Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Chris Holtmann has had some question marks so far in his tenure at Ohio State. Some fans even had him going into the 2021 season on the hot seat, but a good season last year and two players getting drafted off of the team have answered many of the questions left in fans minds. Holtmann signed a new three-year contract in May and has earned the approval of Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith, who has claimed to be very optimistic about the future of the basketball program under Holtmann.
The only question left was could he recruit high school prospects? This was just answered as the 2023 Buckeye Basketball class now features two ESPN Top-100 players in the nation and three of the top five in the state of Ohio after Devin Royal's commitment on Wednesday. Chris Holtmann has been committed to in-state recruiting as the entire 2023 class is made up of local Ohio products so far. Three players from the Buckeye state have committed to the 614, and two more from in-state are favored to commit in Dailyn Swain and Lawrent Rice. Ohio State is also in the running for out of state prospects Scotty Middleton, Taison Chatman, and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn. Holtmann's 2023 class is now Top 5 in the nation after Royal's commitment.
Below is the current 2023 Ohio State Basketball Class as of August 3rd.
Photo: Michael McCammon, 24/7 Sports
George Washington III is the 10th best recruit out of the state of Ohio to commit to Ohio State all-time, as well as being the highest rated recruit ever brought in by Chris Holtmann. He is a classic two guard with elite level defense and a knack for scoring the ball from everywhere. He converted on over 40% of his three's in the Nike 16U Summer League this past summer and is widely considered one of the best shooters in the 2023 class.
He comes from a family with plenty of basketball experience as both of his parents played professional basketball in Finland. His mother was an All-American in college and his father was an assistant coach for Texas Women's Basketball. His sister was a McDonald's All-American and plays professionally in Spain, while his two younger brothers will join him again for the 2022 OHSAA basketball season.
Photo: Steve Helwagen, 24/7 Sports
Devin Royal is coming off one of the best seasons in Ohio High School Basketball State history after he led his team to the Division 1 State Championship and improved his national ranking from mid-100s to Top 75. He is now going into his senior year and looking to repeat as champions again, which would likely put him in the Top 50 if he continues to develop at his current pace. He is an elite scorer who can spread the floor with his shooting but loves to get physical down in the paint as well. He is expected to bring physicality to the 2023 Buckeye squad and likely will be an integral part of the teams success.
Photo: Steve Helwagen, 24/7 Sports
Austin Parks may not be a Top 100 player, but he's just on the outside of that list and a good 2022 campaign could shoot him in to the Top 100. He plays high school ball in a small town in St. Mary's playing for Memorial Prep. Many experts believe he will outplay his current ranking due to the lack of media coverage on smaller schools, which keeps his rating much lower from what he would be rated at a much larger school. He has the ability to play through contact and controls the paint, which will likely be his primary role for Ohio State. Potential is high for Park, but out of the three commitments for Ohio State, he's the biggest wild card of them all.
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