Ohio State basketball: Transfers the Buckeyes are targeting in the Transfer Portal

The Ohio State basketball team has gained the interest of some players in the transfer portal in college basketball. Holtmann and the Buckeyes already landed the 6’6 wing from Wright State, Tanner Holden. Who else could be joining Holden in the Scarlet and Gray next season from the portal?

The Buckeyes are in desperate need of quality guard play next season. It would be best if they can get a creating and scoring guard that is smart in late-game situations. Right now they are eyeing the former Kansas State point guard, Nijel Pack.

According to CBS Sport’s Jon Rothstein, Pack is set for a visit with the Ohio State basketball programnon April 18th and 19th.

The 6-foot point guard averaged 17.4 points per game in his sophomore season at Kansas State. The addition of Pack would be huge to have another experienced and reliable ball-handler in the backcourt. Pack averaged a little over 17 a game in the tough Big 12 conference, this guy can score the rock.

Another guard that could help the Buckeyes on the perimeter is another Big 12 transfer in West Virginia’s Sean McNeil. Last season McNeil averaged 12.2 points per game for the Mountaineers. He announced that he has cut his list to six programs and Ohio State is a part of his list. McNeil would be a super senior next season, his experience and shooting ability would be nice to add to the Buckeyes roster.

The Buckeyes also need a big that can rebound, protect the rim, and score the ball. A target for the Bucks in the portal is NC State transfer, Manny Bates. The 6-11 junior missed all of last season because of a shoulder injury, but in 2020-21, he averaged almost 10 points per game and 2.7 blocks per game. He is exactly what Ohio State needs on the inside. They would benefit significantly by adding Bates’ length and size to the team next season.

Holtmann has already hosted Jalen Bridges, another transfer from Bob Huggins and the West Virginia program. He has not made a decision on where he will be going, so Ohio State is still in play. Bridges is a guy who can help stretch the floor which would help space things out and create more opportunities on the offensive end.

These are the top priorities in the transfer portal for Holtmann and the Buckeyes this offseason. All four of these guys will help provide an immediate impact on the Ohio State basketball team’s roster next season. They need to be major buyers in the portal this offseason so they can get to the second weekend of March Madness next season.

They already have a loaded freshman class coming in and have key guys returning. During Holtmann’s tenure at Ohio State, he has been heavily invested in the transfer portal. Don’t be surprised if he’s able to snag a couple more transfers out of the portal.