Top three former Ohio State basketball players in the NBA

#3: Jae’Sean Tate

The third best former Ohio State basketball player currently in the NBA is Jae’sean Tate. Tate was a very consistent player during his time with the Buckeyes, however, he never really jumped off of the page as an NBA caliber player.

He is a bit undersized for his natural position of small forward and did not excel in any area enough to make him a highly sought-after prospect.

He was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team and averaged double-digit points in his final three seasons with the Buckeyes. Tate was undrafted and was forced to play overseas for a season. He played for NBL Australia during the 2019-2020 season.

In the Australian league, Tate averaged 16.4 points and 6.0 rebounds on 65.8% shooting. This showing overseas led to Tate signing with the Houston Rockets as an undrafted free agent. He made his NBA debut on December 26th, 2020.

Tate has established himself as someone who could be a cornerstone piece in the rebuild of the Houston Rockets.

Despite playing alongside ball-dominant veterans like John Wall and Demarcus Cousins along with other young budding players with star potential like Kevin Porter Jr., Tate has still made a name for himself in Houston.

He finished his rookie season averaging 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds on 50.6% shooting in 29.2 minutes per game.

It is clear that Tate has a spot in Houston that is his to lose. He has the potential to become an All-Star caliber player with the Rockets if he continues to near his full potential and things fall his way in Houston.