Ohio State Coach Jake Diebler Speaks on Buckeyes Fan Support

Ohio State men's basketball coach Jake Diebler has had a chance to unwind this offseason, allowing him to attend non-basketball-related activities.

This includes the Workday Golden Bear Pro-Am at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, where Diebler had an opportunity to catch up with On Sports Illustrated's Hanna Williford in an exclusive for Ohio State Buckeyes On SI.

Diebler's presence at the Memorial Cup is much lower-stakes for his purposes. During a walk-and-talk session with Williford, Diebler honed in on how much he has enjoyed getting a chance to rub elbows with some of the biggest stars in sports and entertainment.

Notable names included former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and actor Rob Lowe. Diebler was drawn to a different group entirely, though.

"I got a chance to talk to some people last night," Diebler said. "There's some basketball people people, people from the basketball community playing [in the tournament]. So, I got to spend some time with those guys. Guys that I've known where I've just crossed paths before. So, pretty special. But getting a couple minutes to talk to Jack [Nicklaus] last night was pretty special."

Diebler said he noticed a group of Buckeye fans who were there to support him which he was glad to see.

"I'll tell you what, it has been pretty cool to see how many Buckeye fans are out here," Diebler said. "Obviously, being in the greater Columbus area helps, but the Buckeye support is always special."

Diebler admitted that golf really isn't his thing, but he's taking it in stride given the opportunity.

"It's a lot of pressure, you know, when you're teeing off in front of a group of people," Diebler said. "So, I think I'm more comfortable shooting a free-throw in front of thousands [of people] than I am doing this. But, it has been a lot of fun."

Diebler's team is fresh off an NCAA Tournament bid this spring, losing to the TCU Horned Frogs in the game's closing seconds. His resilient group clawed its way to a tournament appearance, reaching Friday of the Big Ten Tournament before losing to the eventual national champion Michigan Wolverines in the conference tournament's quarterfinals in Chicago.

Diebler will enter his ninth season overall across several stints with the Buckeyes. He has served as the permanent head coach since March 2024, looking to continue building on a return to the NCAA Tournament next spring.

We'll see if a return trip is in the cards.

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