Jake Diebler and Ohio State Men’s Basketball have used every available resource to ensure the 2026-27 season is one to remember.

Head Coach Jake Diebler has intentionally taken steps this offseason to take the Ohio State men’s basketball program to the next level. He has done everything from assembling the deepest and biggest team he’s ever had to bringing in an exceptional, experienced, and dynamic coaching staff.

This season should be pivotal for both the program’s future and the trust the athletic department has in what Diebler is doing.

Recruiting

The most recent recruiting class for the Buckeyes features 5-star Anthony Thompson and LJ Smoth, the No. 1-ranked player from North Carolina, a state that knows a thing or two about college basketball. This 2026 class ranks 17th in the nation, according to 247 Sports.

Anthony Thompson: “We’re really close. We hang out all the time”

LJ Smith: “I love playing with Anthony. He’s a great player.”

The dynamic 5-star duo commented on how easily they’ve been able to gel since arriving on campus 🤝 https://t.co/sgtvTAanZD

— Grant Kincaid (@GKincaid8) September 30, 2026

Diebler and his staff also added a deep transfer class featuring a handful of four-star transfers (PF Andrija Jelavic and CG Justin Pippen), along with PG Curtis Givens III, the No. 6 point guard in the class of 2024. Jimmie Williams, an experienced shooting guard from Duquesne, rounds out the portal class, giving OSU exceptional depth and versatility.

This offseason appeared to be the first time Men’s Basketball could use NIL to a large degree. Jake Diebler has discussed the importance of having this depth after experiencing the ripple effect of key injuries last season.

When Brandon Noel went down, Ohio State never seemed able to cope with the loss, particularly against bigger teams. “…going into last season, I felt we were a little bigger than year one,” said Dieber during media day, “but it still wasn’t big enough, especially when we dealt with some of the injuries we dealt with. This team’s different.”

It’s become clear that it was a priority to have no shortage of options, nor size, for the staff to choose from this year. In a conference as deep as the Big Ten, being able to use different combinations on the floor should prove valuable.

Coaching Additions

Diebler has added several former players and coaches with extensive collegiate and professional experience. Assistant coach Mike Wells, a Mount Vernon native, brings 27 years of NBA coaching experience and two years as head coach of the Adelaide 36ers in Australia. Strength and conditioning coach Dave Richardson brings 26 years of high-level Division I experience, including 13 years with Ohio State (2005-18) and, most recently, 8 years with Arkansas.

Coach Diebler has also welcomed back two former beloved players, Will Buford and Jared Sullinger. Sullinger has 5 years of NBA experience and 12 years of professional experience across China, Korea, and Puerto Rico. The two-time All-American serves as Ohio State’s Director of Player Development.

Buford played professionally overseas for most of 12 seasons and was one of OSU’s most prolific scorers while in Columbus. With such intimate knowledge of the school and program, along with experience at the highest levels, these two will make excellent mentors for the players.

Depth and Intensity

Coach Diebler has been bullish on this year’s roster depth and the fact that the team has been together for a while. “Really, really excited about this group,” said Diebler, “Been together now since the beginning of June, and this summer was unique for us because we got to go to Puerto Rico and play a couple games. So we were a little more team-heavy there towards the end of the summer.”

Building chemistry with all the new additions was paramount. Although the games in Puerto Rico were against teams that hadn’t played together before, the teams were made up of professionals. Ohio State won both exhibition games and even saw a breakout performance from protected bench piece Jimmie Williams, who led the team with 22 points in their initial matchup, further evidence of this year’s depth.

The dynamic freshman duo of Anthony Thompson and LJ Smith have also gelled and gained valuable experience. Anthony said they already spend a lot of time together, and they’ve both said great things about playing together. These two have the potential to be something special come November.

Team Mentality

The mentality of the team has been noticeably different as well, “… we have guys who are compliant. They want to do the right thing. They’re close.” Diebler said this about the kind of players he has. From being at practices throughout the summer and hearing from Coach Diebler, the building certainly feels different.

Amare Bynum even said Coach has been “way more intense,” which Diebler laughs at. However, he also said the standard has been raised, so he may come across as more intense at times.

At the end of the day, this was needed for this program. Diebler has taken a step forward each year, and the strong finish that propelled the 2025 team into the tourney was promising, but the early exit left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. With so many measures in place to make this season the most successful of Jake Diebeler’s tenure, this team should look palpably different in 2026-27.