Eric Boggs
Jake Diebler has strategically filled the final scholarship spot for his inaugural season as Ohio State’s men’s basketball coach. The Buckeyes have secured 7-foot-1 Croatian center Ivan Njegovan from KK Bosco of the Favbet Primijer Liga, Croatia’s premier professional basketball league, to complete their roster for the 2024-25 season.
At just 19 years old, Njegovan demonstrated his prowess this past season with a Bosco team featuring players aged 16 to 43. He led the team in both rebounds and blocks, averaging 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. Remarkably, no other Bosco player averaged more than 0.4 blocks per game. Njegovan accounted for 31 of the team’s 78 total blocks (39.7%), despite playing only 20 of the 33 regular season games. Offensively, he shot an impressive 53.3% from the field and made 5 of his 16 three-point attempts (31.3%).
Njegovan also represented Croatia’s U20 national team at the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championships, contributing nine points over four games as Croatia reached the round of 16.
“I’m excited for both Ques and Ivan as I think they are both great additions to our program. Ques is a veteran guard that has played at a high level in the collegiate game. Adding his experience and playmaking strengthens an already talented backcourt. Ivan is a good young big man with high-level international experience. His skill and size will add to our depth in the frontcourt.”
Ohio State Head Coach Jake Diebler
Entering Ohio State with a full four years of eligibility, Njegovan will compete for playing time in the frontcourt alongside Sean Stewart, Aaron Bradshaw, and Devin Royal. Sophomore center Austin Parks will also vie for minutes off the bench. Njegovan’s addition comes alongside former Kansas State guard Ques Glover, who joins the Buckeyes as a non-scholarship player. Glover, brought in to reinforce the backcourt following Taison Chatman’s season-ending injury, will have his university costs covered through NIL deals.
