Welcome back into The Morning Bell. We are 4 days away from the biggest test of the season at Penn State. The Buckeyes are 9-1 in their last 10 meetings with the Nittany Lions, and look to push their win streak to 6 wins in a row against the B1G East foe. A lot of stuff happened over the weekend, so let's sift through some of the things we saw. Zach Harrison Arrives One of the first major wins for Ryan Day after being handed the keys to the Ohio State program was the commitment of local 5-Star DE Zach Harrison. Since then, Buckeye fans have been waiting for a truly dominant game from the 4th year player, and on Saturday, they finally got it. From the jump, Harrison was nearly unblock able, winning on 44% of his pass rush attempts. When he wasn't getting past his blocker, he was getting his long arms up and in the throwing lanes of Spencer Petras and Alex Padilla. Harrison ended the game with 1 Sack, 1 Forced Fumble, 2 TFLs, and 1 PBU and looked like a true force of nature. If this game was a turning point for a more consistent Zach Harrison, then the Buckeyes defense just got even scarier. Damon Wilson Down To 2 Schools 5-Star DE Damon Wilson out of Florida has been one of the main focal points of recruiting talk for the past few months. The 6'-4" 230 lb DE is one of the most coveted prospects in the country, and had previously named a Top 5 of Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Ohio State, and Miami. As of yesterday, that list is down to 2, Ohio State and Georgia. The Buckeyes and Bulldogs have been going back and forth in this recruitment for the past few weeks, as Wilson has taken official visits to both schools. Ryan Day made Wilson a priority on the Bye Week as he was one of the first recruits he went to visit. A week later, Kirby Smart did the same thing, as reports of Ohio State being the team to beat started to trickle in. The predictions for Ohio State to land Wilson still remain, and with the 2023 prospect now in "decision mode", many in Columbus are optimistic that they will ultimately land his commitment. Justin Fields Takes The Stage On MNF Am I biased as an Ohio State fan in judging Justin Fields? 100%. He is perfect and I will not tolerate slander. In all seriousness though, it is hard to accurately grade the 2nd year QB because his supporting cast on offense is so damn bad. The offensive line acts like Fields owes them money with the amount of free rushers he sees every game, and most of his WRs would not be on 75% of the NFL Rosters. Despite all this, Fields did his best to carry Chicago to a 33-14 win over the Patriots on Monday night. He finished 13/21 with 179 Yds 1 TD and 1 INT, with an additional 82 Yds and 1 TD on the ground. It wasn't an MVP level performance, but it was good enough to get the job done with his turnstile offensive line and WR group that probably wouldn't start at Ohio State right now. Fields was constantly fighting for his life out there, but he continued to make plays like the one above with his legs. I wouldn't be surprised to see Chicago start to become sellers as the trade deadline approaches. They need to start compiling picks to get him weapons, and they should probably look to Jaxon Smith-Njigba or TCU's Quentin Johnston. Either of those players would make Justin's life a lot easier. Thanks for stopping in. Try to enjoy your Tuesday, which in my opinion is the shittiest day of the week. We are one more day closer to Saturday. GO BUCKS!

With Week 8 seeing more unbeaten teams take their first loss of the season, we were reminded how difficult it is to win every week in College Football. We've decided to start a weekly Victory Bell staff poll, so with that being said, lets see how our guys rank the top teams. Despite everyone having a different Top 10, only 11 different teams received votes in this week's poll. The 11th team that received two 10th place votes was Penn State. The Top 10 seems to have started to separate itself from the rest of the country, but within the Top 10, the Top 4 seem to be on a different tier than everyone else. With more big matchups coming up next week, we are sure to see some sort of shift in the poll next Sunday.

