Former Ohio State guard David Lighty was asked to pick an ultimate Buckeye starting five and 6th man from his playing days. Who’d he choose?
There are a lot of lists out there that pick an ultimate starting basketball squad from various eras, but it just means a little bit more when a player from those playing days has a hand in picking the lineup.
That’s exactly what happened when former Ohio State basketball player David Lighty was asked to pick a starting five and sixth-man from his run in Columbus. Remember, his time spanned five years from 2006-2007 through the 2010-2011 seasons. There were two Final Four appearances during that time so there was plenty of talent to choose from.
You could make the argument that Lighty should be on this team with his steady defensive presence and all-around floor game but he didn’t pick himself, so let’s get that out of the way now. Lighty clearly didn’t get where he is today by not being humble.
But who did Lighty pick ultimately? We’ll tip things off with the point guard position. Also, if you can get a look at the video portion of these selections thanks to the Twitter account of Ohio State on BTN.
ESPN ranked the fifty best individual seasons of the one-and-done era, and Ohio State had three players appearing.
Some would argue the one-and-done era of college basketball has watered down the product. And while there’s probably some truth to that, at least we get to see the best of the best high school basketball prospects for one year until they are eligible for the NBA (for now at least).
Ohio State was also a part of that movement, though it may not seem like it any longer with the philosophy Chris Holtmann has of recruiting kids that have the potential of being around the program for a few years. Under Thad Matta though, OSU had some of the bigger names that went on to the NBA.
But, we digress.
Officially speaking, the one-and-done era began in 2007, and ESPN’s John Gasaway did a look back at the best individual player season (subscription required) over the last 14 years — ranking the top fifty. Just because it’s labeled as such however, doesn’t mean all of the selections came from players that were there just one year. And yes, Ohio State is included, with three players appearing on the list.
Here’s who ESPN picked from Ohio State and their respective ranking.
Here is the complete 2020 roster of the defending TBT champion Carmen’s Crew.
It’s almost time for the Ohio State alumni team known as Carmen’s Crew to defend its title in The Basketball Tournament. The winner-take-all event has captured the fancy of Buckeye fans over the last few years, and it’s sure to do the same again, especially with sports being put on the shelve due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I mean, if you weren’t starved for OSU sports in the summer before, you certainly are now right?
You may be wondering who all is on the team this year. If so, you’ve come to the right place. Many of the names you will recognize, but if you haven’t kept up with recent news, you may be surprised to learn that some additions were made to try and make the team even better, at least according to head coach Jared Sullinger.
So, here’s the complete roster of the Ohio State alumni squad, Carmen’s Crew.
The Ohio State alumni team known as Carmen’s Crew won the TBT last year. Head coach Jared Sullinger believes the team is even better.
Live basketball is back folks, and it’s by way of the winner-take-all basketball tournament known as — well, The Basketball Tournament.
You no doubt are aware that the Ohio State alumni squad that goes by the name of Carmen’s Crew won the whole thing last summer, and that it’s back for another run in Columbus for this year’s TBT. The squad certainly has some of the key players back, but there are some additions as well. After all, when so much money is on the line, you better look to get better because teams chasing you are sure putting efforts towards doing so.
So how is this year’s team shaping up? You’ll still see staples like Aaron Craft, William Buford, Jon Diebler, and David Lighty, but coach Jared Sullinger believes this team is better because of some of the players added.
“I think we got better just because we got bigger and we got Elam Ending (end of game format for the TBT) enders,” said Sullinger. “You got Deshaun Thomas, you have Dallas Lauderdale we added from coach to player, you got Malik Dime — we just got better across the board. We got ten guys we can play every night, every day, and be prepared to make a run with whoever’s out there on the floor with our team.”
You can listen to the entire interview by clicking on the below thanks to the Twitter profile of TBT.
Former Boston Celtics big man Jared Sullinger is hoping to find a new home in the NBA.
Former Boston Celtic big man Jared Sullinger has fallen in love with the game again, and hopes to find a place in the league he left the Toronto Raptors in 2017.
Waived by the Phoenix Suns after being dealt there as deadweight salary, the former 23rd overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft left the league for the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), where he rediscovered his love for the game.
As can happen with so much of life, the business of earning a living got away with his passion, and when your passion is your work, it’s not an uncommon outcome.
