Best (adjective): of the most excellent, effective, or desirable type or quality.
Ohio State basketball has always been overshadowed by one of the most legendary teams in sports history; a team known for hanging banners and churning out some of the most talented players at the collegiate level. Since Thad Matta arrived in Columbus in 2004 though, his program has nearly caught up to that same level of relevance.
Although fans don't quite flock to the Schott in the same manner in which they might to the 'Shoe, Matta's teams have consistently fought for titles both at the Big Ten, with five regular season and four tournament titles, and on the national stage with two Final Four appearances. But it's fair to say that Matta has truly excelled at churning out top-end talent, seeing multiple All-Americans, national and conference players-of-the-year, and five NBA lottery picks pass through his locker room at Value City Arena.
So much success has raised the expectations of his program, to the point that many supporters are calling this year's 22-8 campaign a 'down' year as they head to Chicago for this week's Big Ten tournament. Buckeye fans are used to seeing their team listed as a top seed in the NCAA tournament and receiving home-court advantage the top billing at nearby first round stops in Cleveland or Dayton, not earning the sixth seed in the conference.
But this truly has been a special season for Ohio State basketball, and especially their fans, regardless of how far they advance in either tournament. This year brought the latest, and perhaps the greatest yet, in a long line of special players to have suited up for Matta, D'Angelo Russell.
In the Buckeyes' early season matchup with Louisville, it was evident to everyone in the arena who was the best player on the court. Three Buckeye seniors consistently deferred to their freshman guard to lead the fight back on the road against one of the top teams in the nation.
Though the effort came up short, Russell announced his presence on the national stage with a 17-6-6 line. Louisville big man Montrezl Harrell may have entered the evening as the game's marquis player, but it was Russell that had the attention of fans, reporters, and scouts alike afterwards.
Russell joined the Buckeyes this summer as the 16th-ranked player in 247sports' national composite rankings. Though Russell stood out to some recruiting analysts, many saw him as just another member of a Montverde Academy program that has produced a number of talented players like Kentucky's Dakari Johnson and 2015's top player, Ben Simmons.
Matta has drawn the ire of some traditionalists that don't approve of the 'one-and-done' philosophy adopted in places like Lexington, Kentucky, recruiting the top players in the country knowing they won't be sticking around for more than one year. The 2007 Buckeyes made it all the way to the final game of the NCAA tournament thanks in large part to Greg Oden, Mike Conley, and DaeQuan Cook, all three of whom would join the professional ranks shortly thereafter.
None of those three had the same effect Russell has had each night, as Oden battled injuries, Conley split point guard duties with JaMar Butler, and Cook was the team's sixth man. While few expect this year's team to reach the same heights as that one, it's clear that Russell plays a much larger role than any of those three played during their lone seasons in Columbus.
Matta appeared to secure the services of another potential one-and-done player in 2010, when Columbus native Jared Sullinger stayed home to play for his older brother's former coach. Sullinger received numerous national awards at the high school level, and was the second-ranked player overall in his class by ESPN.
Flanked by a cast of fellow talented recruits like DeShaun Thomas and Aaron Craft, Sullinger joined upperclassmen David Lighty, Jon Diebler, and William Buford to create what appeared to be Matta's best team ever. That Buckeye squad entered the NCAA tournament as the top overall seed with only two blemishes on their record to go along with countless blowouts, some of which were more satisfying than others.
But thanks to some seeding quirks, the Matta's squad ran into a Kentucky team in the Sweet Sixteen that featured some talent of its own, knocking the Buckeyes out early and destroying thousands of brackets in the process. But Sullinger came as advertised, earning first-team all-america status to go along with a slew of freshman honors.
Sullinger surprised many by coming back for his sophomore year, hoping to develop his game more for the next level, as the undersized big man lacked the natural size to play on the post in the NBA. After adding a three-point shot to his arsenal, the Columbus Northland alum provided a consistent 17 points and ten rebounds per game while leading the Buckeyes to the Final Four before falling to Kansas and fellow all-american big man Thomas Robinson.
While Sullinger was the foundation of the Buckeye attack, he rarely was surrounded by shooters to stretch the defense and allow him to avoid double-teams. Russell, meanwhile, has had little consistent support from his teammates this winter, seeing only Sam Thompson average double-digits in points column, while outside threat Marc Loving has yet to regain the form he showed in the first half of the season as an outside shooter.
