The Ohio State Buckeyes made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years this season and it’s a step in the right direction. Ohio State ended the season with a 22-13 record and needed to build off getting back into the postseason. 

Ohio State fell 66-64 to TCU in the first round of the tournament, and it made two straight losses after falling to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament. 

With the season over for the Buckeyes, all attention turns to roster retention and the transfer portal ahead. 

Ohio State F Devin Royal could be a player exiting in the transfer portal 

Taking a look at Ohio State’s roster for next season, their most important tasks this offseason are retaining John Mobley Jr. and Amare Bynum. Those two along with incoming five-star SF Anthony Thompson figure to be three starters, and the Buckeyes need to add a center and another guard to round out the starting five. 

Royal could be the odd man out at Ohio State and it makes sense for him to possibly be heading elsewhere when the portal opens on April 7. The Columbus area native has spent his first three seasons at Ohio State and he’s started 59 games over the past two years. If Royal is to return to Columbus for the 2026-2027 season, it’ll have to be for a bench role. 

Bringing Royal off the bench would be the best-case scenario for the Buckeyes because he could be a force there. Royal has averaged 13.7 points per game over each of the last two seasons. The 6-foot-6 forward has averaged 4.4 rebounds per game over the last two years and is a solid free-throw shooter in his career at 77 percent. With today’s era of NIL, Royal maximizing value in his last season would be ideal. 

Royal is an undersized power forward and doesn’t really have the game to be a wing player who can handle the ball at times. Thompson would be a much better fit for Ohio State alongside Bynum and a Big next season with his all-around ability as a wing-forward. 

Ohio State landed Royal in the class of 2023 and he was a top 50 player coming out of Pickerington Central. Royal has played in a total of 96 games with Ohio State, including 59 starts. 

The Buckeyes are going to have a busy couple of weeks once the portal opens, but don’t be surprised to see them lose a player who has been a key starter under Jake Diebler. 

Ohio State Buckeyes News

Ohio State basketball has wasted no time in targeting one of the best players in the transfer portal following NCAA Tournament loss

Jake Diebler and the Buckeyes are already targeting a transfer to make changes to the roster following the March Madness loss to TCU.

Brandon Little