Three Ohio State Basketball Players Who Could Leave in Transfer Portal

Keep an eye on the status of these three Ohio State Buckeyes players who might decide to hit the college basketball transfer portal following the NCAA Tournament.

Mar 7, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Gabe Cupps (4) celebrates as time winds down during the second half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

After being eliminated from the 2026 NCAA Tournament, the Ohio State Buckeyes get a head start on their offseason.

Roster retention will be an immediate focus for Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler, who will be losing senior Bruce Thorton and Christoph Tilly. Sixth-year senior Puff Johnson is also expected to depart the program.

But in the new age of college sports, Ohio State will also need to make sure that they retain key members of the Buckeyes heading into 2027. Other schools could float better opportunities or more NIL money at Ohio State’s basketball players to convince them to transfer away from the Buckeyes.

Let’s take a look at a few Ohio State players who could leave the Buckeyes in the transfer portal.

Gabe Cupps (Guard)

After hardly playing for the Indiana Hoosiers, Cupps transferred to the Buckeyes.

The issue?

He didn’t play much in Columbus, either, averaging just under 13 minutes per game. With Thorton likely heading to the NBA, perhaps Cupps would be primed for a bigger role in his junior year?

It’s probably impossible for Cupps to determine if he’ll be given a bigger role. He wasn’t much of an impact player early on. While he came into his own later in the season, Diebler didn’t seem to trust Cupps at all in big moments.

You hate to see local talent depart Columbus, but perhaps Cupps would decide to transfer to a smaller school in exchange for a bigger role.

Ivan Njegovan (Center)

Njegovan played a tick under 12 minutes for Ohio State during their 2025-26 campaign. Could he leave Columbus in search of another bigger opportunity?

The 7-foot-1 big man has spent his first two seasons with the Buckeyes and has averaged two points and two rebounds per game. His large frame was advertised as a rim protector for the Buckeyes, but he blocked under 0.5 shot in each game he played. 

Since Tilly is out of eligibility, the Buckeyes could look to overhaul their center position to vastly improve next season.

Brandon Noel (Forward)

Noel came into his own down the stretch for the Buckeyes, and Ohio State would hate to lose the former Wright State transfer. However, the fact that he played better down the stretch against Big Ten competition could entice other coaches to give him a chance.

He’s an efficient scorer that flew under the radar due to an injury-riddled season. But if a team identifies that Noel can help them, they might be able to make him an offer that Ohio State can’t beat.