Royal is expected to take a huge step under Jake Diebler as a sophomore this season in Columbus
If you have been locked into college football so this fall, here is your friendly reminder that the Ohio State men’s basketball hoops season starts Monday.
As we wrap up our player preview series this week, here are the final Buckeyes we are examining to preview the 2024-25 season.
The Devin Royal File
Name: Devin Royal
Position: Forward
Class: Sophomore
High School: Pickerington Central
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Weight: 220 pounds
Height: 6-foot-6
Breakdown
Devin Royal showed progress throughout his freshman season, especially when Chris Holtmann’s head coach position was shifted to Jake Diebler. Royal played in 33 of the team’s 36 games and became a low-post threat as the season progressed. He averaged 4.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game while shooting better than 50 percent from the floor
As mentioned above, Royal played well down the stretch, averaging nearly eight points per contest over the final nine games. He played his best in one of the biggest games of the season, scoring a team-high 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting and adding a pair of steals in the last-second win at Michigan State.
Before he got to Columbus, he was a consensus four-star recruit who was named Ohio’s Mr. Basketball in 2023. He became the 12th player in Ohio State basketball history to earn Ohio’s Mr. Basketball. He helped lead Pickerington Central to a DI state title game in each of his last two seasons, scoring a game-high 20 points in a win in 2022 and a team-high 15 points in a runner-up finish in 2023.
He earned first-team All-Ohio honors as both a junior and senior, averaging 19.6 points and 7.6 rebounds as a senior and averaging 19.1 points and 8.2 rebounds as a junior. On the AAU circuit, he played for All-Ohio Red in 2022 and averaged 17.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting over 51 percent in 26 games.
In high school, he played alongside current Ohio State football player Sonny Styles at Pickerington Central. Royal was the No. 9 PF and No. 1 player in Ohio as a top-50 overall prospect in the 2023 recruiting class.
Expected Role
When you talk to anyone who follows Ohio State or Big Ten basketball, Royal is the main name mentioned. He is expected to make a huge leap in his sophomore season.
Royal took an obvious jump toward the end of last season, particularly when Jake Diebler took over as the head coach. He showed efficiency and solid rebounding and did not make any freshman mistakes.
Royal will not be a starter this season with the additions of Micah Parrish and Sean Stewart to the team. He needs to be a better shooter to play the three, and be a little more physical to play the four consistently.
However, Royal will be the first player off the bench for the Buckeyes and will likely play 20-23 minutes a game since he can play multiple spots on the floor. He is one of the top players in the conference due for a jump in his second season, and will be one of the top Buckeyes to keep an eye on this year.