After dismantling Iowa 54-10 on Saturday, Ohio State remains in the number 2 spot in both the coaches and the AP Poll. The top 6 in the poll remain the same as the rest of it saw a sizable shift with some key teams losing yesterday. Perhaps most importantly for the Buckeyes is their opponent next week is up to #13 as Penn State took care of business against Minnesota in their annual "White Out" game in happy valley. Ohio State will go on the road for just the second time this season as they take on the 13th ranked Nittany Lions in a game that is always a competitive affair. Should be the only major road test of the season, as the only remaining road games after are Northwestern and Maryland. If Ohio State wants to bolster its resume, it needs to start with an impressive showing in Happy Valley.

Ohio State gets it done in Columbus with a 54-10 win over the Hawkeyes of Iowa. The defense played a huge part in today's victory for the Bucks as they tallied 4 turnovers that consisted of a fumble and 3 interceptions, one of those interceptions got ran back for a pick-6 by Tommy Eichenberg himself. Zach Harrison had himself a day as well, might be the best game he's had as a buckeye, he racked up 2 solo tackles including a sack and deflected the pass that gave Eichenberg the pick-6 opportunity. Tanner McCalister had a game as well, he corralled the other 2 interceptions that set the OSU offense up very well. The defense as a whole was lights out, giving up 0 touchdowns and just one feild goal. Switching to special teams, Ruggles stayed automatic as always. Noah Ruggles went a perfect 4/4 on FGs, with a long of 46, and a perfect 6/6 on XPs. As for the punter, Jesse Mirco, he was solid as he's been all year, pinning the Iowa offense against their own goal line nearly every time he got the chance (2/3 punts landed within the 20). Switching to the offensive side of the ball, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming all caught a touchdown pass from CJ Stroud today. Fleming ranked first in receiving yards for the buckeyes, but only had two receptions. CJ Stroud took a little bit to get going but once he did he played very well, throwing for 286 yards and 4 touchdowns. Stroud did have a couple miscues as he had the one interception and the one fumble loss, that gave Iowa their lone touchdown of the day, but other than that looked very solid. Stroud did an outstanding job in the pocket, avoiding the pressure and always finding an open receiver whenever he needed to. The run game was good, definitely not as good as we've seen in past games but that was as expected, seeing as we faced off against the best defense we've seen all year (#7 in the country). Having Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson back is a relief for sure even though they only combined for 57 yards and 1 TD. Overall I think CJ Stroud looked fine, it took a little bit to get going but once he did the offense was clicking just like the offense we all know and love. The Buckeyes now shift their focuses to the Penn State Nittany Lions, as they'll take them on in Happy Valley next Saturday, October the 29th at 12:00.

Gameday is finally upon us, and that means we are kicking off our weekly tradition of Bold Predictions. Ohio State has an intriguing matchup with the Iowa Hawkeyes this week, who are elite on defense, but abysmal on offense. I've got the Buckeyes winning comfortably with a 45-6 prediction I made back in our Staff Week 8 Predictions , but this will most likely be the toughest test the offense has faced all year. With that all said, let's get into the predictions. Ohio State Rushes For 300 Yards The Buckeyes have yet to rush for 300 Yards in a game this season, and Iowa is only giving up 110.7 Rushing Yards Per Game, but I think the Hawkeyes will try to slow down the passing attack. With the offensive line that Ohio State has, Ryan Day has shown no hesitation to run the ball, as he has chosen to do so on 54.6% of plays this season. I think the Buckeyes get chunk yardage early and often, and continue to pound the ball with a healthy Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson. If there is a weakness on this Iowa defense, it is most likely the D-Line, so I think this is where Day centers his attack. Iowa Gains Less Than 150 Total Yards Of Offense Its no secret that the Iowa offense is bad. I mean insanely bad. In overall offense, the rank 129th out of 131 FBS schools (that's as bad as Tennessee's pass defense). The Hawkeyes are averaging a whopping 238.8 YPG on offense which is yielding them 14.7 PPG. Mix that with an ultra aggressive defense from Jim Knowles that has complicated Blitz schemes and can hide multiple coverages out of the same looks, you get a recipe for disaster. QB Spencer Petras has been limited at best this season with throwing 2 TDs and 5 INTs this season, and today might just be the breaking point for Brian Ferentz as the offensive coordinator. I know Kirk Ferentz doesn't want to fire his son, and hates change in general, but the cries of the Iowa fans are starting to spill over in asking to the HC to leave as well. Hopefully for his sake, he sees this soon, or Iowa may be in on the Matt Rhule sweepstakes as well this offseason. No one likes nepotism. Tuimoloau Breaks Through, Gets 2 Sacks One of the surprises of the first half of the season was that second year DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau has not yet recorded a sack. On the surface, this could be alarming, but if you have watched the Buckeyes closely this season, you realize that he has been effecting just about every play he is on the field for. Larry Johnson even went so far as to call out the B1G for missing blatant holds against J.T. during media availability this week. The past few games, I have seen J.T. attempt a spin move to the inside after driving the opposing OT upfield, and he has just been missing out on a sack each time. The drought ends today, and the spin cycle pays off with multiple sacks for the second year DE. Its easy to forget that this is a revenge game for the Buckeyes today. If you're going to the stadium, wear red, be loud, and lets kick some Hawkeye ass! O-H!

