With Derek Funderburk already committed for 2016, Ohio State has limited flexibility going forward.
Barring transfers or any other changes, Thad Matta will only have one more scholarship to hand out in Funderburk's class – assuming D'Angelo Russell declares for the NBA Draft before his junior season. The OSU staff could go in several different directions with the final roster spot, as there won't be one glaring need.
The staff pursued Funderburk early, offered him over a year ago and were reasonably confident they could land him. In addition to him, the roster will likely feature Dave Bell, Daniel Giddens, Marc Loving and Trevor Thompson. Yet, the Buckeyes might look to bolster the front court with another versatile big man.
With that in mind, Ohio State offered Micah Potter last week. The Mentor center is currently in Italy with several other highly-ranked Ohio high school basketball players and preoccupied with the international competition he's taking part in.
Potter also has offers from Clemson, N.C. State, West Virginia and several MAC schools to consider if he feels OSU is no longer a fit. The Buckeye offer is still on the table, though, so let's take a look at Potter and how his game might translate to the next level.
Scouting Micah Potter
Potter is rated as a three-star and the No. 13 recruit in Ohio, according to 247Sports' Composite Rankings, but his potential exceeds his current ranking.
Whether he reaches it or not is an entirely different discussion.
"It's up to Micah," Mentor head coach Bob Krizancic told Eleven Warriors. "If he continues to get stronger and more explosive, he can be an impact player. He's just turning 17 this month, he has a huge upside."
Based on the progress he made his junior year, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Potter continue to blossom and attract some more college coaches this summer. He averaged 20.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game this past season, leading Mentor to the district semifinals where they lost to Warren G. Harding in OT.
This happened prior to the state tournament:
Mentor junior Micah Potter told me that Duke and Ohio State have been expressing interest.
— David Cassilo (@dcassilo) February 17, 2015
The 6-foot-10, 245-pound center might seem like an imposing force in the low post because of his size – and this photo. Like many modern big men, however, Potter is stepping out beyond the arc and is an even more intriguing prospect because of it. Although he didn't take many three-pointers, Potter hit 39 percent of his attempts.
"He has improved greatly since his freshman year," Krizancic said. "He is skilled, shoots the 3 well, handles the ball, and runs the floor."
While he adds some versatility to his game, college coaches are also noticing his demeanor.
"He is becoming a solid leader and captain," Krizancic said. "I strongly believe that he will be a much better skilled and smarter player in 2015-16."
There are no Potter highlight videos on YouTube, but you can see him battle Shaker Heights forward and West Virginia commit Esa Ahmad here – Potter is No. 1 in white:
