Ranking the top 10 Ohio State men’s basketball players over the past decade

The Ohio State men’s basketball team is struggling. They’ve lost six of their past seven games and look to be headed towards their second straight year of missing the NCAA tournament. With the pressure mounting on head coach Chris Holtmann, we thought we’d reminisce on better days and count down the best 10 players that Buckeye fans have been able to experience over the past 10 seasons.

To be eligible for the list, players must have been in the program at some point since the 2014-15 season. That means that the stars of the early 2010s such as Jared Sullinger, Aaron Craft, and Evan Turner will not be eligible. Additionally, players will be judged on a combination of statistics, role, talent, team success, and longevity with the program.

No. 10: Marc Loving (2013-17)

We start off the list with a player that played in a rather forgettable period of Ohio State basketball. The team was decent in his freshman and sophomore seasons, but Loving was not a key player until his junior and senior years. The Buckeyes failed to make the tournament in both of those years, causing Loving’s time to be semi-forgotten.

However, Loving did put up some strong statistics in those years, averaging 14.0 points as a junior and 12.3 as a senior. He was a 37% career three-point shooter, and was often able to use his long, 6’7’’ frame to get his shot off over defenders. While not the most athletic player, he liked to get to a smooth mid-range jumper that became very difficult to guard. Once again, Loving’s time as a go-to scorer for the Buckeyes gets forgotten about due to their lack of success, but his abilities with his shot put him on the back end of the list.

No. 9: Jae’Sean Tate (2014-18)

A guy that has been a delightful late-bloomer in the NBA, Tate’s game was as different from Loving’s as possible. A 6’4’’ forward, Tate was the ultimate glue guy for the Buckeyes in his four years. He started in 16 games as a freshman and every game of his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons and averaged in double figures for his final three seasons, including averaging 14.3 points per game as a junior. He did it all, as his rebounding, defensive capabilities, and high basketball IQ made him a must-play guy in his four years.

A senior in Holtmann’s first season, Tate was instrumental in guiding the Buckeyes back to the NCAA tournament for the first time in three years. He exemplified himself as a leader, as his willingness to do whatever it took to win made him a fan-favorite throughout his time in Columbus.

No. 8: Malaki Branham (2021-22)

It was a difficult choice, having to choose between Branham and Tate, but Branham’s overall talent put him over the top. In his lone season with the Buckeyes, Branham was statistically spectacular, averaging 13.7 points on 50% shooting from the field and 42% from three. He was instrumental in Ohio State’s success that year, as his ability to score from all three levels made him a nightmare to guard. He provided instant offense and without him, the ‘22 season would be looked on very differently.

Unfortunately for Buckeye fans, Branham’s breakout freshman season led him to a first-round draft pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. If he had stayed for at least one more year it is all but certain that he would be much, much higher on this list.

No. 7: Bruce Thornton (2022-present)

This selection has the potential to rub some people the wrong way, as the Buckeyes have been as bad as they’ve been in recent memory during Thornton’s two seasons with the program. However, the lack of success can hardly be chalked up to Thornton, whose abilities have kept them in games and will continue to do so.

The first point guard on the list, Thornton isn’t the most athletic player, nor the best passer, but his quality as a scorer is difficult to match. Having started every game of his career, Thornton has taken it up a notch this season, averaging 15.7 points per game amidst an offensive scheme that clearly does not work. Thornton is among the best shooters on the list, and also has the intelligence and ability to get to and finish at the rim. If Thornton stays at Ohio State (fingers-crossed) there is no reason at all why he won’t continue to grow as a player, and if so it’s a pretty good bet to say that we’ll look back on this list in a couple of years and question why he wasn’t higher.

No. 6: Brice Sensabaugh (2022-23)

Another guy who wasn’t in a Buckeye uniform for long, Sensabaugh was a sensation in his freshman season. His average of 16.3 points per game and 48% from the field along with 41% from three made him a first round draft pick after his lone season with the Buckeyes. For most of the year, Sensabaugh was honestly the only reason Ohio State could win a game. Like Thornton, he won’t be punished for the team’s lack of success, as he was the one keeping them afloat. It’s honestly a little sad to think about what things could have been like if he played in a different year, as the poor coaching and personnel choices significantly bogged down what could have been a generational season.