2024 Colin White will be on an unofficial visit to Columbus for the Ohio State vs. Iowa football game today. Last season Colin White visited during the Ohio State vs. Maryland game shown above. Colin White had an excellent sophomore basketball season and showed he is an all-around contributor. This past season he was named 1st Team All-State, WBL Player of the Year, District 8 Player of the Year, Northwest Ohio Player of the Year while leading his team to a 28-3 record and (Ohio) State Runner-Up. Remember, he was only a sophomore. The 6'5" guard plays high school ball for Ottawa-Glandorf High School and AAU for the Ohio Buckets. I'm excited to see what the next two years will be like for Colin White as he continues to develop. Colin White holds offers from Akron, Cincinnati, Miami, Oakland, Ohio University, Toledo, UNI, and West Virginia. At this time, he does not have an Ohio State offer.

Two of the most successful NBA Buckeyes went head-to-head tonight. With 4 seconds left in the game, D'Angelo Russell snatched back on Mike Conley to send the game into overtime. The Utah Jazz and Conley had the last laugh as they beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 132-126 in OT. Final Stats D'Angelo Russell: 23 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block. Mike Conley: 12 points, 11 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals.

Ohio State General Information: #2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes are ranked (6-0, 3-0 in BIg10 play) #1 in the nation with points scored (48.8) #2 in total yards (543.7) #5 in defensive yards (253.5) #7 in passing yards allowed (160.3) #9 in rushing yards allowed ( 93.2) #10 in points scored (15.7) Iowa General Information: Iowa Hawkeyes (unranked) are (3-3,1-2 in Big10 play) #127 in the nation in points scored (14.7) #131 in total yards (239.2) #7 in defensive yards (264.7) #3 in passing yards (154.0) #3 in points scored (9.8) Odds: All Odds are attained from Fanduel Sports Book as of 10/22 Money line: Ohio State (-10000) Iowa (+2400) In case you're new to better the "-" is the favorite. If you bet 10,000 dollars on Ohio State you win back 100 dollars. The "+" sign is the underdog. If you bet 100 dollars on Iowa you would win 2400 dollars. Spread: Ohio State: -29.5 (-112) Iowa: +29.5 (-105) The spread is extremely simple if you're betting on Ohio State -29.5 you're betting that Ohio State will win by more than 29.5 points. If you bet Iowa +29.5 points you're betting that Iowa will not lose by more than 29.5 points. Over/Under: 49.5- Over 49.5 (-110) Under(-114) If you think the total points for the game (both teams) will go over 49.5 points bet the over. If you think both teams won't score a combined 49.5 points then take the under. Offense/Defense Comparison: Iowa Defense: On paper, this looks like one hell of a defensive matchup. You're getting the best defenses in the Big10 on the same field to clash at noon in Columbus, Ohio. This Iowa defense has looked amazing all year. The strength of their defense comes from the linebacker core they have Seth Benson, Jay Higgins, and Jack Campbell. With a combined 129 tackles between the three of them, they make a nightmare matchup for any QB and OL. They have decent DBs as well, watching them play against TTUN I noticed they were able to hold the WRs to low yards with no explosive plays. They didn't fear the WRs getting open downfield and busting open a big play. Even as an OSU fan I can say Phil Parker (Iowas defensive coordinator) has done a fantastic job with the defense so kudos to him. Ohio State Offense: All the stats are great but... THEY HAVEN'T FACED A TEAM LIKE THESE DAMN BUCKEYES. Let's really be honest, Iowa is not stopping Cj Stroud, Mayan Williamson, Treveyon Henderson, Marvin Harrison Jr, Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming, Cade Stover, and Jaxon Smith Njigba (if he plays). This offense is the best in the nation