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John Mobley Jr. will return for his third season with the Buckeyes.
John Mobley Jr. is returning for his third season with the Buckeyes.
Ohio State basketball’s creative team fittingly made the announcement official — like the return of a Marvel superhero.
John Mobley Jr. will return.
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) May 18, 2026
@OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/Uc5tWZJn4B
After a sensational sophomore campaign in which he averaged 15.7 points per game while shooting 41.1% from beyond the arc, Mobley entered the NBA draft process to explore his professional options. The honorable mention All-Big Ten selection stayed committed to that plan earlier this month, even after not receiving an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine on May 1. But just over two weeks later, Mobley decided to run it back in Columbus.
His return is a massive boost for Jake Diebler’s squad, which also brings back Amare Bynum, Josh Ojianwuna and Ivan Njegovan from last season’s roster. Diebler and the Buckeyes were also aggressive in the transfer portal, adding guards Justin Pippen (Cal), Jimmie Williams (Duquesne) and Curtis Givens III (Memphis), along with forward Andrija Jelavic (Kentucky).
Top-10 prospect Anthony Thompson headlines Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class, the program’s highest-rated recruit since Jared Sullinger in 2010. Thompson is also Ohio State’s first five-star commit since D’Angelo Russell in 2014 and its first McDonald’s All-American since Russell 12 years ago. The Buckeyes also added forwards Alex Smith and Vuk Lazarevic in the class.
