Ohio State men’s basketball has made a late addition to its 2026-27 roster to fill its 15th spot, with Argentinian forward Lee Aaliya joining the Buckeyes on Friday.
“Lee is an energetic big who I am excited to have join our Buckeye family,” said head coach Jake Diebler in a statement. “His experience, athleticism and physicality make him a valuable addition to our program.”
Aaliya (6-9) spent the 2024-25 basketball season with Atenas de Cordoba, a club team in Argentina. Over the season, he averaged 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 17.5 minutes per game, leading the team to a final four appearance in the South American Basketball Champions League.
Over the last three years, Aaliya has spent time with the Argentinian national team and competed in the most recent AmeriCup and World Cup qualifiers with the team.
At the club level, he has also played with UCAM Murcia in Spain in the Liga ACB, and this past year, he averaged 18.4 points and 9.6 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 60 percent from the floor.
In 2023, he participated in the U19 World Cup and averaged 17.1 points and 9.0 rebounds during the tournament while shooting over 56 percent from the floor in seven games.
The Buckeyes’ roster is now complete for this season as the 21-year-old Aaliya joins the program. He joins a group of big men that also includes Ivan Njegovan, Josh Ojianwuna, Andrija Jelavic and Vuk Lazarevic.
