It is transfer portal season in College Basketball and with the thousands of names already in the portal, it has put Jake Diebler and the Ohio State basketball team to work on constructing the roster for next season.
While Jake Diebler and the Ohio State basketball team have expressed interest in lots of transfers available in the portal, they are also wasting no time in hosting some transfer targets on official visits to Columbus.
North Carolina transfer Jalen Washington visited Ohio State on Tuesday, sources confirm to @LettermenRow and @JamieShaw5. First reported by @AdamJardy.
— Mick Walker (@mickdwalker) April 1, 2025
Washington averaged 5.7 points and 4.2 boards last season ⭕️
READ: https://t.co/VUYuyQjVVs pic.twitter.com/hyeVuid05w
According to Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch, and later confirmed with Mick Walker of Letterman Row and Jamie Shaw of On3 Sports, North Carolina big-man transfer Jalen Washington took an official visit to Ohio State on Tuesday.
Washington spent the last three seasons in Chapel Hill and in this past season he averaged 5.7 points, 4.2 boards, and a little less than a block per game. He also played in 36 games while logging 16 starts in nearly 16 minutes of action per contest.
Despite not being a traditional back down big man, Washington can get points through the paint. However, he did have struggles against bigger post players on both ends of the floor. To counter that, where he can make an impact is with his length to give some added rim protection.
Even though his percentage doesn't reflect it at 27.8% from three, Washington has shown he can take and make the three. Jake Diebler has shown he wants his offense to be run from the inside out with bigs that can space the floor, and Washington's potential fits his style.
Getting depth in the frontcourt is the number one priority for Jake Diebler and the Ohio State basketball team in this very important offseason. After losing Aaron Bradshaw to the transfer portal, and being a part of the final list for Illinois transfer Morez Johnson until ultimately missing on him to the rival school in the state up north, Jake Diebler needs to keep pushing after bigs for next year's roster.
If Washington were to end up in Columbus for next season, it would likely be just for one year as that's all the eligibility he has left. There's a lot to happen before any commitments are made, but Washington would help with building the depth for the Ohio State Basketball team in the frontcourt.