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February 24, 2016Last Tuesday night Evan Turner returned to Columbus, OH and his name will never leave Value City Arena. Ohio State honored the Chicago native by hanging his name and number 21 from the ceiling along with other all-time greats. While his number is not officially retired, the honor cannot be overstated as only five players have received the distinction in over a century of Buckeye basketball.
One of the greatest honors a collegiate athlete can receive from his alma mater—besides a diploma—is to have his number retired as an all-time great. Ohio State currently has four retired numbers along with Turner’s recognition:
No. 5: John Havlicek (1959-62)
• 1960: NCAA Champion
• 1962: Second Team All-American
No. 11: Jerry Lucas (1959-62)
• 1960: NCAA Champion, First Team All-American, Final Four Most Outstanding Player
• 1961: AP Player of the Year, First Team All-American, Final Four Most Outstanding Player
• 1962: AP Player of the Year, First Team All-American
No. 22: Jim Jackson (1989-92)
• 1991: First Team All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year
• 1992: UPI Player of the Year, First Team All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year
No. 35: Gary Bradds
• 1963: Second Team All-American
• 1964: AP Player of the Year , First Team All-American, Six consecutive 40+ point games
Considering that the basketball team began play in 1898 it is surprising so few Buckeyes’ numbers hang from the ceiling. Now that turner has enjoyed his day, which former Buckeyes could or should have their number retired next? I will focus on players who, like those already immortal, played at least three years in Columbus. Here are the candidates:
No. 32. Dennis Hopson (1983-87)
Dennis Hopson holds multiple Ohio State scoring records. He is first all-time with 2,096 points in 125 career games. He scored 958 points in his senior season alone, averaging 29.0 points per game. Despite his scoring prowess his senior year he was only Second Team All-American, but earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors. On December 6, 1986 Hopson recorded the first triple double in Buckeye history, a 27-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist effort in a 96-75 win over Ohio University. He also finished his collegiate career with 164 career steals, then a record that has since been broken. Hopson endures as an outstanding offensive player with a compelling case to see his number 32 retired.
No. 4. Aaron Craft (2010-14)
Something about Aaron Craft really stuck in the craw of opposing fans. Maybe it was his rosy cheeks. Maybe it was his singing chops. More likely, it was his ferocious, aggressive defense. Aaron Craft holds the Ohio State and Big Ten record for career steals with 337. Every year the conference named him to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team and he also earned Academic All-American of the Year honors in 2013 and 2014. While he never stood out as a prodigious shooter, Craft played as an effective point guard who never shied away from a floor-burn inducing dive for a loose ball. His 694 career assists rank first in OSU history and second all-time in the Big Ten. With so many awards in his name already, it is conceivable that a retired number could be in his future.
No. 32. Herb Williams (1977-81)
As a four-year starter with the Scarlet and Gray, Herb Williams made his presence felt. In 114 games he set the bar for career points with 2,011 (since broken by Dennis Hopson) and career field goals made with 834. Defensively Williams’ 1,111 career rebounds and 328 career blocks both rank second all-time in team history. In 1980 Williams was named to the All-Big Ten Team and the Buckeyes even reached the Sweet 16 before bowing out to UCLA. Now, some of you may have noticed that both Williams and Hopson wore number 32. To retire the number with just one name might not be taken well by the snubbed party, so why not retire the number for both players? Each has an argument for enshrinement, and there is precedent for such a practice.
These are just three players who could make a case for having their numbers retired. The original four honorees had to wait an average 31.75 years after their college career to achieve immortality, but Turner waited a brief six. Perhaps the door is now slightly more ajar for the above candidates. In a few years time maybe we will be talking about a member of the Class of 2019. Hopefully someone in that group will get the chance to cut down some nets first.
