It has been much discussed that Ohio State returns its top-six scorers — including the entire starting five — to the hardwood next season. The Buckeyes know where the bulk of their points, rebounds and assists are going to come from.
But following one mid-season transfer and three after the season, one of the biggest question marks surrounding Ohio State next year is the team's overall depth. Outside of those top-six scorers, the Buckeyes have just David Bell currently on campus as a scholarship player.
Help is on the way, however, in the form of a four-man 2016 recruiting class. And because of Ohio State’s lack of bodies, there’s going to be a need for immediate contributions from at least a couple of those players.
How much? That’s still to be determined. But there’s no question at least some combination of Derek Funderburk, Micah Potter, Andre Wesson and C.J. Jackson will need to contribute next year for the Buckeyes. The numbers suggest this must happen.
Funderburk is the highest-rated recruit among the four, so we’ll start with him. A 6-foot-9 forward out of Cleveland who spent his final high school season playing at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia, Funderburk is a little different than Bell and Trevor Thompson — the other two bigs currently on the Buckeyes’ roster. He’s an athletic player who may transition more to playing on the wing rather than the post and Ohio State assistant coach Dave Dickerson is a big believer in Funderburk’s potential.
“Derek is going to be anything he wants to be,” Dickerson said recently. “He’s athletic, he’s got great range, he can guard maybe two or three different positions. I think Derek is going to be one of those guys that’s going to be able to play multiple positions at Ohio State.
“Who he works with is going to be dependent on what day it is. Obviously, we’re excited about his versatility and that’s the biggest thing that he’s going to bring to the program.”
Buckeyes head coach Thad Matta believes Funderburk’s athleticism will allow him to be a high-level defender, if nothing else, for Ohio State as a freshman.
“Derek has the ability, a great body, very athletic,” Matta said. “He’s so long I think he can be a great defender.”
C.J. Jackson is different than Funderburk, Potter and Wesson in the sense that he only has three years of eligibility remaining. Jackson is a junior college transfer who spent last season at Eastern Florida State College and will be considered a sophomore when he arrives at Ohio State.
Jackson seems like a surefire candidate to play next season out of sheer necessity. A.J. Harris’ transfer from the program after the season left the Buckeyes with just two scholarship guards — JaQuan Lyle and Kam Williams — and of those two, only Lyle is capable of running the point. Jackson seems like he will step right in as Ohio State’s backup point guard next season and he will provide the team with another long-range shooting option.
“C.J. is a really good shooter,” Buckeyes assistant coach Greg Paulus said. “Him being able to stretch the defense, understanding how to play, he’s a guy that when all the players come back that first week of June you always like to see and get excited about where they are and where they can be.”
“I think from the standpoint of he’s an older kid, I love the fact that he played for his dad in high school, was at Montverde for one year then going to junior college,” Matta added. “And anybody that can make 100 3s in a season is pretty special so he can definitely shoot the basketball.”
Like Funderburk, Potter is a different big than Ohio State already has on its roster. He has quite the range for 6-foot-11 and can already step out and shoot the ball from behind the 3-point line as an advanced offensive player. Where Potter may need to improve to see the floor next year is at the defensive end.
But the staff still likes the offensive skill set he will bring to the table.
“I think Micah, he’s sort of taken the offseason — they played up until April and he had a phenomenal season — but his body and his ability to shoot the basketball,” Matta said. “He can really stretch a defense with the 3-point shot.”
Wesson was added late to Ohio State’s class and, as a versatile 6-foot-7 guard/forward, the Westerville South star could be an impact defender right from the get-go. Wesson doesn’t figure to play a huge role for the Buckeyes as a freshman as he fits in behind Marc Loving, Keita Bates-Diop and Jae'Sean Tate, but he’s a guy that could certainly develop into an all-conference defender down the road and is a capable 3-point shooter, as well.
“I think this about Andre: I’m very excited to get him,” Matta said. “I love the fact that he wins, playing for Westerville South and the job that Coach [Ed] Calo does. I’ve been to their practices, he’s been coached. He’s got a terrific shot, he can really score the basketball for how tall he is. I was a little taken back by how he is 6-foot-7. Defensively, I think he’s going to fall in those lines of guys that can guard multiple positions as well as play multiple positions offensively.”
