Eric Boggs
Ohio State’s frontcourt is reloaded and ready for the 2025-26 season, thanks to a mix of strategic portal additions and developing young talent, even as last season’s top contributors at center moved on. The latest and final piece to the frontcourt puzzle came Wednesday, when former Baylor big man Josh Ojianwuna committed to the Buckeyes, giving head coach Jake Diebler another strong interior option.
Ojianwuna brings a high-efficiency, high-motor presence to Columbus. Before a season-ending knee injury in February, he started 23 games for Baylor, averaging 7.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in just under 25 minutes per game. Though he wasn’t heavily featured in Baylor’s offensive scheme, his 77.4% shooting from the field speaks volumes about his touch around the rim and smart shot selection. That mark, while not qualifying for national leaderboards due to low volume, would have led the country.
The Buckeyes are hopeful that Ojianwuna, a 6-foot-10, 230-pound native of Nigeria, will be fully recovered from knee surgery and available to contribute in November. However, if setbacks occur in his rehab, redshirting remains on the table—especially if the NCAA follows through on potential rule changes granting a fifth year of eligibility. Either way, his rebounding chops (10.4 per 40 minutes) and size are expected to play a role in a physical Big Ten landscape that demands interior toughness.
Ojianwuna’s addition follows the losses of both Sean Stewart and Aaron Bradshaw to the transfer portal. Stewart, a former five-star recruit from Duke, started 30 games at center last season and led the team in rebounding and blocked shots per 40 minutes. But persistent foul trouble (3.4 per game) and seven foul-outs hindered his consistency. Bradshaw, another high-profile recruit from Kentucky, also entered the portal earlier this spring, along with a string of other 2024 one-and-done portal pickups like Evan Mahaffey, Austin Parks, and Meechie Johnson Jr.
In the wake of those departures, Diebler and his staff have restocked the frontcourt with an emphasis on experience and versatility. Former Santa Clara center Christoph Tilly is currently projected to start at the five. Alongside him are Ojianwuna, sophomore Ivan Njegovan—who flashed rebounding potential in limited action—and incoming freshman A’mare Bynum, forming a deep and flexible rotation. Brandon Noel, a physical forward from Wright State, and former Indiana guard Gabe Cupps round out the incoming portal class.
The new frontcourt mix presents intriguing options. Ohio State is expected to experiment with dual-big lineups, potentially pairing Tilly and Ojianwuna to better match up with some of the dominant post players in the Big Ten—a recurring issue for the Buckeyes last season. While much of the attention will fall on how these new pieces gel, Ohio State fans can feel confident knowing that, for the first time in years, the frontcourt appears not just adequately staffed but strategically built for the conference grind ahead.
