Devin Royal has found a home for his final year of college basketball.
The former Ohio State forward committed to Villanova from the transfer portal on Monday, where he'll spend his senior season after three years with the Buckeyes.
NEWS: Ohio State transfer forward Devin Royal has committed to Villanova, he told @On3.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 14, 2026
The 6-6 junior averaged 13.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game this season. https://t.co/P2CLLLO2iq pic.twitter.com/DjDrDnUYBO
Royal repeated his exact point-per-game production in 2025-26 as he had in 2024-25, picking up 13.7 points per game, though his field-goal percentage declined from 52.5% to 47.6%. His rebounding numbers also dipped from 6.9 per game to 5.7, both dips that a position change from power forward to small forward helped fuel. His 3-point percentage did improve slightly, at least, from 27.6% to 31.6%.
Royal started both of the past two seasons for the Buckeyes, but it would have been hard for him to carve out a starting spot again in 2026-27. Amare Bynum is looking like a superstar in the making at power forward, while top-10 prospect Anthony Thompson is arriving at the small forward position. Royal will seek a starting spot with Villanova, which went 24-9 in 2025-26.
Ohio State is looking to add one, if not two wings back from the transfer portal with Royal gone. Former Notre Dame guard Jalen Haralson and former Kansas State guard Abdi Bashir Jr. are among the Buckeyes' top targets. OSU currently holds commitments from former Cal guard Justin Pippen and former Kentucky forward Andrija Jelavić out of the portal.
