The Ohio State basketball roster is starting to take shape and it just got another huge piece back.
It was assumed that former Mr. Basketball, Devin Royal, was coming back to the team, but you just never know in today's college basketball world where players can transfer at will -- especially with the dismal season that the Buckeyes just put together this past season. But on Saturday, Royal made it official with an announcement on social media that he'll be back in the Scarlet and Gray for the 2025-2026 season.
Out of Pickerington Central High School just outside Columbus, Royal committed to OSU in the class of 2023. His freshman season was one of learning and development, but this past year during the 6-foot-6-inch forward's sophomore campaign, he became one of the Buckeyes' best options on the offensive end. He upped his minutes, points, rebounds, and assists per game significantly and finished the year second on the team in scoring with an average of 13.7 points per contest. He also led Ohio State with 6.9 rebounds per game.
🌰 pic.twitter.com/cgFZoq5VRm
— Devin Royal (@DevinRoyal7) April 5, 2025
There's no doubt that there is still some reshaping of the roster that still will have to occur with the Buckeyes, but now that Royal, John Mobley Jr., and Bruce Thornton are returning, there's a solid base of stars to work with. Thornton has one year of eligibility left, Royal has two, and Mobley is just a rising sophomore.
Now, we'll have to watch to see what kind of pieces head coach Jake Deibler continues to surround his nucleus with as we continue through the offseason.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State basketball gets great news on player coming back next year
