Transfers Bring Versatility, Tournament Experience to Help Boost Ohio State Back to March

Jake Diebler has brought in new players to bring Ohio State back to its winning ways.

Jul 9, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Micah Parrish dribbles during a summer workout in the practice gym at the Schottenstein Center. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes made some big-time moves this offseason.

In addition to the four freshmen on the roster, head coach Jake Diebler pooled from teams all over the country and has seemingly assembled a young, yet simultaneously experienced, team.

Ohio State brought in players from the Southeastern Conference, Mountain West, Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 — it goes without saying that Diebler’s intention is to bring the Buckeyes back to the NCAA Tournament with players who have experience playing in March.

Apart from Meechie Johnson Jr. — who returned to Ohio State after two years at South Carolina — the Buckeyes also reeled in Kansas State’s Ques Glover and San Diego State’s Micah Parrish to help Johnson and returner Bruce Thornton in the backcourt, as well as Kentucky’s Aaron Bradshaw and Duke’s Sean Stewart to help in the frontcourt.

Mar 7, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Florida Gators guard Ques Glover (0) dives for a loose ball against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images / Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Glover, who didn’t get to play in Manhattan, Kansas, because of an injury last season, spent his first two years at Florida before transferring to Samford. There, the six-foot guard made a name for himself on the offensive end, culminating in back-to-back seasons named to the All-SoCon teams.

With Columbus being his fourth home in six years, Glover expressed his gratitude to Diebler for having the opportunity to continue playing college basketball as a whole.

“I thought [Diebler] was still at Vanderbilt,” Glover said at Ohio State Media Day Tuesday. “At this point, I didn’t even know where I was going to go to school — I didn’t even know if I was going to be playing anymore to be honest. But when he called, it was a dream come true.”

Although the Knoxville, Tennessee, native doesn’t have any Tournament experience, he was excited to step into a leadership role almost immediately with the Buckeyes.

“I feel like I’ve been one of the older guys on the team already, really using my voice,” Glover said. “Building relationships is more than just basketball.”

Parrish had a relatively similar path to Columbus as Glover — after two years of dominance at Oakland, Parrish went to San Diego State in hopes of something bigger.

That’s exactly what he found.

Mar 27, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; San Diego State Aztecs guard Micah Parrish (3) works a drill during a practice day before the semifinals of the East Regional in the 2024 NCAA Tournament at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

In his first season with the Aztecs, Parrish made the NCAA Tournament National Championship Game as a key part of the rotation — he played 15-plus minutes in all six matches on that run, including posting a game-high 16 points against Furman in the second round.

This past March, Parrish helped the Aztecs back to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed, losing in the Sweet Sixteen.

Parrish prided himself for his versatility on the court.

“I’m very versatile. As a guard, I’m too fast for big guys, too big for small guys,” Parrish said.

In that regard, the two-time transfer stands at six-foot-six and has accumulated a resume of being able to score from three levels as well as turn it around and become a defensive stopper.

In an expansive Big Ten, the Detroit native seems more fit to travel than others on the team — having played in California, Parrish said he was excited for the four-day slate packed with games against Southern California and UCLA.

“The whole [San Diego State] squad is going to come out [for those games]! They want to come see me so I just can’t wait for that trip,” Parrish said.

Stewart also comes in from a big-time conference and program in Duke. Although he did not play for Coach Mike Krzyzewski, Stewart still made the Elite Eight under head coach Jon Scheyer.

Mar 24, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Sean Stewart (13) dunks the ball against the James Madison Dukes in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

As a freshman, Stewart didn’t rack up too many minutes in the Tournament, yet still made a positive impact in the regular season. Bringing his own dominance on the boards and in pick-and-roll actions, Stewart spoke on the common theme of versatility within the Buckeyes.

“We all have our own experiences that we bring to the team.… There’s lots of different lineups we can use” Stewart said.

In addition to his postseason experience, Stewart brings his background playing in big-time matchups in front of a big crowd. He spoke specifically on his excitement to play Michigan at the Schottenstein Center on Feb. 16. 

“Just like this Big Ten schedule, you play somebody good every night,” Stewart said. “It’s not going to be such a culture shock playing good teams.… I love the big rivalries. Last year, being at Duke, playing North Carolina.”

The former Blue Devil, who played a year below Bruce Thornton on their Florida Rebels EYBL team, said while the captain has been a great facilitator, it’s his positive attitude that he knows will push the team far.

“[Thornton is] always really encouraging, no matter what,” Stewart said. “You want your point guard to not be mad at you, obviously.”

In addition to Thornton’s leadership, Stewart said Diebler himself is “such a great guy” and “wants to play super super fast.”

“[Diebler] is really engaged as a coach… [he’s] in practice everyday, screaming and yelling,” Stewart said.

Parrish wrapped up with what seemed to be a reiterated sentiment among all transfers:

“I can’t wait to play the Buckeye style.”