In case you missed it with all the flurry of roster departures and transfers as of late, the Ohio State basketball team got some more help Saturday with the announcement of Utah State graduate transfer Caleb Porter’s decision to come to Columbus. He’s got just one more season of eligibility left, but don’t discount what the news means for the program.
It won’t exactly send waves around the college basketball universe, but inside the program, Porter’s arrival fills a big need and a huge hole left with the departures as of late. You can bank on there being some high-fives and modest celebrations within the program.
Here are three things getting Porter’s commitment means for Ohio State next season.
NEXT … Andrew Dakich 2.0
His role could remind some of Andrew Dakich just two seasons ago
When head coach Chris Holtmann took over the reins of the program back in 2017, he had some similar depth issues at the guard spot — namely at point-guard. He dipped into the transfer market then as well and lifted Andrew Dakich out of maize and blue Saigon to come to Columbus.
The move proved to be an important one. Dakich didn’t wow anyone with his ability to be a scoring machine, but he provided valuable, veteran minutes. He was able to add depth as a ball-handler and had an all-around smart floor game that was a pleasant surprise.
Porter brings much of the same. He won’t be looked at to score a bushel of points or push the ball up the floor with fast-twitch ability. He’ll likely get significant minutes though — spelling point guard C.J. Walker. The coaches will ask him to make good decisions and get the ball into offensive sets.
NEXT … Scholarship limits met
Ohio State is now right at the NCAA limit of 13 scholarships
The transfer of Porter to Columbus now puts Ohio State right at the 13 scholarship limit. That means the roster is most likely set now, barring any other unforeseen cannonball dives off the program’s plank. So thankfully and somewhat mercifully, the coaching staff and players can now focus on what the future looks like rather than trying to manage the turnover in personnel.
So, you can stop looking at Twitter and other websites and publications for potential transfer decisions in and around the Buckeye program, at least for now. It’s been a wild, wild ride the last three weeks or so, and finally we can all exhale just a wee-bit.
NEXT … Wesson is gone
It’s now clear that Kaleb Wesson is probably gone
As a reminder, even though big-man Kaleb Wesson declared for the NBA draft, he did keep his eligibility in case he decided to come back after he went through all the feedback and interviews associated with the process. However, that ship seems to have sailed now.
With Ohio State at the scholarship limit, there’s really no room for him should there be a change of heart. At least not without some significant twisting of arms or other roster management decisions.
It was always unlikely that Wesson would test the waters and decide to come back two-straight years anyhow, but now it seems like a lock. The Kaleb Wesson era is over at Ohio State.
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