Ohio State will soon have a new player on its roster.
Former Penn State and North Carolina guard Puff Johnson was granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA by the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas on Friday, awarding him immediate eligibility to play for Ohio State this season. A hearing will be held on Jan. 30 to determine whether he will receive a permanent injunction to remain eligible for the rest of the season.
A fascinating twist and perhaps a sign of a new trend... Ohio State MBB's Puff Johnson, whose eligibility injunction motion was denied in federal court in November, has been granted a TRO after refiling in state court.
— Sam C. Ehrlich (@samcehrlich) January 16, 2026
This allows him to play for OSU ahead of a Jan 30 hearing. https://t.co/elv8Erkgcl pic.twitter.com/m9JK0mceVY
Buckeye Nation, welcome Puff Johnson to the program
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) January 16, 2026
Read more https://t.co/4jKARKQngD pic.twitter.com/P4NW6FqC4b
Johnson, a 25-year-old sixth-year senior, filed for the temporary restraining order earlier this week after previously filing a lawsuit against the NCAA in November. Johnson’s request for an injunction at that time was denied by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Johnson had previously applied for a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA, arguing that he should be eligible for an extra year of eligibility because he missed 54 games over five years at Penn State and North Carolina due to injuries.
Johnson has been enrolled in classes at Ohio State since July, but has not been practicing with the team.
After the Buckeyes' 86-74 victory over UCLA on Saturday, coach Jake Diebler provided more details about Johnson's return to the basketball court and the plan for involving him in the Buckeyes' lineup – though there are still many guesses and estimations at this point.
"As far as when he's gonna be on the floor, I don't know," Diebler said. "He's gotta go through some things to get cleared at Ohio State. He and I have had conversations, certainly, and we're hoping to get him here as soon as we possibly can and begin that process of him becoming part of our team."
There are two things Diebler said the Buckeyes need to ensure before Johnson returns to play: Johnson needs to be fully in game shape physically, and he needs to be ready to help Ohio State's team as part of its rotation. As far as team chemistry goes, however, Diebler is confident there will be no detriments on or off the floor, even as late in the season as Johnson is joining.
“I don't (worry about that) because of the guys we have in our locker room, the type of young man he is, and I think we have to be realistic about this,” Diebler said. “Can't just throw him in and play 30 minutes and expect everything to look normal. So, we're gonna take it one day at a time.”
Johnson played for North Carolina for three seasons from 2020-23 before transferring to Penn State for two seasons. In 17 games at Penn State last season, Johnson averaged 10.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
His addition to the roster could provide a much-needed boost to Ohio State’s depth, which has been lacking all season and has been especially thin since Brandon Noel suffered a foot injury on Jan. 5 against Nebraska. At 6-foot-8 and 205 pounds, Johnson projects as likely to play on the wing for the Buckeyes, where he can provide depth behind Devin Royal.
"Certainly, we've dealt with some injuries, one that's gonna last us a while in Brandon," Diebler said. "It's worked out well that we're able to add someone with experience. And the other thing is, this was a long, long process for (Johnson) and his family. I'm really happy for them, because it's a situation where we can support them, but there's really only so much we can do."
