Ohio State basketball recruiting update

Even though it’s the first week of college football and the content here at Land-Grant Holy Land will be up there with the best of it, we figured we would still give you some updates on the hardwood for the Buckeyes.

As you know by now (and if you don’t you have not been reading enough LGHL), Ohio State basketball has the No. 1 recruiting class in the country for 2022, according to the good people at 247Sports. The class currently consists of three-star guard Bowen Hardman, four star guard Roddy Gayle, four-star forward Felix Okpara and five-star guard Bruce Thornton.

With the recent addition of Okpara, that made a lot of these guys non-options because with the new COVID free year of eligibility, it is hard for coaches to know how many roster spots they will have to actually fill next season.

However, it has been somewhat of a tough past two weeks for the Buckeyes as multiple targets in the 2022 class have narrowed their lists and left the Buckeyes on the outside looking in. This is around the time that the 2022 recruits will really start to narrow their lists and coaches will start to be able to see which guys they legitimately have a shot at moving forward.

Chris Livingston

2022’s No. 4 overall recruit and the top recruit in the state of Ohio, Chris Livingston, narrowed his list down to the G-League, Georgetown, Memphis, Kentucky and Tennessee State.

Ohio State was always viewed as having an outside chance at Livingston and not a favorite, but with the top class in 2022 right now, some people thought the Buckeyes might have a chance at the 6-foot-6 forward. Livingston averaged 31 points and 15 rebounds per game and was named runner up in the Ohio Mr. Basketball race, behind Ohio State freshman Malaki Branham.

Jarace Walker

Walker is another top recruit that the Buckeyes were eyeing, and Walker visited Columbus in June. However, Walker recently narrowed his list down to seven teams and the Buckeyes were not one of them.

Alabama, Auburn, Houston, LSU, Maryland, Texas and the G-League Ignite are his seven options that he will consider collegiately and professionally.

Patrick Wessler

Wessler is a three-star center that most people considered out of the running with the addition of Okpara, but he recently narrowed his collegiate list to Providence, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, NC State and USC, eliminating the Buckeyes officially.

Commitments

Three other Buckeye targets recently made the college decisions, with Isaac Traudt heading to Virginia, Tarris Reed deciding to head to Michigan and Kyle Filipowski heading to Duke.

Who’s left?

Dillon Mitchell is the key piece left that the Buckeyes want to add. The only thing missing in this class is an elite wing player and two-way player, and that is what Mitchell is. AJ Casey is the top guy left they have to a chance with, as he narrowed his list to eight in August and the Buckeyes did make that list. Casey is more of an outside shot, but as long as Mitchell does not head to Overtime Elite, the Buckeyes are a favorite along with Tennessee.

Stay locked in to LGHL for all things relating to Buckeyes football and basketball and all other sports as the fall season gets going.