Ohio State forward Justice Sueing announced Wednesday that he will enter his name into the 2023 NBA Draft pool.
The former Buckeye spent four seasons in the program, posting averages of 11.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game across 68 games in the scarlet and gray. Sueing decided to forgo a remaining season eligibility granted to him due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My years at Ohio State have been filled with unforgettable moments and invaluable lessons that I will hold onto for the rest of my life,” Sueing tweeted on Wednesday. “I’m forever grateful for the friendships and bonds I’ve built with Coach Holtmann, the staff, and my teammates. The Scarlet and Gray will always be etched in my heart.”
Sueing transferred to Ohio State after spending his first two collegiate seasons at California, where he led the Golden Bears in scoring as a sophomore during the 2018-19 season. Due to transfer rules, Sueing was required to sit out the 2019-20 season but became a major contributor for the Buckeyes in 2020-21.
In his first season of game action for the Scarlet and Gray, Sueing aided Ohio State to a 21-10 record and No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament by producing 10.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Due to injuries, Sueing was thrust into a primary ball-handler role late in the season and tallied 1.5 assists per game.
Sueing missed much of the 2021-22 season due to an abdominal injury, appearing in Ohio State’s first two games before being held out for the rest of the season.
He enjoyed an injury-free final season in Columbus, appearing in all 35 games and making 32 starts for the Buckeyes while earning an All-Big Ten honorable mention. Stepping into a larger role for Ohio State, leading a roster reliant on four freshmen, Sueing averaged 12.3 points per game — the second-highest mark among Buckeyes this season, behind only Brice Sensabaugh — and 5.2 rebounds per game, but OSU sputtered to a 13-18 record at regular season’s end.
Sueing helped ignite a shocking run to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament, in which Ohio State became the first No. 13 seed to reach the semifinal, by averaging 14.8 points per game on 52.6 percent shooting from deep — up from his career-low 23.1 percent mark during the regular season — while hitting several key shots in wins over Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan State.
Sueing joins Sensabaugh as Buckeyes in the NBA Draft pool, while Sensabaugh maintained his eligibility to return to Ohio State if he chooses.
