Ohio State Hoops Get Massive News With Implications For 2025-26 Season

Ohio State will be looking to make the NCAA Tournament in 2025-26 for the first time in several seasons and the Buckeyes just got some big news in that regard.

Ohio State Buckeyes forward Sean Stewart (13), guard Bruce Thornton (2) and forward Aaron Bradshaw (4) celebrate following the second overtime of the NCAA men's basketball game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Value City Arena in Columbus on March 4, 2025. Ohio State won 116-114. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Junior guard Bruce Thornton does want to give the NBA Draft process a try, just to see how he stacks up with the rest of the class as he looks ahead to a potential future in the league. With that said, pending feedback from NBA scouts and personelle, it is being reported that Thornton is planning on coming back to Ohio State for the 2025-26 season.

This is massive news for the Buckeyes because Thornton is more than just a good player for Jake Diebler's program. Yes, he can fill up a stat sheet and yes, the Buckeyes will certainly be hoping that the NBA folks will tell him to "season" for one more year so he can keep filling up stat sheets for OSU next season.

Perhaps just as important for Ohio State is the fact that Thornton is a leader, though. He's been in Columbus for three seasons since being picked up as a 4-star point guard out of Alpharetta, Georgia in the 2022 class, and he's been a captain in all three seasons.

Thornton has done a lot at Ohio State but he's yet to make the NCAA Tournament. Earlier in 2024, he mentioned that he has very high goals for himself and the Buckeyes, so perhaps part of coming back for 2025-26 will be trying to finally get the Buckeyes over the hump.

"I feel like the reason I came here was to go to a Big Ten and National Championship," Thornton had told The Lantern back in October of 2024.

He'll get one more chance to do so in 2025-26.

Thornton averaged 17.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Buckeyes this past season.

Notably, underclassmen will have until June 15 at 5 p.m. to withdraw from the 2025 NBA Draft and retain their college eligiblity.