’re capable of doing for us, what we can trust.”

That includes letting them make mistakes early in the season while they learn to handle the demands of college basketball.

“It’s also my job to give them a pathway to go out there and show it and fail a little bit early in the season,” Diebler said, “banking on the potential that, you know, I think they can help raise the ceiling of this team as they get better.”

That potential is part of what has changed Diebler’s outlook on the season. Ohio State basketball entered the offseason needing to replace production while adding length, athleticism, and depth. Months into the process, the roster has given Diebler enough confidence to accelerate the installation of his system.

Ohio State basketball is building a team designed to play faster, pressure opponents more aggressively, and use its depth across the roster. The next step is turning that potential into consistency once the games begin, according to Jake Diebler.