Whether acting as the primary ball handler or playing as a catch-and-shoot player on the wing, Russell has been the only consistent driver of the OSU offense, failing to score less than ten points only once while wearing the scarlet and gray. Every opponent game plan has been built to slow him down, and only few of them have actually worked.
One major factor is Russell's ability to find his teammates when defenses are focused on him, delivering countless passes that few guards would ever attempt. His game is more diverse and well-rounded than many realize, ranking in the top ten in the conference in points, three-point shooting, assists, defensive rebounds, and steals.
In this manner, Ohio State fans have seen only one player that has played a similar role for Matta. While D'Angelo Russell has yet to be the focus of a best-selling tell-all authored by one of his teammates, Russell has been just as critical to his team's success as Evan Turner was to the 2010 Buckeyes.
Turner led his team to the Sweet Sixteen a year before Sullinger's arrival with many of the same teammates, filling the gap between the super recruiting classes by becoming the national player of the year. As a junior, the Chicago native consistently took over games on both ends of the floor by running the point on offense end while defending many opposing power forwards.
Though Turner's most memorable moment came in an early round conference tournament game, his postseason career was largely forgettable. After bowing out in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2009 at the hands of mighty Siena, Turner and the second-seeded Buckeyes ended their season a week earlier than expected thanks to the sixth seed in the midwest, Tennessee.
Turner was truly a force to be reckoned with that season, putting up 20 points, nine rebounds, and six assists per game. Much like Russell, pro scouts flocked to OSU games to catch a glimpse of the eventual second overall pick in the NBA draft that summer.
While Russell could very well hear his name called in the same slot this June, he likely won't pick up the same amount of hardware. Though the Big Ten is having a down year from an overall quality standpoint, they do feature one of the nation's best teams, whose best player has put up gaudy numbers of his own. Russell is a finalist for national player and freshman of the year, but likely won't even be recognized as the conference player of the year.
But awards don't always tell the full story. Turner's freakish season came in an usually weak year talent-wise, with only John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins making waves at the next level. While Turner would still be a high pick if theoretically placed in this year's class, but his lack of a consistent outside shot would have made it very difficult for scouts to place him in the top two.
Turner also had the benefit of playing with better talent. Lighty, Diebler, and Buford all averaged 10+ points-per-game that season, allowing the oversized point guard to force his way inside over and over before kicking it out to one of those dependable outside shooters. Russell, as discussed, hasn't had the same luxury.
He's has emerged as one of the best shooters in the country, a skill that becomes more and more important as coaches have embraced advanced metrics and come to rely more heavily on three-point shooting. Though Turner shot 36% from three-point territory in 2010, his inability to beat teams from deep has been one of the reasons he's failed to stick with any team at the professional level, struggling to consistently produce offense without beating his man off the dribble and driving inside.
Barring a freak injury, Russell will be the eighth first-round and fourth lottery draft pick Matta has sent to the NBA from Columbus. The silky smooth lefty has drawn comparisons to James Harden, though often mainly due to size and the simple fact that they're both left-handed.
But the Harden comparisons are legitimate, as both players are athletic combo guards that can excel at both handling the ball and shooting from the outside. While Russell certainly has a long way to go before becoming an NBA MVP candidate, he may be the best bet for success we've seen wearing an OSU uniform.
Of all the players mentioned, Conley has had by far the best pro career of any former Buckeye, playing a critical role for a Memphis team that has emerged as a serious title contender. Though projecting professional success clearly doesn't always equate to what a player has accomplished at the collegiate level, it acts as a good litmus test when comparing players that may didn't play side-by-side.
But each of these players had a major hole that needed to be addressed at the next level, from injury or athleticism fears to shooting ability. Russell doesn't have any such glaring holes in his game. He still has room to grow, especially defensively, but he may have the most impressive ratio of potential and existing skill.
Sadly, we only get a handful of games to watch him in a Buckeye uniform. Instead of picking apart this team for its weaknesses as we head further into March, I recommend focusing on what's in front of us: one of the best players we may ever see wear the scarlet and gray.
