A major offseason hit has arrived for Jake Deibler and Ohio State, as standout forward Devin Royal has revealed he's planning to enter the transfer portal. That's right, once things officially open up, the Ohio State starter will be looking for a new place to call home.
Ohio State basketball loses starter to the transfer portal
With that, he'll also be saying goodbye to his No. 21 Ohio State jersey. If you ask Evan Turner, no one should rock it again. Excuse us? As some of you might remember, Turner's jersey number was honored by Ohio State due to the amazing plays he made while with the Big Ten side. That's why it's no surprise that Turner isn't happy at all that Royal is essentially bailing on the Buckeyes like this:
Devin Royal had to ask permission from Evan Turner to wear his No. 21
— Cody Croy | The Silver Bulletin (@BoominBuckeyes) March 29, 2026
The Buckeyes retired it in 2016 https://t.co/5WmUWAyjfT
Evan Turner is not happy at all that Devin Royal is transferring from Ohio State
An Ohio native, Royal signed with the Buckeyes as a member of the 2023 class, spending the past three seasons on campus. This past year, Royal played a big role in helping Ohio State get to the NCAA Tournament, as he averaged 13.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest.
Now that he's all set to enter the portal, you better believe he's going to get a ton of interest across the country. Could he stay in the Big Ten? That's no question a fear, as Tom Izzo and Michigan State immediately jump out. Keep an eye on MSU moving forward.
As for Turner, we don't blame him for feeling this way right now. He's a true Ohio State legend and he no doubt loved seeing Royal, Bruce Thornton and the rest of the playmakers record a memorable season - it was so great seeing Thornton finally be a part of the NCAA Tourney.
However, now that Royal is on his way out, it stings for Turner, as he gave his all to the program. He was a First-Team All-American for Ohio State and a Wooden National Player of the Year. He'll never be forgotten around the city and his love for the program isn't going anywhere. He was hoping Royal would follow in Thornton's footsteps in spending his entire career with Ohio State, but that's not going to be the case here.