Kaleb Wesson Proving a Defensive Force for OSU Basketball

More mobility helping junior center avoid foul difficulties of last season

Kaleb Wesson's most eye-opening statistic might no longer be the 34 pounds he shed in the off season, nor any of the other crooked numbers that testified to his impact on 16th-ranked Ohio State's 76-51 upset of No. 10 Villanova on Wednesday.

The number that instead jumps off the page is the zero in the foul column, particularly since the 6-9 Wesson had a career-high four blocked shots to go with 10 points and 10 rebounds against a tall and rangy Nova lineup.

"He is on another level," OSU coach Chris Holtmann said of Wesson's defense this year compared to last season. "He's really committed to it. I think if I'm the next level, I look at that and say, 'Hey!

"I'm certainly not trying to push Kaleb out of our program. If I'm at the next level, I look at that and say, 'Hey, he's really moving well. He's really committed on that end."

A much heavier, much more lethargic Wesson frequently found himself in foul difficulties last season, when the Buckeyes had no viable option behind him.

He compounded those foul difficulties with a late-season suspension that kept him out of the lineup for the final three games of the regular season, all of which OSU lost badly, by an average of 20 points per-game.

That imperiled the Buckeyes' NCAA Tournament hopes, but they squeezed in and advanced past the first round.

Wesson then put his name into the NBA Draft, not seriously contemplating an exit for the NBA (which is good, because he wouldn't have been drafted), but to get input from the league about his abilities.

Not surprisingly, they told him what any Ohio State fan could have -- that he needed to get in better shape, improve his defensive footwork and polish his offensive skills.

He's done that, in ways his work ethic over his first two seasons would not have predicted.

At 255 pounds, he can move at both ends with greater effectiveness, and defensively is where that's shown up through three games.

Also, he's played 35 minutes against Cincinnati and 34 minutes against Villanova and has had 10 or more rebounds in every game entering an 8:30 p.m. home tip Monday against Stetson.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to inform you that @OhioStateHoops is still flexing on Villanova: pic.twitter.com/l54Du75GZa

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 14, 2019

His scoring has been modest so far, with 8, 13 and 10, but Holtmann isn't worried.

"He'll be our leading scorer this year," the OSU coach said. "I don't know what that will look like..15, 16?. I don't know. He's not going to average 10 for the whole year. I don't think he's too concerned about it. That won't last."

Wesson's future as an NBA player is murky. He has good touch and could be a stretch-four if shooting range were the only thing that mattered. There's more to it, however, including foot speed and ball skills to create shots.

Wesson is impressive in the low post and can score from 3-point range, but hasn't yet displayed the ability to create a shot in the open floor that he will need to get regular minutes in the NBA.

"He has the ability to face-up," Villanova coach Jay Wright said. "You fear him on the perimeter in their secondary break when he trails to shoot 3s. You respect that. You have to play him on the perimeter that way, which opens up post-ups for Young and other guys."

Wesson took 75 3-point attempts last season and made 35%. He's hit half his six tries this season.

If he continues at that rate, the trade-off from not having him in the low post will be worth it.

Still, some purists see his accomplished moves on the block and his size and envision him dominating the lane in the Big Ten, if only he'd spend more time there.

Holtmann, though, doesn't share that opinion or question Wesson's motives in wandering frequently onto the perimeter.

"I had a guy say to me, because Kaleb was shooting 3s, 'Hey, is he playing for Ohio State or is he playing for the NBA?' " Holtmann said, bristling a bit as he recalled the question. "He's 100% playing for Ohio State. That kid is playing for Ohio State. He's not thinking about anything else right now. He is 100% committed to playing for Ohio State....That kid is all about Ohio State right now."

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