Jake Diebler has made significant changes to his team during the offseason, including the addition of a former highly-rated recruit. The new head coach of Ohio State has successfully recruited Sean Stewart, a forward who previously played for Duke. Stewart, standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing 230 pounds, brings his skills to the team after averaging 2.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in 33 games with Duke.

Diebler expressed enthusiasm about Stewart’s addition, highlighting his strong work ethic and versatile playing style as valuable assets to the team.

Diebler had previously recruited Stewart when the talented player was a highly sought-after prospect, earning accolades such as being named a McDonald’s All-American and ranked as the No. 17 player overall in the 2023 recruiting class. Diebler took over as Ohio State’s interim head coach after Chris Holtmann was fired in February, eventually securing the full-time position after a successful stint, including a 6-2 record to close the regular season. Despite narrowly missing out on the NCAA Tournament, the team’s late-season surge, highlighted by a notable upset win against eventual national runner-up Purdue, propelled them into the NIT.

Stewart’s addition to the roster marks the fourth transfer acquisition for the Buckeyes during the spring. He joins guard Meechie Johnson (from South Carolina), center Aaron Bradshaw (from Kentucky), and forward Micah Parrish (from San Diego State).