and we score an average of 4.8 points in the fourth quarter! This is one of our best offenses with how many weapons we have. Anybody can score on the field, you can't guard everyone. If Iowa puts the safety over JSN then one of the other three is going to win their match, if they don't watch Cade Stover he can catch the ball over in LB, if they focus too much on the passing game then our OL is going to be dominant and our running backs are going to run all over them. Let's really be honest, the Buckeyes are the best team in the nation, and it's clear as day. We out matchup any team in the nation, we have the best QB in the nation, and we EASILY have the best wide receivers in the country. Our team is way too good for Iowa. They know it, we know it, vegas knows it, and more importantly, our pockets know it. I could write a book breaking down our offense but it's not necessary for this bet. Iowa Offense: Respectfully, they suck. They're dead last in FBS in yards per game and fourth to last in points per game. The OL sucks, the QB sucks, the WRs suck, and their offensive scheme sucks. Not much to write about their offense other than they're the worst thing I've ever watched in my life. Ohio State Defense: This defense is extremely special. Our DL looks so dominant every play, they know how to shed blocks, get around the edge, and use their strength to bull rush the opposing QB. J.T looks unreal on the edge, he's so much fun to watch hit the gas off the line and not let anyone around the edge. Micahel Hall Jr which has been dominant as hell this year. He's the missing piece to this DL that we needed, he's such a strong DT and he pushes right through the guards and center. The combination of Jack Sawyer and Zach Harrison is a perfect 1-2 punch in my opinion. They both bring different things to the edge. Zach is a more straight-up power rusher and Jack sawyer has more finesse and speed around the edge. Tommy and Steele have truly come out of their shells this season, they look like completely new players in this Jim Knowles defensive scheme. They read and diagnose plays fast, they take the right angles, they hit the holes to sack the opposing QB with a purpose, and their ability to cover the TE downfield has been 100% better than last season. That duo in the linebacker group is extremely scary for any team we play for the run-and-pass game. I'm so so happy to have those guys really playing well this season. Our safeties have played spectacular as well, Ronnie Hickman, Tanner Mccalister, and Josh Proctor have all played great coverage all season. The combination of speed and pass coverage they all possess is just fun to watch. they don't let up a deep play, I never worry about someone getting behind them, and I know they have the ability to keep their eyes on the QB. Our CBs have been rough a little lately, Cam Brown and Denzel Burke have slightly struggled in a few of our games but I believe there's going to be a bounce back and they still playing to expectations. To sum it up, our defense is going to light up the Iowa offense and I do not expect them to get points at all. Victory Bell Predicitons: Evan 41-10 Ohio State Andrew 53-13 Ohio State Jake 45-6 Ohio State Brodie 45-10 Ohio State Jordan 49-10 Ohio State Here at the Victory Bell we have OSU covering the spread (-29.5) and the total points going over (49.5). In a parlay for Fanduel those odds are going to be +263. A 100 dollar bet would pay 263 dollars. I would take those odds any day of the week if you're a college football bettor. If you wanted to ALT line the to (-27.5) over (47.5) I would give that some thought as well. The pay out is a little less but its a safer bet at +140 but would give it some thought. OSU (29.5) Over (49.5) +263 The top tier offense and defense OSU is going be way to much for Iowa and expect this to be a total blow out game. Sorry Hawkeyes, we'll see you in Columbus at noon. Lets go win some money.

