Ohio State sophomore center Austin Parks announced on Twitter Tuesday night that he is entering the transfer portal with two years of collegiate eligibility remaining, making him the first Buckeye to announce he is leaving the program for next season.
“I’d like to thank Ohio State, Coach Diebler and every assistant, teammate and fan of the scarlet and gray for allowing me to be a part of this prestigious program over the last two years,” Parks wrote on Twitter. “I’ve been taught so many life lessons, formed life-long friendships and am forever thankful for my time in Columbus.
“I am choosing to enter the transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining, and am looking forward to finding my last stop to call home.”
Parks, a former three-star 2023 prospect out of Saint Marys (Ohio) Memorial — where he set 13 school records, including career points (1,528) and career rebounds (645) — took on a limited bench role in his two seasons with the Buckeyes, appearing in just 24 games in his career and totaling 23 points, 18 rebounds, six assists, three steals, one block and 22 fouls.
After playing just nine games and logging 2.2 minutes per contest his freshman season, Parks earned a bit more playing time as a sophomore, appearing in 15 games and logging 8.3 minutes per game, but his role decreased as the season went on.
After logging seven or minutes in eight of his first 10 appearances, he did so just once the rest of the season and appeared in just five games in the 2025 portion of the season, despite other big men such as Aaron Bradshaw, Sean Stewart and Ivan Njegovan struggling down the stretch.
He did not see any action in Ohio State’s final two games of the season against Indiana and Iowa.
Parks will now look to find an expanded role on a different team this offseason. As for Ohio State, that leaves it with five forwards/centers on its team as of now, those being the previously mentioned Bradshaw, Stewart and Njegovan as well as sophomore forward Devin Royal and freshman forward Colin White.
It is expected that Ohio State will look to the transfer portal to add top perimeter talent. The portal opens on March 24 and closes April 22.
