Ohio State center Ivan Njegovan will be back with the Buckeyes for a third season in 2026-27, Ohio State announced Tuesday.
Year 3 incoming for Ivan #GoBucks | #FightToTheEnd pic.twitter.com/MELK0oWEe7
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) April 21, 2026
Njegovan averaged 2.6 points and three rebounds in 11.4 minutes per game as a backup center for the Buckeyes this past season. He’s expected to remain a backup in 2026-27, with the top candidates to start at center being Baylor transfer Josh Ojianwuna – who missed the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from a knee injury – and Kentucky transfer Andrija Jelavić.
Njegovan will be one of just five returning scholarship players for the Buckeyes in 2026-27 along with John Mobley Jr. (assuming he stays in school after testing the NBA draft waters), Amare Bynum, Ojianwuna and Myles Herro, who redshirted last season.