Legends Return: Greg Oden, D’Angelo Russell, and Ohio State Alumni Ignite Fire in Buckeyes’ Offseason Grind
In the searing heat of an early June morning, the Schottenstein Center pulsed with energy not from a crowd, but from something far deeper—legacy. Ohio State’s current basketball roster gathered in near silence, the rhythmic squeak of sneakers echoing as figures from the past stepped onto the practice court. Towering at 7-feet, Greg Oden’s presence demanded attention. Beside him, the smooth, confident D’Angelo Russell clapped his hands and motioned for the team to circle up.
This wasn’t just a workout—it was a homecoming of champions and warriors who had once worn the scarlet and gray with pride. Alongside Oden and Russell, other OSU alumni like Jared Sullinger, Evan Turner, and Mike Conley Jr. filtered in, turning the gym into a living timeline of Buckeye greatness. Head Coach Jake Diebler had orchestrated the surprise, aiming to inject intensity and inspiration into a critical offseason filled with new recruits and unfinished goals.
“Legacy isn’t built in March,” Oden said, his voice deep and commanding. “It’s built right here—in the sweat, in the silence, when nobody’s watching.”
The alumni-led session wasn’t gentle. Russell ran shooting drills at game speed, yelling out defensive switches as he traded buckets with sophomore sharpshooter Chance Gordon. Meanwhile, Sullinger battled in the paint with 6’9″ freshman phenom Elijah Nwosu, giving the newcomer a welcome-to-college basketball moment as he got his shot blocked—twice.
Coach Diebler looked on with quiet satisfaction. “This is more than motivation,” he whispered to his assistants. “This is what culture looks like when it walks back through your doors.”
The session climaxed with a high-stakes scrimmage—Alumni vs. Buckeyes. The game was a spectacle: Turner’s no-look passes, Conley’s court vision, and Russell’s clutch midrange pull-ups were all on display. But the current Buckeyes didn’t shrink. Junior point guard Malik Harper took Russell one-on-one and hit a step-back three that had the whole gym erupting.
After the scrimmage, the alumni huddled with the team. Russell, now a seasoned NBA vet with the Lakers, addressed them with emotion. “You don’t wait to be great at Ohio State. You decide to be great. Every day.”
As the sun dipped outside and the lights of the gym buzzed to a close, the Buckeyes weren’t just tired—they were transformed. Their legs ached, their jerseys soaked, but something unspoken lingered in the air: a torch had been passed.
The message was clear—this offseason wasn’t about rebuilding. It was about reclaiming. And with legends at their backs, the Buckeyes had found new fire to forge their future.
