Josh Ojianwuna injury update: Jake Diebler addresses new Ohio State forward's recovery status

Heading into the second season of the Jake Diebler era at Ohio State, the Buckeyes have their eyes on their first Big Ten regular season championship since 2012. One of the big additions to this year’s Buckeye squad is former Baylor forward Josh Ojianwuna, who averaged 7.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in 23 games last year.

Ojianwuna’s season was cut short by a knee injury suffered in Baylor‘s 91-76 win over UCF on February 8. Diebler gave an update on Ojianwuna’s recovery process on Wednesday.

“No updates as far as the endgame,” Diebler said. “But I think he’s working really, really hard. We have an unbelievable team and he’s become very good friends with them. I think everything’s progressing well. So we’ll get a better feel, I thin,k going into the fall of what a timeline looks like exactly. But there’s been no indication of any hiccups so far.”

Jake Diebler is excited for this year’s team

In the first season of the Diebler era at Ohio State, the Buckeyes posted a 17-15 (9-11) record and missed the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season. They, however, bring back two-time All-Big Ten guard Bruce Thornton and forward Devin Royal this season, along with the No. 32-ranked transfer portal class.

Ojianwuna, along with former Buckeye Meechie Johnson, former Santa Clara forward Christoph Tilly and former Oregon forward Sean Stewart, headline a talented portal class that should make all of Buckeye Nation excited. When asked about players that could step up in the absence of the Baylor transfer, Diebler seems extremely excited with his team as well.

“I think Ivan [Njegovan]‘s gonna be really important and A’Mare [Bynum],” Diebler said. “Both of them are capable. There’s no question. We feel really confident in those two being able to step in and have an impact. I think Christoph [Tilly], I think Brandon [Noel] and Devin [Royal]‘s versatility, all of that is going to be important for us. We feel really, really good about the way Ivan’s improved from the end of the season to now. He’s got a window now to take an even bigger jump and as long as he keeps working, he will.”

“And A’Mare, we’re super excited about his upside. He’s got a physicality to him that most freshmen don’t have. Certainly there’s a size component to that, but he’s got the height, the length and the athleticism and he plays with a force and a physicality that’s been impressive to see from such a young player.”