Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State basketball team continue to utilize the transfer portal and just dipped into it again. For the second time during the Holtmann tenure, the Buckeyes headed to Happy Valley for a transfer hoops player from Penn State. The first PSU transfer was point guard Jamari Wheeler back in 2021.
Nittany Lions’ Forward Evan Mahaffey becomes the third transfer OSU has convinced to come to Columbus this year alone, joining Minnesota’s Jamison Battle and Baylor’s Dale Bonner.
At 6-foot, 6-inches, and 200 pounds, it’s a bit of a homecoming of sorts for Mahaffey, who is a Cincinnati native hailing from Archbishop Moeller. He spent just one year in Happy Valley and averaged 2.8 points and 1.7 rebounds per game in just 9.3 minutes per contest.
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He has a high ceiling and the OSU coaches will no doubt hope that he follows a development arc at Ohio State that has him become more and more a part of the plans beginning next season.
First, I would like to thank God for this opportunity. Second, I want to thank Penn State and the amazing people that made my freshman year great! With that being said, I have decided to further my academic and athletic career at The Ohio State University! #BuckeyeNation ‼️ pic.twitter.com/gVtlJBZ9Bs
— Evan Mahaffey (@EvanMahaffey5) May 3, 2023
With the commitment, you have to believe that Ohio State’s roster is pretty much complete with one over the scholarship limit. It not only means that Bronny James is unlikely to come to OSU (for those of you still keeping track), but that Brice Sensabaugh will also stay in the NBA draft, which was where things seemed to be headed anyhow. That would bring the Buckeyes back down to the 13 scholarships the NCAA allows.
Of course, things could always change when we least expect it.
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