Ohio State basketball player inducted into OSU Athletics Hall of Fame

The last time the Ohio State basketball program played in a Final Four was back in 2012. They had to take on Kansas for the right to play Kentucky in the national championship. They weren't able to win the game and they haven't sniffed the Final Four since.

The last time Ohio State played for a national championship was in 2007. That year, they were led by Greg Oden, Mike Conley, and Daequan Cook. Those three freshmen were the best players on the team and helped them lead the way. It was very impressive to watch.

After the season ended, all three of the freshmen declared for the NBA Draft. Oden, having been the number one recruit in the country the year prior, went first. He was taken by the Portland Trailblazers. His career was derailed by injuries but was still a great Buckeye.

Despite playing just one year for the Ohio State basketball program, he is being inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. He joins a bunch of other Buckeye greats in the class of 2024. All of the other ones being inducted played longer than one season.

I find it very interesting that they made this decision to induct Oden despite playing just a single season. He was very good in that year, averaging 15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, and a whopping 3.3 blocks per game. Quite honestly, he was a defensive menace.

Still, he wasn't a national champion. Had he done that, it would make all the sense in the world for him to be inducted, whether he just played one year or not. He is still one of the best recruits in Ohio State basketball history and is the gold standard to who all current recruits are measured by.

Congratulations to Oden. It's a fantastic honor.