“The last two years I just felt like I had to find myself. I had to find something that drives me and makes me want to play. In the NBA, you kind of get lost in the shuffle because you have so many games, and when I got out there in [the CBA] it was kind of a retreat for Jared Sullinger to learn himself and fall in love with the game again.”
The ex-Celtic center has since married and had twins after weight trouble and injury ended his first stint in the NBA, believing his experience in China that shifted his attitude back to a healthy engagement with basketball.
“Things happened real fast,” he explained. “Being in China helped me find of the passion of why I’m playing basketball.”
“I thought to myself, if I’m not ready [for an NBA return] let me go find a place where I can get ready,” he said. “I’m completely healthy. I feel good. The ultimate goal is the NBA. I’m trying to give it one more shot. Sometimes it’s a yes, sometimes it’s a no. No hard feelings. If they don’t want me I’m going to have to make a business decision and go elsewhere.”
After averaging 29.5 points, 15.7 rebounds and 3.9 rebounds per contest with the Shenzhen Leopards over the last two seasons, it’s clear the Ohio State product has found his touch again in the game he cares so much for.
And while there’s no guarantee that Sullinger will find his way back to the NBA — especially with Summer Leagues canceled — the former Boston big man remains hopeful while looking back on his opportunities in the league fondly.
“If you look back, [the Celtics] gave me four years of being in the NBA, and regardless of the situation there’s a lot of people that never got a chance to play in the NBA,” he explained.
“For me, to be one of the staple guys for four years for the Boston Celtics, one of the most storied franchises of all time and being somebody that’s important on that team, if I said I had a bad time then I’d be lying. I had a great time playing in Boston.”
“It was amazing,” he added. “A dream come true.”
Hopefully, the dream hasn’t ended for Sully just yet.
BTN identified All-Decade Teams for Big Ten basketball and Ohio State led all programs in the conference with four players selected.
There’s no doubt Ohio State is a football school. But many forget that the Buckeyes are also a pretty good basketball school. In fact, if it weren’t for the pigskin, hoops would probably be what OSU is known for.
We’ve been through it before, but Ohio State leads all Big Ten programs in Final Four appearances, is tied for the most combination of Big Ten tournament and regular-season crowns than any other conference team, and has had a few player of the year awards to boot.
But that’s not all.
In another nod to the Buckeyes’ on-court performance, OSU led all Big Ten teams with four players selected to BTN’s Big Ten Basketball Teams of the Decade. In all, 24 panelists selected three teams and Ohio State had representation on all of them.
Aaron Craft and D’Angelo Russell both appeared on the Third Team, Jared Sullinger was named to the Second Team, and Evan Turner found his way onto the First Team.
Michigan State and Purdue tied for second place with three players across the All-Decade Teams, Indiana and Wisconsin can both brag about a pair of players, with Michigan and Minnesota both got one player each singled out.
You can get write-ups, video, and commentary on how these teams were selected and why by going directly to BTN’s website dedicated to the All-Decade Teams. And remember, the network will be doing the same for football. We’re pretty sure OSU will have some pretty good representation there as well.
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BTN unveiled its Big Ten basketball All-Decade Second Team on Tuesday with Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger being a part of all the fun.
BTN is going through an effort of identifying All-Decade Big Ten teams for both football and hoops, and the results of 24-panelists are slowly starting to come out. On Monday, the network unveiled its Third Team All-Decade squad for basketball, with two Buckeyes appearing. On Tuesday, BTN announced its Second-Team All-Decade team and there’s yet another former Ohio State player recognized with the inclusion of forward Jared Sullinger.
At 6-foot, 9-inches, Sullinger came to Ohio State with big expectations. He was a five-star recruit that almost every program in the country wanted, but being a Columbus product out of Northland High School, he decided to stay home.
His performance didn’t disappoint. Sullinger hit the ground running as a freshman, averaging a double-double with 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per contest. He surprised a lot of folks when he decided to come back for his sophomore season and had a similar stat line despite battling back issues. His 17.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game led OSU to a Final Four appearance in 2012 where it fell in a tight battle to Kansas in the semifinal.
He was a two-time consensus All-American and All-Big Ten First Teamer. He joins Cassius Winston of Michigan State, Indiana’s Victor Oladipo, Carsen Edwards of Purdue, and Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ on the All-Decade Second Team.
