Op-ed: Holtmann’s 5-star recruiting paving way for OSU Men’s bball championship
Chris Holtmann’s 5-Star Recruiting Notebook
While 5-star high school point guard D.J. Carton from Iowa recently made headlines by committing to play for The Ohio State Men’s basketball team in 2019, make no mistake that the most valuable person for this Buckeyes team is OSU head coach Chris Holtmann.
And, make no mistake that Mr. Holtmann’s Buckeyes will likely win the national championship within the next two years.
Coach Holtmann’s reconstructive coaching job during the 2017-2018 season surprised Columbus and the B1G Ten—as well as the country—by motivating a Buckeye team that looked uninspired during former head coach Thad Matta’s final season.
Keita Bates-Diop, who was recently drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves, had a banner year individually in 2017-2018. Support players Jae’Sean Tate, Kam Williams, C.J. Jackson, and brothers Andre and Kaleb Wesson made Ohio State formidable.
Coach Holtmann’s approach elevated Keita Bates-Diop to be nationally-acclaimed individually while simultaneously building a supporting cast, both starters and bench players, to buy into his fundamental-centric style of play that was the teaser trailer for a highly-anticipated, inevitable blockbuster in the relatively near future.
With his first season at Ohio State in the books, Chris Holtmann has proven his acumen as a turnaround artist by exercising tactical prowess with basketball players who have a wide-range of skill sets and expectations.
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And now, Mr. Holtmann is showing fans, recruits, and fellow coaches alike that when given the same opportunity as his big-name counterparts, he can deliver big-time potential.
National championships can be won on recruiting trips. Just ask Roy Williams, Coach K and, yes, Thad Matta.
Recall when Mr. Matta’s squad was led by stellar freshmen Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Jr., Daequan Cook and David Lighty (plus a famous benchwarmer) back in 2006-2007?
That Buckeye team was just one win—40 minutes—away from a national title.
It was that painfully close.
In the summer of 2018, Chris Holtmann’s forthcoming second season in Columbus is looking bright all because OSU’s head coach understands the value of time.
Mr. Holtmann took the time to craft a winning strategy and re-establish an inspired basketball culture that lifted a previously underwhelming team comprised of players that fans and analysts thought had already reached their full potential.
Mr. Holtmann has taken the time to recruit the best athletes by using a winning game plan.
Urban Meyer won a national championship in his third season at Ohio State by recruiting five-star talent that revitalized the program’s culture and performance.
Chris Holtmann’s basketball Buckeyes may have a banner year in the near future by taking a similar approach.
🏀👀 WATCH @ChrisHoltmann, @C_Jack13 and @kyle_young25 give an @OhioStateHoops update before ✈ to 🇪🇸❗#GoBucks https://t.co/8IpJ4VHBK3
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) July 17, 2018
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