The four-star guard will spend one season at the junior college or prep academy level before joining the Buckeyes in 2026.
Four-star 2025 Ohio State commit Dorian Jones is not expected to enroll at the university or join the men’s basketball program this summer, Jones confirmed on his social media.
Jones, who committed to Ohio State last July, is a 6-foot-4, 160-pound guard out of Richmond Heights High School. He was the second prep commitment to Ohio State during the Jake Diebler era of men’s basketball, after 2026 Marcus Johnson did so in April of 2025.
A high-level shooter with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Jones is currently the top-rated Ohio player in the 2025 class, the 19th-rated shooting guard in the class, and the No. 114 recruit in the nation. His recruiting has slipped some during a senior season that’s seen him miss considerable time due to illness — he was the No. 72 recruit in the nation when he committed last summer.
Jones is still firmly committed to Ohio State, but he is expected to either play one season at a junior college or a preparatory academy this academic year to continue his development. With Bruce Thornton and John Mobley locked into starting roles and Taison Chatman and Gabe Cupps competing for backup minutes, Jones would have had a challenging — but not impossible — path to earn consistent minutes this upcoming season.
Ohio State’s other incoming freshman — 6-foot-8 power forward A’mare Bynum — is still expected to enroll this summer and could have a substantial role this season.
Jones’ year playing prep basketball should not affect his collegiate eligibility, giving him four seasons starting in 2026. This precedent was set in December 2024, when Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia sued the NCAA requesting an additional year of eligibility after spending his first season at New Mexico Military Academy — a junior college.
Jones not enrolling at Ohio State this year opens up one additional spot on the men’s basketball roster. Diebler and his staff are expected to bring in an additional player to take that spot at some point this summer.