There seems to be a small possibility that Ohio State could be gaining another player for the 2025-26 season with Donovan “Puff” Johnson filing a lawsuit against the NCAA, looking to receive immediate eligibility to play for the Buckeyes this year.
Johnson already requested a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA, which was denied on Sept. 30.
According to the suit, which was shared by his attorney, Mit Winter, Johnson is already enrolled at Ohio State and his waiver for eligibility was declined because he appeared in more than 30 percent of his team’s games during the 2024-25 season, and also appeared in two games after the midpoint of the regular season, using what was supposed to be his last year of eligibility.
Johnson filed an appeal to the original denial of his eligibility request that his Dec. 10 wrist injury was misdiagnosed by Penn State medical staff and that he shouldn’t have been cleared to play. Instead, Johnson continued to play with ailments that he says directly contributed to the broken wrist he suffered on Jan. 15 playing with the Nittany Lions.
The complaint also states that a broken foot suffered in 2020-21 and a torn patellar tendon in 2023 should be considered as well, since he has missed a total of 54 games over his five years in college basketball.
“Unless his eligibility is immediately clarified and restored, Johnson will be irreparably harmed by missing games, practices, and exposure opportunities that cannot be recovered as the season begins,” the complaint states. “Because each missed contest permanently reduces Johnson’s opportunities for athletic competition, professional development, and contractual NIL earnings, prompt judicial intervention is necessary. Accordingly, Johnson seeks expedited consideration of his claims and emergency injunctive relief to ensure his eligibility determination is resolved prior to him missing any further competitions in the 2025-2026 season.”
If the 25-year-old Johnson is allowed to play with the Buckeyes at some point, he would add a lot of college experience, with 111 games between his time at North Carolina and Penn State. In his final season with the Lions, he averaged 10.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Photo: Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
