Although Ohio State basketball forward, [autotag]Jamison Battle[/autotag], didn’t hear his name being called during the NBA draft, that didn’t deter him from trying to achieve his dream.
An opportunity to play on the Toronto Raptors summer league team was presented to him, and the lefty didn’t disappoint. Through two games Battle shot 66.7% from beyond the arc, showing his new team that he can play at this level.
The performance by Battle was enough to push the Raptors to lock him up with an undisclosed deal with the team that gave him a shot. It’s not the traditional way to get an NBA contract, but it’s doubtful that it matters at this point.
Congrats to Jamison, as he is getting his NBA journey started with all of Buckeye Nation following along.
Contact/Follow @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Michael Chen on X.
We didn’t see any Ohio State basketball players taken in the 2024 NBA draft, but we did see one former Buckeye get a deal to play in the NBA’s Summer League on Thursday. According to multiple reports, former OSU forward, Jamison Battle, has signed a deal to play for the Toronto Raptors this summer.
For the Minnesota native, it’s been quite the arc to getting a shot at the game’s highest level. Battle wasn’t looked at by many major colleges coming out of high school but made a name for himself once he got went from George Washington to Minnesota and showed his scoring ability. He then transferred to Ohio State and became one of the best sharp-shooters in the country.
Battle averaged 15.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game all while shooting 43.3% from beyond the arc.
— The Ohio State Hoops Insider (@OSUHoopsInsider) June 28, 2024
There’s been many players make a career in the NBA with the skill set Battle posesses, and we’ll be right there with the rest of Buckeye Nation rooting for him to land on the Raptors’ active roster.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
Cheer on Battle one last time in this competition. #GoBucks
Just when Ohio State forward Jamison Battle thought he had donned the OSU basketball uniform for the last time, it looks as though he’ll be able to wear it one more time.
That’s because Battle was invited to participate in the State Farm College Slam Dunk and 3-Point Championships out in Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.
The full list of contestants have yet to be announced, but Battle was a sharpshooter for the Buckeyes after transferring from Minnesota last season. He shot 43.3% from deep as one of the top percentages in all of college basketball.
👌 @battletime510 has accepted an invitation to the Hanes Men's 3-Point Championship at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.
The competition takes place during the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships airing Thursday, April 4 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.#GoBuckspic.twitter.com/3Rw7uhK6WC
After getting the proverbial coaching change boost in a win over Purdue at home last weekend, the Ohio State basketball team came back down to Earth on Thursday night with an 88-79 loss at Minnesota to run its ridiculously notorious road losing streak to seventeen straight games. That, by the way, is a school record.
The Buckeyes started out in a hole from the get go because of a hot shooting start by Minnesota. The Gophers went up by as many as eleven points about halfway through the first half before OSU started to get going a little bit, eventually tying the game and then falling back down by eight before heading to the locker room.
The second half didn’t get much closer with the Gophers controlling the second half, never falling behind and leading by as much as 17 points. OSU extended the game by fouling and notching a little closer heading down the stretch but it wasn’t nearly enough.
Bruce Thornton led the Buckeyes again in scoring with 25 points on 10-of-14 from the floor, including a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Former Gopher Jamison Battle scored 21 points and Roddy Gayle Jr. chipped in 13 points.
The loss drops Ohio State’s overall record to 15-12, while its conference record falls to 5-11. OSU will try again to stop the away losing streak when it travels to East Lansing on Sunday to take on Michigan State.
Re-living some of the best plays from Ohio State basketball’s win over Purdue. #GoBucks
In what has been a disappointing season for Ohio State basketball, the Buckeyes pulled off an upset of the second ranked team in college basketball for their biggest win of the season.
Many players made big contributions for the Buckeyes on Sunday as 11 players were utilized with nine playing 14 or more minutes. The Buckeyes did a good job of communicating on the defensive end to hold the Boilermakers who average 84.4 points per game to just 69 on Sunday.
On the offensive end, the Buckeyes came up with big shots time and time again throughout the game, particularly down the stretch to come out on top.
Here are some of best plays from Ohio State’s victory over the weekend.
Ranking the top 10 players in the Big Ten entering the college basketball season.
The long-awaited 2023-24 college basketball season begins today, and the Big Ten’s slate of games features 10 of the conference’s teams in action. Iowa, Indiana, Maryland and Michigan will have to wait one more day.
The Big Ten does not lack star power as the conference boasts the reigning national player of the year in Purdue’s Zach Edey as well as a bunch of premier guards. As we all know, guard play dominates college basketball, especially in March.
