A second four-star prospect has been added to Jake Diebler's first recruiting class.
Power forward A'mare Bynum committed to Ohio State on Tuesday, selecting the Buckeyes over Iowa, Colorado, LSU and Xavier. The Omaha, Nebraska product also held offers from Creighton, Iowa State, Louisville, Nebraska, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas Tech, among others.
"Coach Diebler," Bynum told Eleven Warriors when asked what attracted him to the Buckeyes. "Just talking to me a lot and Coach (Jamall) Walker talking to me a lot, building a great bond with me."
BREAKING: 4 Amare Bynum has committed to Ohio State, he tells @On3Recruits.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) October 22, 2024
The 6-8 Power Forward chose the Buckeyes over Nebraska, Xavier, others. Top-100 recruit in the 2025 class.
Story w/ quotes: https://t.co/44IKAXzuiO pic.twitter.com/Lt1DQbuLwO
Bynum is listed as a center on 247Sports but will begin his Ohio State career as a power forward, likely a better fit for his 6-foot-8, 210-pound frame and versatile athletic skill set. He's the No. 104 overall prospect and the No. 17 center in the 247Sports composite rankings.
The Bynum File
- Class: 2025
- Size: 6-8/210
- Pos: Power Forward
- School: Link Academy (Branson, Missouri)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #104 (#17 C)
Such versatility has been a calling card of Diebler's talent acquisitions to date, be they transfer portal prospects or recruits. Bynum's ability to handle the ball, pass and shoot at his size made him a priority for the Buckeyes on the recruiting trail.
The mesh between Bynum's array of skills and the way Diebler likes his forwards to wear a variety of hats was another factor that made Ohio State appealing to the prospect.
"How they use their forwards, they use them in a variety of ways and let them play," Bynum said. "Not being in a box, (being) versatile."
Bynum played his first three seasons of high school basketball with Bryan High School in Omaha, Nebraska, where he averaged an eye-popping 21.1 points, nine rebounds, two assists and 2.3 blocks per game as a junior in 2023-24. This past offseason he transferred to one of the nation's premier prep programs Link Academy, located in Branson, Missouri. He's a teammate of another priority Ohio State target in the class of 2025, guard Jerry Easter.
Bynum joins four-star guard Dorian Jones as the second commitment in Ohio State's recruiting class of 2025. The Buckeyes also hold two pledges in the 2026 class from five-star point guard Marcus Johnson, the brother of current OSU guard Meechie Johnson Jr., and three-star forward Alex Smith.
Bynum becomes the first out-of-state high school prospect to commit to Ohio State since Diebler became the Buckeyes’ head coach in March. After earning his OSU offer on June 12, Bynum took his official visit to Columbus on Oct. 4. He also took OVs to Iowa, Colorado, LSU and Xavier.
Diebler and Ohio State will likely look to add one to two more prospects to round out his first full recruiting class at the program's helm. Easter is among the team's top remaining targets, as is five-star guard Darryn Peterson, who will announce his selection from a top four of Kansas, Kansas State, Ohio State and USC on Nov. 1. Kansas is considered the favorite for Peterson.
Bynum's commitment moves Ohio State into 25th in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings, one spot behind DePaul, which is coached by former Buckeye headman Chris Holtmann.
