The first two pieces of Ohio State basketball's 2024 recruiting class are officially heading to Columbus.
Juni Mobley and Colin White signed their National Letters of Intent to play for the Buckeyes on Wednesday, college basketball's National Signing Day.
Mobley is a four-star prospect out of Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah. He is considered the No. 47 overall recruit, No. 6 combo guard and No. 1 player out of Utah in the class of 2024 by the 247Sports composite rankings. With a 6-0, 150-pound frame, point guard appears to be the most likely position for Mobley as he starts his collegiate career.
Buckeye Nation, help us officially welcome @JohnPaulMobley1 to the family! #GoBucks #NationalSigningDay pic.twitter.com/Xv4Ajt0HXi
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 8, 2023
Oct. 16 marked one year since Mobley committed to Ohio State back in 2022. He was the first pledge the Buckeyes picked up in their 2024 class, and they beat out Arizona State, LSU and Creighton, among others, for his services.
Mobley averaged 20.1 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals per game during his 2022-23 campaign at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. He transferred to Wasatch ahead of his senior season in June.
@ChrisHoltmann on the exciting addition of @JohnPaulMobley1 to Ohio State #NationalSigningDay #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/CeYiSej3iK
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 9, 2023
“We’re really excited about the addition of Juni Mobley to the Buckeye family,” Chris Holtmann said in a video posted by Ohio State on Wednesday. “He’s going to be a lot of fun for our fans to watch. He’s a dynamic perimeter player and has playmaking skills. He is an elite shooter.”
White is a three-star recruit out of Ottawa-Glandorf High School in Ottawa, Ohio. He is ranked No. 169 overall in the class, No. 33 at small forward and No. 7 out of The Buckeye State.
Excited to officially welcome @colinwhite22 to the Buckeye Family!#NationalSigningDay #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/hUnHwAubkr
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 8, 2023
Ohio State didn't offer White until July 20 of this year, and at that time White already held offers from Butler, Cincinnati, Nebraska, Northwestern, West Virginia and Wisconsin, among others. But White grew up rooting for the Buckeyes and told Eleven Warriors in June that an Ohio State offer would "mean everything" to him. He eventually committed to Ohio State in August.
Head Coach @ChrisHoltmann on the addition of @ColinWhite21 #NationalSigningDay | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/LaAAXxg3tH
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 8, 2023
“We’re really excited about Colin White,” Holtmann said. “Colin has toughness, he’s obviously an Ohio kid, plays in a great program at Ottawa-Glandorf ... Ohio kid that loves Ohio State and has really just gotten better and better and better. He’s got good size and good length at the wing. Tough kid, physical, can shoot the ball, has versatility and positional size.”
White will be a factor on the wing for the Buckeyes, standing at 6-6, 180. The coaching staff previously told him they like his ability to get to the rim and play multiple spots along the wing, but he'll need to hone his defense and shooting as time progresses.
"He might not play right away, but his ability to develop and play as he gets older is going to be important," a source told Eleven Warriors about White in July. "If he didn’t play for a non-circuit AAU team for 15u and 16u he would be a top-100 player."
With Mobley and White, Ohio State currently holds the No. 38 recruiting class in 2024 after finishing No. 8 back-to-back years in 2022 and 2023. There's still a chance that ranking could improve, however, as the Buckeyes are still pushing to secure a pledge from one of the nation's top standouts.
That player is Jayden Quaintance, a five-star prospect from Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina. Quaintance recently dropped a top four that included Ohio State alongside Kentucky, Florida and Missouri.
NEWS: 2024 Top-10 prospect Jayden Quaintance is down to four schools and will no longer consider the G-League Ignite pathway, per his coach.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) November 6, 2023
The 16-year-old must complete two years of college before being NBA Draft eligible in 2026.
Story: https://t.co/Qvh1plGEY0 pic.twitter.com/yCM4egK7cO
If Ohio State does add a third player to the 2024 class, it’s expected to be a big man. Quaintance is the only uncommitted 2024 post player who currently holds an offer from the Buckeyes.
The No. 9 prospect and No. 2 center in the class of 2024, Quaintance reclassified from the class of 2025 in July. He has roots and family in Ohio, where his dad, Haminn Quaintance, played college basketball for Kent State. Haminn told The Columbus Dispatch that the Buckeyes are a "serious contender" for his son's services in August. Quaintance visited Ohio State on Sept. 9.
If Ohio State were able to land Quaintance, it would vault from having the No. 38 class in 2024 all the way to No. 22 as things currently stand in the 247Sports composite.