Amare Bynum Announces He Will Return To Ohio State For Sophomore Season

Ohio State freshman forward Amare Bynum will be back in Columbus for his sophomore season.

Bynum was one of the most important players the Buckeyes needed to retain over the offseason after he broke out as a freshman to average 9.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

He began the year on the bench, with senior forward Brandon Noel in the starting five, but 10 games into the season, Bynum took over as the starting power forward, a role that he kept for the remainder of the year.

As the season went on, Bynum became one of the more consistent contributors for Ohio State. In the final six games of the season when the Buckeyes were playing their best basketball as a team, Bynum averaged 12.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. That stretch included a 14-point game in the win over Purdue on March 1, and 18 points in the regular season-finale against Indiana on March 7.

Bynum’s intention to return comes one day after it was revealed that Devin Royal intends to enter the transfer portal to find a new home for his senior season. The two instances are likely related, with both Bynum and Royal fitting best at the power forward spot, along with the fact that incoming five-star freshman small forward Anthony Thompson will be with the team next season.