Ohio State Has Back-To-Back First Rounders For First Time Since 2009-10

Former Ohio State forward Brice Sensabaugh was taken by the Utah Jazz with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday, making for a historic run of success in the draft for the Buckeyes.

With Sensabaugh’s first-round selection – combined with Malaki Branaham being taken at No. 20 in last year’s draft – it’s just the sixth time in program history that Ohio State posted back-to-back first round draftees.

The first time was in 1981 and 1982, with Herb Williams taken 14th overall in 1981 by the Indiana Pacers and Clark Kellogg was chosen eighth overall, also by the Pacers, in 1982. Ohio State then added back-to-back first rounders against from 1986-87, with Brad Sellers taken ninth overall in 1986 by the Chicago Bulls, and Dennis Hopson going third to the New Jersey Nets in 1987.

It was then a long drought for back-to-back first rounders, until Ohio State saw four consecutive drafts – 2007-10 – with first-round selection. The Buckeyes saw three – Greg Oden (first), Mike Conley (fourth) and Daequan Cook (21st) – taken in the first round in 2007, and they were followed by Kosta Koufos (23rd) in 2008, Byron Mullens (24th) in 2009 and Evan Turner (second) in 2010.

With another impressive recruiting class coming in that features combo guard Taison Chatman and forwards Devin Royal and Scotty Middleton – all four-star, top-100 prospects – Ohio State could look to continue that success in next year’s draft.