The Buckeyes get one of their top guards back for the 2025-26 season.
The Ohio State Buckeyes wrapped up last season with a record of 17-15, including a 9-11 mark in the Big Ten, under the leadership of second-year head coach Jake Diebler. They were eliminated in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament and missed out on the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year. The team’s performance largely fell short of expectations, but they recently received some positive news for the upcoming season.
A crucial contributor for the Buckeyes was guard Bruce Thornton, who started all 32 games and led the team in scoring with an average of 17.7 points per game. The next highest scorer was forward Devin Royal, who averaged 13.7 points per game. Four players ended the season with double-digit scoring averages, making Thornton’s early declaration for the 2025 NBA Draft last month a concern for the team’s offensive outlook.
As a three-year starter and team captain, Thornton wanted to explore his opportunities at the next level and go through the evaluation process. However, he made it clear from the beginning that he would be open to returning to the Buckeyes if he believed it was the best decision.
On Tuesday, the Buckeyes received confirmation of his return when it was announced that Thornton had withdrawn his name from the NBA Draft, confirming he would be back for the 2025-26 season.
Bruce Thornton has removed his name from the NBA Draft and will return for another season at The Ohio State University. pic.twitter.com/e0Q06yUE7z
— The Ohio State Hoops Insider (@OSUHoopsInsider) May 27, 2025
Thornton, along with guard John Mobley, who averaged 13 points per game and will be back for his sophomore year, will carry significant expectations moving forward. Nevertheless, their experience should be pivotal for the team as they aim to change their fortunes and potentially make a deeper run in the Big Ten Tournament, aiming for a spot in March Madness.
Thanks to his decision to enter the draft, Thornton will return next season equipped with valuable feedback from the combine to aid his development. Buckeyes fans have plenty of reasons to be excited about this news as they look ahead to the upcoming season!
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