Both of the former five-star prospects Ohio State added via the transfer portal in Jake Diebler's first season are gone.
Forward Sean Stewart, who started 30 games at center for the Buckeyes in 2024-25, has entered the transfer portal, an Ohio State spokesperson confirmed to Eleven Warriors.
Stewart's decision comes hours before the portal officially closes at midnight Wednesday. Players have until that deadline to inform their former teams of their decision but have no deadline to select a new team.
Stewart transferred to Ohio State ahead of the 2024-25 season after spending his freshman year at Duke. He was a five-star prospect in the recruiting class of 2023. He scored 5.7 points with 5.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game in his sophomore year with the Buckeyes.
While Stewart was the Buckeyes' most efficient rebounder and interior defender in 2024-25, racking up 12.5 rebounds and 2 blocked shots per 40 minutes, his foul trouble often kept him from making significant impacts. Stewart averaged 3.4 fouls per contest and fouled out of seven games.
Center Aaron Bradshaw, also a five-star prospect from the 2023 class who transferred from Kentucky to Ohio State last year, entered the portal on April 1. Forward Evan Mahaffey, center Austin Parks and guard Meechie Johnson Jr., a fellow 2024 portal acquisition, joined him in his departure from Columbus for the portal. Each of Diebler's five portal additions from 2024 were one-and-dones for the Buckeyes as guards Micah Parrish and Ques Glover both exhausted their eligibility in 2024-25.
The Buckeyes have thus far added back former Indiana guard Gabe Cupps, former Santa Clara center Christoph Tilly and former Wright State forward Brandon Noel from the portal. With Stewart's departure, Ohio State will likely try to pick up at least two more transfers.
Tilly figures to replace Stewart at center in the Buckeyes' starting lineup for Diebler's second season. Sophomore Ivan Njegovan and incoming freshman A'mare Bynum join him on Ohio State's roster at the position.
