The Ohio State basketball program has landed its first impact player in the Transfer Portal. In fact, this is the first player that the Buckeyes have landed at all. After losing five players from this past year's roster, Jake Diebler knows he has a lot of work to do in the portal to add to the team.
On Friday afternoon, the Ohio State Buckeyes added Justin Pippen, a guard from California. That is according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. Pippen is a junior who was a starting guard for the Bears this past season, averaging 14.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. Not just that, but he has Hall of Fame bloodlines. His dad is Hall of Fame player Scottie Pippen.
Pippen is not an efficient scorer, however. He shot just 37 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. His shooting will need to improve next year, but he does give Ohio State a playmaker to fit next to John Mobley Jr., assuming he stays.
Ohio State basketball team lands hugely impactful player in the Transfer Portal
While Pippen played this past season with the Bears, he started his career at Michigan. While with TTUN, he played in 28 games, playing just over six minutes per game. This will be his third school in as many years. Ohio State doesn't get many transfers from TTUN, although they did land Andrew Dakich a few years ago.
Guard is a position of need for the Buckeyes. Four guards from last year's team are gone for sure, and Mobley will be gone if he is drafted, as well. With that being the case, Diebler understands that the guard spot is his top priority in the portal. Pippen is just the first one he's landed.
How much money Ross Bjork is willing to spend on the basketball program might determine the quality of transfer players Ohio State is able to land. TTUN used the portal to help build their national championship team, and they flaunted their money. Will Ohio State do the same?
Diebler and his staff will be busy over the next few days as they try to make the right evaluations on guys. His track record in the portal is checkered, and that's being polite. Pippen needs some other guards and a center to join him on the roster for him to be most effective.
Ohio State needs to add at least four players from the portal this offseason. How many they actually land remains to be seen.