Rise and shine bitches. The Morning Bell is back. Let's get into it. Ohio State Lands 2024 Commitment On Thursday, Justin Frye proved once again why Ryan Day went out to Pasadena and hired him away from UCLA. He secured a commitment from one of the top offensive linemen in the class of 2024 Ian Moore. Moore, who hails from Indiana, is the #84 overall prospect in the class, and joins #1 overall player Dylan Raiola in the Buckeyes class. Chris Olave Continues To Impress On Thursday Night Football, the New Orleans Saints and the Arizona Cardinals faced off, Chris Olave continued to do what he has done his entire rookie season. Olave finished the night with 7 catches for 106 Yards, marking the 2nd time this season he has gone over the 100-Yard mark in a game. In just 6 games this season, Olave has 495 Yards and 2 TDs. Not too shabby for the rookie. Reinforcements Coming For The Buckeyes Its no secret that despite Ohio State dominating its opponents this season, it has been doing so without the full availability of its roster. Most notably missing from the field has been Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was hurt early on in the opener against Notre Dame. During his Thursday media availability, Ryan Day had some encouraging comments for Ohio State fans when he said "We're gonna get some guys back, which is great." One of those guys is Miyan Williams, who missed the last game against Michigan State on October 8th. Williams ranks 5th in the nation with 7.8 Yards Per Carry, and the offense has seemed to run more efficiently with him on the field this season. With Iowa boasting a Top 3 defense, Williams' return will be a welcome sight. Another notable Buckeye who is back to 100% is DT Michael Hall Jr., who in his last outing, had 2.5 Sacks in just 7 snaps of action. He has been as important as anyone on the Ohio State defense this season, and he will be needed if the Buckeyes plan on hoisting a trophy at So-Fi Stadium in January. The two names that we could see return to action this week that haven't been confirmed are Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jordan Hancock. Smith-Njigba needs no further introduction, but Hancock is a name fans may not be as familiar with. The 2nd year CB out of Georgia was the #5 corner in the 2021 class, and may very well be the best player the Buckeyes have at the position. Saturday's availability report will be met with much anticipation, and hopefully the Buckeyes are at full strength to start the 2nd half of the season. Its Friday folks, so you know what that means: Wind down your work week and get ready for another Buckeye gameday tomorrow. Thanks for stopping in and Go Bucks!

Elite Indiana Offensive linemen in the class of 2024 Ian Moore chooses Ohio State over 23 different D1 teams including Penn State, WIsconsin, Iowa, and more! Moore is ranked as the 91st best player in the class of 2024 and the 4th best inside offensive linemen in the country (247sports). He joins the Buckeyes 2024 class with #1 Player and 5 star QB Dylan Raiola. Ohio State jumps up from the #17 class in 2024 to the #11 class. Ohio States 2024 class currently has the highest average in the country and is ranked the highest out of every school with 2 commits or less. Ian Moore on a recruiting visit to Ohio State

The Buckeyes had 3 different players make their season debut on the NBAs opening night. On this past Wednesday D'Angelo Russell, (14-15) Mike Conley JR, (06-07) Keita Bates-Diop (14-18) all made appearances on the NBAs premier. While Jae'Sean Tate (14-18) missed the opener due to a minor ankle injury, Duane Washington JR (18-21) and Malaki Branham (21-22) did not play by coaches decision. D'Angelo Russell Photo Via https://dunkingwithwolves.com/2022/09/11/timberwolves-depth-point-guard-difference-maker/ Russell put up 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists to start his 2022-2023 campaign. The 9th year vet shot 7/16 from the field and 2/6 from three. He started the game and played 34 minutes while helping lead The Timberwolves to a 115-108 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder even with all stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards struggling. Mike Conley JR Photo Via https://www.sportingnews.com/au/nba/news/report-mike-conley-jr-to-come-off-the-bench-in-return-for-utah-jazz/1717gmpao2g27175xrt1rntfoh Conley JR started his 16th NBA season with a blowout 123-102 win over the Denver Nuggets. Even at the age of 35 Conley got the starting nod at PG while playing the second most minutes on the