Ohio State basketball delivered a tough blow just days before the transfer portal opens

The Buckeyes will be replacing a top assistant under Jake Diebler, and it’s another key offseason task to handle with the transfer portal period approaching.

Brandon Little — Ohio State Buckeyes & Cleveland Browns News Writer
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The transfer portal is set to open on the day after the national championship next Tuesday and it’ll be an important time for the Ohio State basketball program. 

Ohio State already has one starter set to hit the portal with F Devin Royal making his intentions clear after three seasons with the Buckeyes. The latest news around the program is another negative before the portal actually opens. 

Jake Diebler loses top assistant to the SEC ahead of transfer portal opening 

According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, Ohio State basketball associate head coach Joel Justus will be leaving Columbus to join Mark Byington’s coaching staff at Vanderbilt. Justus spent two seasons in Columbus before his exit. 

Justus was key for Diebler as the top assistant for the first-time head coach in Columbus. Before Justus joined Diebler’s staff, he spent two seasons at NC State where the Wolfpack saw one Final Four run. Justus spent seven years as an assistant for the Kentucky Wildcats under now Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari.

The Vanderbilt connection makes sense for Justus, as they both attended UNC Wilmington. Though they didn’t cross paths on the same team, the familiarity is there. The other part of it is Vanderbilt is a better basketball program than Ohio State right now coming off a 27-9 record and fourth-place finish in the SEC. 

Diebler is left with a key decision to make on who his new top assistant will be. Just another task for Ohio State’s head coach in what is a crucial offseason for the Buckeyes coming off of their first NCAA Tournament bid in four seasons.  

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