Ohio State guard Eugene Brown III announced on Thursday that he will enter the transfer portal after three seasons with the Buckeyes.
Brown wore many hats in his time as a Buckeye, playing anywhere from shooting guard to center while being primarily relied on for his defensive acumen. In 77 overall games with Ohio State, Brown averaged 2.2 points and 1.7 rebounds on 43.8 percent shooting while playing 10.9 minutes per game. Brown is set to graduate from Ohio State with a degree in sports industry this spring.
Brown arrived at Ohio State as a four-star prospect out of Conyers, Ga., where he blossomed into one of the top players in Georgia, ranking No. 9 in his recruiting class. He didn’t see the court much during his first season with the Buckeyes, averaging 6.2 minutes per game across 29 outings while tallying 1.2 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.
His role increased in Year Two as he started in 10 games and made his first career start on Feb. 12, 2022, against Michigan — in which he scored 2 points and pulled down eight rebounds in a 68-57 win. As a sophomore, Brown tallied his three highest single-game scoring totals, including his career-high 14 points against IUPUI on Jan. 18, 2022. He averaged career-highs in points (3.5) and rebounds (2.4) during his sophomore season.
Prior to the beginning of his junior campaign, Brown suffered a concussion during summer workouts and was held out of the first 11 games until he made his season debut against Alabama A&M on Dec. 29, 2022. Brown struggled to fit into the wing rotation but found his niche as a small-ball center for the Buckeyes. As injuries to the Ohio State frontcourt piled up, Brown’s role at center increased and nearly became his staple position for the season — registering his lone start of the campaign at the five.
In his final season with the Buckeyes, Brown averaged 1.4 points and 1.5 rebounds while shooting career-best marks from the field (53.1 percent) and deep (37.5 percent).
Brown’s departure marks the third of the offseason for Ohio State, as forwards Brice Sensabaugh and Justice Sueing both declared for the NBA Draft in March.