team with 32 minutes. Conley had 13 points on 3/8 shooting and was 2/4 from 3 point land. Conley dished out 8 assists to just 3 turnovers and also collected 2 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block. Keita Bates-Diop Photo Via https://www.poundingtherock.com/2022/4/26/23038369/spurs-player-season-review-keita-bates-diop-was-solid-but-showed-little-upside Bates-Diop was the 3rd and final Buckeye to appear in a game last night with former teamate Jae'Sean Tate being out with an ankle injury. Diop played just 5 minutes in a 129-102 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. He had 2 points and made his only field goal attempt. Cover photo credit https://buckeyeswire.usatoday.com/gallery/ohio-state-basketball-every-player-drafted-into-nba-since-2000/

The ball has officially tipped in the NBA, and Ohio State Hoops has more representation now than ever. The Buckeyes are represented by a variety of different players in different stages of their careers. Let's dive into what former Buckeyes will be taking the NBA floor this season. #0 D'Angelo Russell Current Team: Minnesota Timberwolves Born: Feb. 23, 1996 (26 years old) Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky Height: 6'4" (193cm) Weight: 193 (88kg) D'Angelo Russell, also known as DLo, is the starting point guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 6'4" guard from Louisville, Kentucky, enters his 9th year in the NBA. DLo was selected with the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers after playing one season at the Ohio State University. After his rookie season, DLo was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team with the Lakers in 2016. He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, where he began to make a name for himself. In his second year with the Nets, DLo turned into "the guy" for them as he led the team in scoring and was selected to his first All-Star game in 2019. In the 2019 off-season, the All-Star was moved via a sign and trade to the Golden State Warriors. Playing alongside one of the game's best and most decorated point guards, Stephen Curry caused DLo to move to a two-guard off-ball role for the first time in his career and averaged a career-best 23.6 points per game. At the 2020 trade deadline, a great opportunity came about where DLo could play with one of his childhood friends and play a leading role. The Minnesota Timberwolves made the trade and added many young star pieces around him over the years. DLo and his team have big expectations for this year. D'Angelo Russell is now playing his third year with the Timberwolves, the longest time he has spent with any team since entering the NBA. #11 Mike Conley Jr. Current Team: Utah Jazz Born: Oct. 11, 1987 (35 years old) Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana Height: 6'1" (185cm) Weight: 175 (79kg) Mike Conley Jr. is the starting point guard for the Utah Jazz. The 6'1" guard from Indianapolis, Indiana enters his 16th season in the NBA. Conley was selected with the 4th overall pick by the Memphis Grizzles in the 2007 NBA Draft after just one season with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Conley spent 12 seasons with the Grizzles where he became the team's all-time leading scorer. The former McDonald's All-American made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2013), is a 3x NBA Sportsmanship Award (2014, 2016, 2019), and NBA Teammate of the Year winner (2019) during his time with the Grizzles. He will go down as one of the best Grizzles of all time. Conley was traded to the Utah Jazz in 2019 where he became the lead point guard for one of the best teams in the NBA. After finishing the season with the best record in the NBA West, the Jazz failed to make any real run to the NBA finals which led them to disband their team this past off-season. Conley now leads a team of young guys as the Utah Jazz look to build for the future and could be in trade rumors as the season progresses. #8 Jae'Sean Tate Current Team: Houston Rockets Born: Oct. 28, 1995 (26 years old) Hometown: Columbus, Ohio Height: 6'5" (196cm) Weight: 230 (104kg) Jae'Sean Tate has taken the road that not many of traveled. His journey to the NBA is one of the most unique stories that you will find. Tate was not drafted and had little opportunity to prove to the NBA that he was worth a roster spot after his college career concluded at Ohio State. Tate began his career overseas with the Antwerp Giants, a professional basketball club based in Antwerp, Belgium. With a population of