BTN put together a video on why Sullinger was selected that you can view below.
It’s a shame Sullinger couldn’t stay healthy enough to make a difference in the NBA. After being selected in the first round by the Boston Celtics, he struggled with his playing weight and that seemed to affect his ability to remain healthy and effective.
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If you enjoyed Carmen’s Crew winning The Basketball Tournament last year, get ready. It’s all coming to the Covelli Center this summer.
For the first time ever, The Basketball Tournament will be coming to the campus of Ohio State according to a statement release from the university Tuesday.
The Ohio State alumni, better known Carmen’s Crew, is all set to begin its quest to defend its title in the new Covelli Center from July 23-26 as a part of the Columbus Regional. If you didn’t get in on all the fun last year, The Basketball Tournament is 64-team $2 Million winner-take-all tournament that has historically been televised live on the ESPN family of networks.
“There’s no better place to have the tournament,” Evan Turner said as a part of the statement from Ohio State. “I think that it’s going to be so special and fun to play at a place where we all became men. I think our guys are going to show up and show out and make the Buckeye faithful proud. This is definitely something I’m excited for and can’t wait to be part of and I know everybody in the city feels the same way!”
You can also count Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann as a big believer in bringing the tournament to campus.
“Our program prides itself on welcoming back our former players and having Carmen’s Crew back on campus for the Columbus Regional of The Basketball Tournament takes that to a new level,” Holtmann said. “Buckeye Nation will once again be able to cheer on legendary Buckeyes in our newest modern facility, the Covelli Center. TBT will be yet another opportunity for Carmen’s Crew to continue its success playing in Columbus in front of our tremendous fans.”
Carmen’s Crew has captured the attention of Buckeye Nation over the last three years as it has made some pretty deep runs in the tournament only to fall just short. It finally captured its first TBT title last season, knocking off four-time reigning champion Overseas Elite in the semifinals, then disposing of the Marquette alumni team known as the Golden Eagles to capture the mountain of cash.
“We’re excited to partner with The Ohio State University to bring TBT to the Covelli Center,” TBT founder and CEO Jon Mugar said. “Watching Carmen’s Crew dethrone Overseas Elite last year was unforgettable. It was especially meaningful for the thousand Carmen’s Crew fans that shared in the two million dollar prize. There’s no better place for the team and its fans to begin its march to defend its title than back on campus at Ohio State.”
The winners of each region will advance just down the road to the University of Dayton Arena for the championship rounds August 6-11.
The full roster for Carmen’s Crew has yet to be announced, but former Buckeyes Aaron Craft and Jon Diebler are expected to play and be coached by Jared Sullinger and Evan Turner once again according to the statement.
We’ll keep an eye on how the roster shapes up as we get closer to summer, but with a few more seats available in a fantastic and shiny new venue on campus, the environment should be off the wall.
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We’ve been looking at some of the best from the decade that just passed us by. Here’s our All-Decade Ohio State basketball starting five.
We’ve already taken a look at the Ohio State football All-Decade Team, both on the offense and defense, and now we’re going to identify the starting five players for hoops from the years 2010-2019. It’s absolutely ridiculous when you start looking at all the phenomenal basketball players that came through the program during the decade — especially early on.
That means some really good Buckeye hoopsters won’t get on this team, but it would be one heck of a bench.
The drill is not to determine the best five of the decade, but rather the best at each position. We’ll pick a point guard, shooting guard, two wings, and a big man, but even that is a bit squishy with the multiple roles and positions of today’s game.
So here it is, the Buckeyes Wire All-Decade Ohio State basketball starting five.
The banner that now hangs in the Schottenstein Center honoring former Ohio State basketball coach Thad Matta. pic.twitter.com/FWQ0Lz5xbV
The Boston Celtics have drafted some of the most notable players in the league in the last few years.
The Boston Celtics were able to add some key players through first-round selections. However, all of their picks in the first round did not pan out the way they hoped.
2013: Lucas Noguiera
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Well, at least the Celtics were smart enough to draft this project and then send him to the Raptors. Unfortunately, part of that deal saw Lou Williams also go to Toronto for John Salmons and a 2015 second-round pick. The seven-foot Noguiera somehow has played in more playoff games (13) than regular-season contests (10). He’s back in Spain now, a bad pick and a good player to rid yourself of, quickly