No. 5: Kaleb Wesson (2017-20)

An undersized center, Wesson had as much skill in the post as anyone in all of college basketball. A freshman in Holtmann’s first season, Wesson started all but four games in his three-year career and was an integral part of the program from the very beginning. He averaged double-digits in all three years and as a sophomore averaged a career-best 14.6 points per game. 

Wesson was also a beast on the glass despite being slightly undersized and not known for his athleticism, as he averaged 9.3 rebounds as a junior. His three-point shot also drastically improved as he came into college hardly ever taking threes and by the time he was a junior he shot 42% on over three attempts from deep per game. Just to make it clear: that’s an incredible improvement. With the onset of COVID-19 causing the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Tournament, Wesson was robbed of his final chance to compete, after his team qualified in his first two seasons with the program.

No. 4: Duane Washington Jr. (2018-21)

Washington is the perfect example of a guy whose patience rewarded him. After coming off the bench as a freshman, he stuck with the program and averaged double-figures as a sophomore before having his breakout season as a junior. In that year, he was the leading scorer on the best Buckeye team on this list: the 2021 team that was a #2 seed and caught a bad break with a dangerous Oral Roberts team in the first round.

In Washington’s big junior year, he averaged 16.4 points a game and in many fans eyes was the embodiment of fun and swagger. He could score from anywhere and had ridiculous range, adding an electricity to the game that could be felt anytime he touched the ball. He could play both point and shooting guard, and his passion that he brought to Ohio State’s success made him a fan favorite that should never be forgotten.

No. 3: D’Angelo Russell (2014-15)

You didn’t think we’d forget about this guy, did you? With all due respect to all of the other players on this list, Russell was just a talent that was a tier above everyone else that has come through the program in at least the past 10 years, maybe even more. A highly touted freshman, Russell came in and immediately averaged 19.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. Those numbers made him a consensus All-American and he carried a subpar team to the NCAA tournament. The tournament berth would be former head coach Thad Matta’s last with the program.

After all that, it’s probably safe to say that many people think that he should take the top spot on this list and while he had more than enough talent to do so, he just wasn’t a Buckeye for long enough. He was the #2 pick in the draft right after his freshman season, and it is by no means a stretch to say that if he had stuck around all four years, he could have been the greatest player in Ohio State history.

No. 2: Keita Bates-Diop (2014-18)

Another example of the rewards of sticking around, Bates-Diop went from a few really cared about to a consensus All-American in just one season. He was stuck in mediocrity for his freshman and sophomore seasons before missing almost the entirety of his junior year with injuries, so nobody saw his sort of senior year coming. He was perhaps the best two-way player in all of college basketball, averaging 19.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game to go along with 0.9 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. His athletic 6’7’’ frame made him a nightmare both to guard and be guarded by.

His senior season was also Holtmann’s first season as coach, and he was the key factor in leading the Buckeyes back to the NCAA tournament. They were a #5 seed and dispatched by Gonzaga in the second-round, but not without a monstrous fight from Bates-Diop who scored 28 points in his final game.

No. 1: EJ Liddell (2019-22)

Liddell, while not having the flashiness like guys such as Washington and Russell, clearly has the best resume out of anyone on the list. He played a key role off the bench as a freshman, and took a massive leap as a sophomore, averaging 16.2 points on that great 2021 team. He then stuck around and put together a truly monster junior year. In his final year with the program, Liddell averaged 19.4 points per game, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and an insane 2.6 blocks. He’s 6’7’’!

Liddell played as an undersized power forward, but his offensive bag was deep. He liked to catch it at the midpost and from there it was over for any defender courageous enough to try and guard him. He could go through your chest and score a layup, hit a fadeaway jumper, pull a spin move, pump fake, among many other moves. You name it, he could do it. Liddell’s statistically dominant sophomore and junior seasons combined with the success of the program in his time in Columbus make him the top choice for the best player over the past ten seasons of Ohio State basketball. Hopefully in ten more years we can check back into a national championship! It’s unlikely, but hey, why not dream?