Former Ohio State men’s basketball forward Kyle Young announced Thursday that he will be retiring from the sport.
In a video posted on Twitter, Young said the game will hold a special place in his heart and that he will be forever grateful for the opportunities it provided for him.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling knowing that I won’t be playing basketball anymore, but I can find some peace in knowing that I was able to leave everything I had out there and give everything 110 percent to Ohio State and all of Buckeye Nation,” he said.
Young’s retirement from the game comes after five seasons played with the Buckeyes under head coach Chris Holtmann. He appeared in 135 games, averaging 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game on 55.9 percent shooting.
He had three career double-doubles and posted a career-high of 18 points four times, including in a conference tournament win over Purdue in 2021.
Often the heart of recent Ohio State teams, Young was known for his fire, especially on the defensive end. His presence was sorely missed when he was out of the game, which unfortunately happened too often due to several injuries sustained during his playing career.
He suffered several concussions – including three across the last two seasons – an ankle injury, a stress fracture in his right leg and even vestibular dysfunction, which causes dizziness and vertigo, along with the general wear and tear brought about by college basketball.
A former four-star prospect out of Massillon (Ohio) Jackson, Young had been committed to Butler for close to a year, but followed Holtmann when he jumped to Ohio State.
Though he could have pursued professional options – several of Young’s former teammates are in the professional ranks, including Jae’Sean Tate and Duane Washington Jr. in the NBA and C.J. Walker and Kaleb Wesson, who are currently playing overseas – he is content calling it a career on the court. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Young received a bachelor’s degree in sports industry from Ohio State in 2020 and was one of 194 student-athletes to walk at graduation last Sunday, earning his master’s in kinesiology.
