Ohio State Men’s Basketball might be in trouble at the start of their 2026 season. They are considerably deeper than they were last year, but that depth might be tested. John Mobley Jr., the preseason All-Big Ten Conference player, is hobbled and might not play in the game. He was backpedaling when he stepped on Ivan Njegovan’s foot, and he twisted his right ankle. He grabbed his right foot.
Head coach John Diebler said he has not been on the court yet as of the Oct. 27th practice. He also said it should not take that long. He added, “We’re just, for all the obvious reasons, being cautious and hopefully getting back out there sooner rather than later.” It is true that the best player on the BYU squad last year now plays for the Washington Wizards, but the team is still ranked #25. Do you think if Mobley is out, Ohio State Men’s Basketball will lose at BYU?
Ohio State Men’s Basketball: Mobley Could Start the Regular Season Hurt
Mobley is probably the best player on the Ohio State Men’s Basketball Team. Last season, Mobley season averaged 15.7 points per game, starting in 31 games. That streak is in jeopardy. Mobley unsuccessfully tested NBA draft waters, but he chose to come back to Ohio State after he got some feedback from the National Basketball Association.
Diebler said, “We’ll have more clarity, I think, come Friday. We’ll have a pretty good feeling about what we’re looking at, because obviously we’ve got to start getting our rotations locked in. But as of right now, I don’t think we’re in a position right now where we’re going to say we’re going to be missing anybody, but I’m also not in a position to say we’re not going to be missing anybody yet. So hopefully we’ll have a good feel here in the next couple of days.”
Mobley scored 15 points in the exhibition loss to Cincinnati. He scored 17 points in the win against Butler. He was second in scoring for Ohio State Men’s Basketball in that game to Amare Bynum, who scored 23. He is an All-Big Ten Conference preseason selection, and he is one of the smartest and most dangerous players on the Buckeye roster.
John Mobley Jr. is a preseason All-Conference selection
There were 11 players on the All-Big Ten Conference preseason team. He averaged 15.7 points and 2.8 assists for Ohio State men’s basketball. He was one of the players who received an honorable mention designation. He said at the beginning of October, he was “Just trying to translate the feedback I got from the (NBA draft process). Trying to change my body, become more of a leader, and also just become more of a playmaker on the offensive end, getting guys more involved. Just trying to be more of a three-level scorer.”
Also on the team were Illinois’ Andrej Stojakovic and David Mirkovic, Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney, Wisconsin’s Nolan Winter, USC’s Rodney Rice, Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr., Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort, UCLA’s Trent Perry and Maryland’s Pharrell Payne. Fears was the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year.
The preseason poll was compiled by the media and released at the beginning of October. There was also a preseason poll released by the Columbus Dispatch, the newspaper in town. In that poll, Five-star Ohio State freshman Anthony Thompson, the highest-rated player to sign with the team since Jared Sullinger in 2010, was picked to be Big Ten Freshman of the Year in the Dispatch’s preseason poll. He is going to add some depth for Ohio State men’s basketball, as they might be missing their star, John Mobley Jr.
Conclusion: Depth is Crucial
As the Buckeyes contend with a potential injury to John Mobley Jr., their depth will prove crucial. Last season, such an injury would have sunk the team, but this year they are deeper and better able to sustain injuries. The Buckeyes play at BYU, then they come home to host Youngstown State on Friday.
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