A yr not like some other is about to get underway at Ohio State.
One yr after a roster bolstered by gamers having fun with the additional yr of eligibility afforded to all who performed although the COVID-19 pandemic topped out at 15 members, the 2022-23 Buckeyes shall be a workforce dealing with unprecedented turnover. With coach Chris Holtmann coming into his sixth season, a mix of early departures for the NBA, the exhaustion of collegiate eligibility and the attract of the switch portal have all mixed to create a roster that includes solely two gamers who performed in at the least three video games for Ohio State final season.
That is to not say there aren’t acquainted faces in Columbus. They’re merely outnumbered by a five-man freshman class, ranked tops within the Massive Ten, and a three-man switch class that mixes to comprise greater than half the roster. These new faces, mixed with a number of veterans, will try to outshoot their projected sixth-place end within the preseason media ballot and discover a option to Ohio State’s first Candy 16 because the 2012-13 season.
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Earlier than the Buckeyes get the yr underway with an exhibition towards Chaminade on Nov. 1 and the season opener towards Robert Morris on Nov. 6, The Dispatch shall be producing its annual preseason particular person energy rankings listing. These rankings are an informed guess at which gamers could have probably the most important on-court impression throughout the course of the whole season and can function every participant on the roster.
The listing begins right this moment at No. 14 with walk-on guard Colby Baumann.
Background
Hailing from Humble, Texas, Baumann performed for Atascocita Excessive Faculty earlier than deciding to switch to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., for his senior season. He was flippantly recruited on the time, and when a shattered wrist that robbed him of that yr Baumann opted for a post-graduate yr on the program. He was contacted by Ohio State assistant coach Mike Netti, who expressed curiosity in bringing Baumann in as a walk-on to assist fill out the depth chart in observe.
Baumann introduced his dedication to Ohio State on June 13 with a graphic he posted to his Twitter account.
Have to know
Baumann’s main is presently exploration, however he plans to main in enterprise advertising with a aim of proudly owning his personal enterprise sooner or later. Transferring from Texas to Florida to Ohio will hopefully assist him department out to a number of areas of the nation, Baumann mentioned. Previous to his arrival at Ohio State, Baumann mentioned he was already aware of fellow first-year participant Brice Sensabaugh after listening to about his senior season at Orlando Lake Highland Prep. He is a fan of Kobe Bryant. Baumann can surf. He performed within the Kingdom Summer time League and was teamsmates with second-year Buckeye Kalen Etzler.
Baumann has a clothes line that raises funds to help most cancers analysis after his father battled mind most cancers for six months earlier than passing away in 2017. It is named after his dad and known as LLP Clothes, which stands for “Stay Like Phil.”
2022-23 season outlook
As a first-year walk-on, Baumann’s impression will come away from the eyes of followers and media as he battles Ohio State’s scholarship guards whereas in observe. A robust shooter who confirmed effectively whereas taking part in within the Kingdom Summer time League, Baumann has the talents and the mentality to assist bolster the scout workforce for the Buckeyes whereas constructing energy to raised assist him adapt to this degree.
He’ll assist Ohio State in observe, whereas a deep backcourt of Isaac Likekele, Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Gene Brown III, Bowen Hardman and different ballhandlers will deal with the guard spots throughout video games.
Extra studying
Colby Baumann: Strolling on at Ohio State a ‘no-brainer’ choice for IMG Academy guard Colby Baumann
Ohio State males’s basketball: As observe begins, one looming query for every Ohio State participant
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This text initially appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Buckeyes males’s basketball energy rankings: No. 14 Colby Baumann