​When it came time to assemble the 2026-27 squad, three names immediately caught Justin Pippen’s eye. “Coach (Jake) Diebler, Amare Bynum and John Mobley Jr. coming back,” he said. “Those three stood out to me in the transfer portal process.” Standing in a corner of the practice gym at the Schottenstein Center, the former Michigan and California guard had just finished another summer practice with the Ohio State men’s basketball team. Pippen had been brought in to help fill the void left by four-time captain and all-time leading scorer Bruce Thornton, and he said there were five schools he seriously considered during the transfer period. The opportunity to play for Diebler and to team up with Bynum and Mobley ultimately tipped the scales in Ohio State’s favor.
“The process for me was about finding a program where I could grow as a player and reach my next goals, including making it to the NBA, while also getting to play with returnees like John and Amare,” Pippen, now a junior, said on July 9. “They came back here for a reason. They clearly love the program and the coach, so their decision to return, along with their styles of play, influenced me. Amare is a high-level athlete who can shoot, and Mobley can shoot and operate both on and off the ball.” Together, the three are expected to lead a revamped Ohio State roster with ambitions that go beyond simply qualifying for the NCAA Tournament; they aim to make a serious run.
No Buckeye has logged more games than Mobley, who is entering his junior season as the Big Ten’s fourth-leading returning scorer. Bynum, a sophomore last year, increased his playing time and production steadily, and with continued growth, he could be poised for a breakout year. The trio arrives at a time when the program has been looking to take a step forward in a competitive landscape.
Pippen will need to blend with them while continuing to develop his own game. As a sophomore, he earned honorable mention All-ACC honors from Cal, finishing as the Golden Bears’ second-leading scorer at 14.2 points per game and their assist leader at 4.6 per game. He also compiled 61 steals, ranking fourth in program history for a single season, and tied for second on the team with 19 blocked shots. In his initial conversations with Diebler, Pippen asked about Ohio State’s willingness to use zone defense, as he wanted a chance to showcase his defensive aptitude and help the team defend, create opportunities, and unlock matchup advantages.
The response quickly reinforced why Pippen was drawn to Columbus. Ohio State aimed to become more formidable on the perimeter, a goal Diebler summarized when noting the addition of a 6-foot-4, 190-pound player who can pass, rebound, draw fouls and shoot. “He checked all the boxes for us,” Diebler said, emphasizing that Pippen’s versatility and defensive potential fit the program’s needs. The commitment from Pippen and the return of Bynum and Mobley set the stage for a season where Ohio State hopes to compete at a higher level in the national landscape.