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Scarlet Sunrise: Kaleb Wesson announces return to Ohio State basketball

by: borrismart05/29/19

Good morning, Ohio State fans, and welcome to the Scarlet Sunrise! Football will always be our focus, but every day we’ll cover news, notes and analysis from across Buckeyes sports. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything you missed in the world of Ohio State football, recruiting, basketball and more.

Kaleb Wesson returns to Ohio State

The anticipation all along was that the Buckeyes would have Kaleb Wesson back for another season despite his testing out his NBA Draft stock over the last few weeks. But nothing is ever guaranteed, so the official announcement from the team’s top scorer and rebounder on Tuesday that Wesson will return for his junior season was certainly significant for a program on the rise.

For all the work Chris Holtmann has done to elevate the recruiting for Ohio State over the last two seasons, the chance to really make some noise and potentially get out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament was likely going to revolve around Wesson. And now those plans for his third season don’t have to be scrapped, and Wesson can move forward as the centerpiece.

“We really look forward to coaching Kaleb for his junior season,” Holtmann said in a school release. “Kaleb received valuable information in this process. He and his family really went about this process in great way. We stayed in regular communication, and I know he and his family appreciated the feedback they received from the NBA advisory committee as well as NBA organizations.

“As we begin the work ahead for the 2019-20 season I know Kaleb understands the work ahead and I know he is anxious to join his teammates.”

Kendall Milton recruitment adds a twist

Memorial Day brought an unexpected twist in the Buckeyes 2020 running back recruiting efforts. South Carolina landed a commitment from the country’s sixth-ranked running back, Maryland 4-star MarShawn Lloyd, and that decision could certainly provide some ripples in the race for 5-star tailback Kendall Milton.

Why?

Georgia was the supposed frontrunner for Lloyd, and the Bulldogs are one of Milton’s final four choices. Now, with Lloyd off the board, there’s no doubt that Dell McGee, Georgia’s running backs coach and ace recruiter, will crank up the heat even more on the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Milton.

This weekend is a big one for the Buckeyes. Milton and his family will head to Columbus for an official visit with Ohio State, and it is likely the final chance for the Tony Alford and Day to showcase why it’s the right choice for Milton ahead of what appears to be a late summer decision.

For more on Ohio State recruiting, check out the Tuesday edition of Dotting the ‘Eyes.

New Birminology episode

There are not many college coaches recruiting at a higher level right now than Buckeyes wide receivers coach Brian Hartline. So when he finds — and focuses on — a player that he believes is a gamechanger, it’s wise to pay close attention to that player’s recruitment.

That’s Emeka Egbuka. A 5-star prospect in the Class of 2021 from Steilacoom (Wash.) — currently ranked as the country’s top-ranked athlete and No. 13 overall player — the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Pacific Northwest standout is one of the Buckeyes top overall targets in his class and a top priority at receiver for Hartline and Ohio State.

What’s next for Egbuka? How is he handling his recruitment and the pressures that come with it? Egbuka talks about those things and more in this week’s edition of Birminology on Lettermen Row.

WATCH: 5-star WR Emeka Egbuka appears on Birminology

Jameson Williams has speed to burn

St. Louis Cardinal Ritter head coach Brandon Gregory  looked at Jameson Williams and immediately pictured arguably the all-time fastest Buckeyes wideout. This was long before Williams inked as part of Ohio State’s 2019 signing class and the first of the Ryan Day era. Before Williams taxed foes for nearly 3,000 yards and 37 touchdowns combined across his junior and senior seasons.

“I was comparing Jameson to some of other wide receivers in our area, and the biggest thing with Jameson, Jameson has NFL first two rounds speed,” Gregory said. “Everybody can catch, has got routes they can run.

“But it’s funny: Before Jameson even considered Ohio State, I had told him he reminded me of Ted Ginn, and then when he went to the Ohio State spring game and took that picture with Ted Ginn, I was thinking: ‘He has that next-level NFL Draft first two days speed.’ You can’t take that away.”

Be sure to check out the full story on Jameson Williams from Lettermen Row contributor John Brice, who keeps killing it with his recruiting features.

Ohio State hoops to host Villanova

Counting down

  • Big Ten Media Days: 51 days
  • Ohio State vs. Florida Atlantic (season opener): 95 days
  • Ohio State at Michigan: 186 days

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