We’ve already taken a look at the Ohio State football All-Decade Team, both on the offense and defense, and now we’re going to identify the starting five players for hoops from the years 2010-2019. It’s absolutely ridiculous when you start looking at all the phenomenal basketball players that came through the program during the decade — especially early on.
That means some really good Buckeye hoopsters won’t get on this team, but it would be one heck of a bench.
The drill is not to determine the best five of the decade, but rather the best at each position. We’ll pick a point guard, shooting guard, two wings, and a big man, but even that is a bit squishy with the multiple roles and positions of today’s game.
So here it is, the Buckeyes Wire All-Decade Ohio State basketball starting five.
Next … The point guard
Point Guard – Aaron Craft (2010-2014)
There’s really no question here. Craft wasn’t an elite scorer at the point guard position, but he was gritty and savvy, and tough buckets when needed. More than anything though, there may not have been a better defender in all of college basketball through the last decade, not just on Ohio State’s team. After all, he’s the career leader in steals in Columbus.
But his offense was underrated. He only averaged 8.9 points per game, but he had a bushel of assists, so much so that he’s the program leader with 694 total. He will always be one of Buckeye Nation’s favorite players of all time because of the heart and effort he put forward for four years.
Next … Shooting Guard
Shooting Guard – D’Angelo Russell (2014-2015)
You could make a case for Russell at point guard, but he played off the ball as well. He may have only created magic for one year in Columbus, but it was a fantastic one. During the 2014-15 season, he led the team with 19.3 points per contest and was honored as an All-Big Ten First Team and Freshman of the Year selection. But that’s not all, he also averaged 5 assists and shot 41.1 percent from beyond the arc.
If Ohio State had anything around him during that one year, it could have done more than simply make the NCAA Tournament. As it was, it was still a fun year with a lot of smooth moves and a lot of scoring from Russell. He took that to the NBA where he developed into an All-Star last season.
Next … Small forward
Small Forward – Jon Diebler (2007-2011)
You have to have a sharpshooter to stretch things out for this team that’s going to have some dynamic athletes spreading the floor. He may not be the most obvious pick from a lot of folks, but what better player to bomb away from deep than the Big Ten’s all-time leader in three-pointers made?
Simply put, leaving Jon Diebler open was bad news for teams when he was dialed in. He only averaged 10.7 points for his career, and 12.6 his senior season, but he made an unheard-of 50.2 percent of his three-pointers in 2010-2011. And that’s even more ridiculous when you realize he shot over 227 shots from beyond the arc his senior season.
We may never see another player fill it up from deep like Diebler did.
Next … The power forward
Power Forward – Keita Bates-Diop (2014-2018)
It took a bit for Bates-Diop to realize his potential, battling injuries throughout his career, but he became the Big Ten’s Player of the year during his 2017-2018 senior campaign. Bates-Diop averaged 19.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest to lead the team.
He had the length and shooting ability to be a matchup nightmare, and made the best of it against opposing defenders in the Big Ten. Truth be known, Chris Holtmann’s first team in Columbus didn’t have that much talent, but just missed out on a regular-season Big Ten title largely because of Bates-Diop and what he meant that year.
Next … The big man
Center/Forward – Jared Sullinger (2010-2012)
Sullinger came out of Northland High School in Columbus as a rare five-star recruit and didn’t disappoint. He flashed on the scene from game one his freshman season and surprised everyone by coming back for his sophomore season where he had an almost identical stat line as the previous year.
For his career, Sullinger almost averaged a double-double with 17.3 points and 9.7 rebounds. He led Ohio State to the Final Four in the 2011-2012 season where it lost to Kansas by two points. He was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2010-2011. That year might have been the best Ohio State team of the decade, but a heartbreaking last-second loss to Kentucky in the Sweet-Sixteen ended things prematurely.