around 520,000, Antwerp is the largest city in Belgium. The Giants play their ball in the BNXT league which is the highest tear of Belgium basketball. After one successful season Tate transferred clubs and became a King. Tate knew that he had to get to a better ball club that would continue to challenge himself professionally. The Sydney Kinds were based in Sydney Australia and they play in the NBL. The Kings are a well-decorated ball club and sit third all-time in NBL championships with four. Tate began to gain more exposure and the competition was greater. After a season with the Kings, his coach Will Weaver joined the Houston Rockets as an assistant coach. Weaver decided to take his best player with him. That player was Jae"Sean Tate. As a 24-year-old rookie, Jae'Tate started his career with the Houston Rockets. Tate earned NBA All-Rookie First Team and continues to lead the Rockets with energy and passion for the game as he enters his third season with the club. #31 Keita Bates-Diop Current Team: San Antonio Spurs Born: Jan. 23, 1996 (26 years old) Hometown: Normal, Illinois Height: 6'8" (203cm) Weight: 229 (103kg) Keita Bates-Diop often referred to as KBD is a forward/wing for the San Antonio Spurs. The 6'8" 5th-year player came out of college as the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2018 and was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves as the 48th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. During his time in the NBA, he spent two years with the Timberwolves, and a year with the Nuggets, and has found a home in San Antonio. The Spurs started him in 14 games of the 59 games that he played averaging 16.2 MPG. This year, he leads a talented young team with a Hall of Fame coach in Coach Gregg Popovich. #4 Duane Washington Jr. Current Team: Phenix Suns Born: March 24, 2000 (22 years old) Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan Height: 6'3" (190cm) Weight: 210 (95kg) Duane Washington Jr. often referred to as DWiz is a two-way player for the Phenix Suns. The 6'3" guard is in his second year in the NBA. The Indiana Pacers signed Duane to a two-way deal before signing him to a multiple-year contract. The Pacers felt that they had the chance to add another star player to their roster which resulted in them cutting Duane after a phenomenal first year for the undrafted rookie. The Pacers lost out on Duane and did not sign the big-name free agent that they were hoping to sign. Duane was not on the market for long before he was scooped up by the Suns who are looking to make a run in the West. Duane could earn valuable time this year as a backup to one of the league's best guard duos in Chris Pual and Devin Booker. Expect Duane to light up the score when he enters the game. The former Buckeye shotmaker is not afraid of the big moments. #22 Malaki Branham Current Team: San Antonio Spurs Born: May 12, 2003 (19 years old) Hometown: Columbus, Ohio Height: 6'5" (196cm) Weight: 180 (82kg) Malaki Branham enters his rookie year with high expectations from the San Antonio Spurs. Malaki was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in his only season with the Buckeyes and was Ohio's Mr. Basketball coming out of high school. I would say that Malaki has proven that he is used to expectations and should have the benefit of the doubt to exceed them. In the NBA, everybody has the accolades that Malaki has had, I get that. Everybody is a big-time player. With the 20th pick in the 2022 draft, I believe the San Antonio Spurs selected the steal of the draft. The Spurs have an exciting young core, and Malaki is a major player in their rebuild and will get big minutes early in his career. #32 E.J. Liddell Current Team: New Orleans Pelicans Born: Dec. 18, 2000 (21 years old) Hometown: Belleville, Illinois Height: 6'7" (201cm) Weight: 240 (109kg) E.J. Liddell enters his first year rehabbing an injury that he sustained during the NBA Summer League. E.J. was selected by the New Orlean Pelicans with the 41st overall pick in the draft. The 6'7" versatile player entered the NBA as a 2x Mr. Basktball in Illinois, and an All-American selection out of college. Liddell's game developed into a smooth operation during his time at Ohio State. Leading the Buckeyes in scoring and setting the tone on the defensive end. Now that he is in the league, he has signed a two-year deal with the Pelicans even after sustaining the injury. I wish Liddell nothing but the best during his rehab and I know that he will return stronger than ever. Learn more about the signing here.