Ohio State basketball lands Kentucky transfer in major portal splash
15/04/2024 21:47
The Ohio State basketball program looks to bounce back after a challenging 2023-24 season. The Buckeyes finished ninth in the Big 10 standings and failed to make the NCAA Tournament. Nevertheless, the team has made a college basketball transfer portal splash with former Kentucky basketball forward Aaron Bradshaw.
After a yearlong stint with the Wildcats, freshman big man Aaron Bradshaw has committed to Ohio State via the transfer portal, per On3. Bradshaw is a former five-star recruit and and McDonald’s All-American. He averaged 4.9 points, 3.3 assists, and 0.7 blocks in 13.8 minutes per game in 2023-24.
Bradshaw had high expectations when he arrived on the Kentucky basketball squad; however, he fractured his foot, which impacted his start to the season. The talented freshman was expected to be a huge part of the rotation and garnered NBA Draft interest as well.
He saw some action during Kentucky’s roller-coaster season, but he looks forward to a new start with Ohio State. The Buckeyes could use Bradshaw’s 7-foot-1 frame and finesse around the rim. Now that he has a year of experience and is healthy, he should take a major jump.
Bradshaw’s college basketball transfer portal decision comes just after longtime Head Coach John Calipari left Kentucky for Arkansas. Calipari had an incredible 15-year tenure and drew some of the best basketball talent in the world to Lexington. However, his last year did not go as expected.
The Wildcats earned another trip to March Madness as the No. 3 seed in the South Region but shockingly lost 80-76 to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the first round. This sparked questions about Calipari’s future with the team. When the highly regarded Arkansas job became available, he jumped at the opportunity.
Calipari’s exit sparked a flurry of transfer portal decisions, but Aaron Bradshaw’s is strategic for his growth and future.
Ohio State basketball can take a step forward amid Bradshaw’s arrival
Aaron Bradshaw will have a great teammate to battle with and learn from when he gets to Columbus.
6’11” sophomore center Felix Okpara played a vital role in the Buckeyes’ interior efforts in 2023-24. He averaged 6.6 points and 6.4 rebounds in 23.6 minutes per contest. In addition, he blocked 2.4 shots per game, which ranked him 11th among Division 1 players.
In early April, Okpara announced that he would be returning to Ohio State for his junior year. Thus, he will be a great asset to Bradshaw. If Okpara’s shot-blocking ability can rub off on Bradshaw, the Buckeyes could have one of the most feared interior defenses in the country.
Moreover, Bradshaw could get more playing time with the Buckeyes than he did with Kentucky, which will help accelerate his development. Bradshaw will have the opportunity to play with Ohio State’s other returning players, recruits, and additional college basketball transfer portal arrivals.
One player on Ohio State’s radar is USC guard Bronny James. James entered the transfer portal after a tough freshman season with the Trojans, and Ohio State is one of the betting favorites to land him.
All in all, the Buckeyes will have some promising pieces for the 2024-25 season. It will be interesting to their other additions during the offseason.
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