Before the games tip off this evening, we take a look at the top 10 Big Ten players. Are any freshmen ranked? Does any supplant Edey as number one?
Honorable mentions (in no particular order): Bruce Thorton (Ohio State), Keisei Tominaga (Nebraska), Mackenzie Mgbako (Indiana), Jamison Battle (Ohio State), Tyler Wahl (Wisconsin), Coleman Hawkins (Illinois), Chucky Hepburn (Wisconsin).
The rumors about Jamison Battle and [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] were true. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher forward has committed to [autotag]Chris Holtmann[/autotag] and the Buckeyes according to multiple reports.
Battle is exactly what the Ohio State basketball team needs. He offers size and shooting. The 6-foot, 7-inch, 225-pound wing shot 35% from 3 over his career and 42% from the field. He is a solid rebounder as well, grabbing more than 5 boards per contest during his four seasons playing college basketball.
Personally, I’m a big fan of this addition, especially considering Battle knows the conference and has significant experience. He has yet to play in an NCAA Tournament game and that should change as the Buckeyes return four of five starters and multiple bench contributors from last year’s team.
BREAKING: Ohio State Lands Big Time Minnesota Transfer Jamison Battle
Battle shoots it with real volume behind the arc and can drain them deep all over the court hugeee pickup for Ohio State pic.twitter.com/wzSTnarmND
Would you be excited about this if it actually happened? #GoBucks
These things seem to get legs behind the scenes and come out of seemingly nowhere. No, we’re not talking about a spring snowstorm in the Midwest, but rather potential players in the transfer portal.
Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State basketball team have tapped into the transfer portal often over the last few years. Of course, the Buckeyes have also given plenty to the portal. But with this year’s team being so young, there isn’t expected to be as much turnover, and a heavy lean into the portal to patch up some holes on the roster.
But that doesn’t mean things aren’t happening and that the Buckeyes will not jump at a chance to land a player if there is mutual interest. As luck would have it, there does seem to be some smoke emanating from the portal when it comes to one Big Ten forward already looking for a new destination.
Minnesota’s Jamison Battle is in the portal, and he has been linked to Ohio State, at least according to a crystal ball prediction posted on Wednesday by 247Sports basketball analyst Travis Brahnam.
We’ve yet to hear anything from Ohio State or anyone other analysts to make this a done deal, but with the Buckeyes losing Eugene Brown to the portal themselves, and with the departure of Justice Sueing and the NBA flirtation by Brice Sensabaugh, getting Battle would help plug a hole on the roster.
Minnesota’s Jamison Battle, right, drives to the basket against Ohio State’s Eugene Brown during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. AP Photo/Jay LaPrete
Battle struggled with injury a bit during the 2022-2023 season, but averaged 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in his first year with the program. We’ll continue to watch this as it unfolds and if any sort of timetable becomes available.
Who should Holtmann pursue with the open scholarship? #GoBucks
With the news that Eugene Brown III will leave [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] after entering the transfer portal, it leaves the Buckeyes with an open scholarship depending on other factors and what happens with Brice Sensabaugh’s NBA decision.
Head coach [autotag]Chris Holtmann[/autotag] can go a variety of different ways with the available scholarship. The most obvious is the transfer portal as we will look at a few names who have been linked to the Buckeyes.
There is also a big-time unsigned player who could return “home.” Let’s take a look below at a few options for Ohio State to fill its gap in the current roster.
Jamson Battle, one of the best forwards in the Big Ten over the past two seasons, has entered the transfer portal.
Battle is athletic enough to play either forward position. At 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds, he is solid in the post, can face-up and adds something with his rebounding and defensive play.
Last season on a bad Minnesota team, Battle averaged 12.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists. In a 90-55 loss at Rutgers in February, Battle scored 13 points with two rebounds and three assists. Then in a March upset of Rutgers, he led all Minnesota players with 20 points.
Having transferred to Minnesota (after two years at George Washington), he was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention selection last year.
In 2021-22, Battle averaged 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for the Golden Gophers in his first season in the Big Ten.
For Rutgers, Battle might be an interesting option. While the Scarlet Knights are bringing in four-star small forward Gavin Griffiths and have Mawot Mag at the position, Battle might be a better option at the power forward spot for a program like Rutgers.
NEWS: #Gophers forward Jamison Battle (@battletime510) has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal according to multiple reports.
The former DeLaSalle standout averaged 12.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists this season. pic.twitter.com/k1PaADiFFG
