Breaking down 2022 five-star Ohio State basketball target Jalen Washington

Chris Holtmann has set his sights on major targets for the Buckeye basketball program for the foreseeable future and the latest offer to 2022 forward Jalen Washington is certainly no exception.

The Buckeyes are the latest to offer the five-star prospect from Gary, Indiana’s West Side High School and join a slew of teams — particularly from the Big Ten — who are vying for his skillset. Washington is a 6-foot-9, 220-pound power forward that can spread the floor and knock down shots while also making plays for himself and his teammates.

Washington currently holds offers from Stanford, Penn State, Illinois, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Michigan State, Purdue, Alabama, Louisville and Indiana; amongst others.

Even though the sky is the limit for Washington and he is a highly valued recruit, the junior only played seven games through his first two prep seasons due to injury. He fractured his shoulder during his freshman season and then missed his entire sophomore campaign after tearing his ACL.

Despite those setbacks, he has put on a show through the AAU circuit and has caught the attention of just about every college coach in the country.

Washington averaged 12.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 49% from the field, 79% at the free-throw line and 40% on three-pointers. He also anchored West Side’s defense with 27 blocks. An all-around player that helped lead his team to their first sectional and regional titles in 16 years.

Washington currently ranks 20th in the 2022 class by 247 sports and 27th by ESPN. With Ohio State’s lack of recruiting top big guys recently, Washington’s recruitment will be an interesting one to keep an eye on.

As of now, Chris Holtmann has the No. 1 recruiting class in the country with pledges from four-star guards Roddy Gayle Jr. (No. 41 nationally) and Bruce Thornton (No. 59), as well as three-star guard Bowen Hardman.

With Kyle Young playing his final year of eligibility in 2021-22 and the potential for E.J. Liddell to depart following his junior season (should he return to Columbus in the first place), finding another capable big man to add into the front court with Zed Key has to be a huge priority for the Buckeyes’ 2022 class.

Check out some of Washington’s highlights: