Alonzo Gaffney Leaving Ohio State Program

After committing to the Buckeyes, Alonzo Gaffney was probably thinking that staying one season at Ohio State before turning pro was best case scenario. The past year is likely not what Gaffney was envisioning on the hardwood, though, as he will not be returning to the program for the 2020 season, per 247Sports’ Brian Snow.

The 6’9” forward ended up in Columbus by way of Brewster Academy (after transferring from Villa Angela-St. Joseph in Cleveland) where he was looked at as a consensus top-75 recruit just last year. In 2018, Brian Snow wrote a scouting evaluation of Gaffney heading into his senior season of high school:

“At 6-foot-9 with a huge wingspan, Gaffney has an elite combination of size, athleticism, and length for a forward. Plays either forward spot with ease, and also can take advantage of mismatches. Is inconsistent with his motor and doesn’t always get the best out of his physical tools. It is all about potential. If the light comes on for him, it is possible he could end up a lottery pick one day. However, he also has one of the lower floors in the class for someone who is a consensus top-50 recruit.”

Gaffney was never able to put it together during his short time as a Buckeye. He was never able to truly crack the rotation, appearing in only 17 contests and averaging just 6.8 minutes per game. He came into the program as part of one of the more highly-heralded recruiting classes in recent memory for the Buckeyes. EJ Liddell, DJ Carton, and Gaffney were looked at as the future of the program. As of now, only Liddell remains on the roster after Gaffney’s professional aspirations and Carton’s name being in the transfer portal after battling through mental health issues in the second half of the season.

Gaffney’s departure opens up the valuable scholarship for Seth Towns who committed to his hometown Buckeyes on Saturday. If Kaleb Wesson also declares for the NBA Draft, Chris Holtmann will have another scholarship to play with. There have been rumors that Holtmann is looking to add a backcourt piece to the mix.