Ohio State's Roddy Gayle Jr. Becomes Third Buckeye to Enter Transfer Portal

The Ohio State Buckeyes are losing a key starter.

Roddy Gayle Jr. is leaving the program after two years. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

An Ohio State Buckeyes star is on his way to the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Ohio State sophomore guard Roddy Gayle Jr. is entering the transfer portal, as confirmed by Ohio State athletics Wednesday.

Gayle was the third-leading scorer for Ohio State this season, putting up 13.5 points per game and 4.6 rebounds on 44.9 percent shooting from the field and 83.2 percent from the free throw line.

Mar 26, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Roddy Gayle Jr. (1) shoots over Georgia / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

After playing less than 17 minutes per game his freshman year, Gayle saw the floor much more as a sophomore, succeeding in a backcourt with fellow sophomore Bruce Thornton.

Gayle played in every game this season, improving his game at both ends of the floor to become a very well-rounded player. His scoring stayed consistent the whole season and he would often be assigned to the opposing team's top scorer in the backcourt.

The Niagara Falls, New York, native arrived in Columbus as the No. 3 shooting guard in the country ready for whatever then-coach Chris Holtmann threw at him. This season, there was a clear jump in his confidence both on and off the court, becoming a downhill force when attacking the rim.

Gayle was not a name that loomed around the transfer portal, bringing up speculation surrounding whether he was leaving the program because Meechie Johnson Jr. is returning for his fifth year to the program. Johnson was the leading scorer for six-seeded South Carolina in the NCAA Tournament.

Gayle joins freshman Scotty Middleton and sophomore Bowen Hardman as the third guard to leave the Buckeye program.

With senior Dale Bonner also graduating from the program, only Thornton and Johnson are left among those who earned big minutes last season. Freshman Taison Chatman also remains with the program.