Ohio State Basketball head coach Jake Diebler officially completes his staff heading into a pivotal 2026 season, adding a former Buckeye legend.
Ohio State basketball head coach Jake Diebler has completed his coaching staff for the 2026-27 season, adding assistant coach Mike Wells, strength and conditioning coach Dave Richardson, and program analyst William Buford. He has also promoted Jamall Walker to associate head coach.
Buford, a prolific scorer who was a fan favorite during his time as a Buckeye, currently sits at No. 3 on the all-time scoring list for Ohio State Basketball. The Toledo native also earned Big Ten honors three times while he played for the Buckeyes from 2009 to 2012. What most Buckeye fans may remember Buford for is his famous dagger three-pointer to win at Lansing over then-5th-ranked MSU. Will finished that game with 25 en route to erasing a 15-point deficit as well.
Dave Richardson coached alongside Thad Matta during perhaps the greatest run in program history between 2005 and 2018. In his time with the Buckeyes, OSU made 11 postseason appearances, five Sweet 16s, and two Final Fours.
Richardson spent the past eight years at Arkansas, where he worked alongside Eric Musselman and John Calipari, helping the Razorbacks to five Sweet 16s and two Elite 8 appearances. The former US Army Sargent brings loads of experience and energy to OSU, which should bode well for the new strength and conditioning coach as he takes over the reins in 2026.
Assistant Coach Mike Wells brings extensive NBA experience. Wells got his start in the NBA with the Houston Rockets in 1994 as an assistant video coordinator. He was part of the staff when the Rockets won the NBA title in 1995. Wells was elevated to an assistant coach with the Rockets in 1999 and would go on to coach with the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, and Charlotte Hornets.
He won a second NBA title with the Spurs in 2007. He also served as an assistant coach for USA basketball in 2023 during preparation for the FIBA World Cup.
Lastly, Jamall Walker receives a promotion to assistant Head Coach under Jake Diebler. Walker is heading into his third season on Diebler’s staff and is considered instrumental in the development of both John Mobley Jr and Bruce Thornton. This year will be Walker’s 25th year coaching collegiately.
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Grant Kincaid was born in Columbus, Ohio, and raised in Dayton. He serves as Creative Director and basketball contributor at The Silver Bulletin. At one point, Grant, a collegiate baseball player, also holds a B.A. in Management and Leadership Studies. Aside from the Buckeyes, he is an avid supporter of both the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals. His favorite Buckeyes include Braxton Miller, AJ Hawk, and Ted Ginn Jr.