PF #26 - J.D. Weatherspoon (Transfer to Toledo)

You can't get your who blocked by Shurna!!!!!!

 

^^^^^^^^^That Pic is Bad-A$$^^^^^^^^^

 

Weatherspoon has grown into role at OSU




COLUMBUS -- A year ago, J.D. Weatherspoon found himself in basketball purgatory.

Academically ineligible for the winter quarter, he could practice with the top-ranked Buckeyes, but not play on game nights or travel with the team.

"Looking at my little brother and sisters and them looking up to me, I feel that I have to be a role model. I'm from Columbus, so I felt like I let a lot of people down," Weatherspoon admitted. "I had to get refocused and do what I got to do to come back with this team."

He got his work done in the classroom and made it back to the squad in time to dress for the Sweet 16 loss to Kentucky. Nevertheless, it was a lost freshman season. Weatherspoon played just 54 minutes in 10 early games, averaging 1.8 points and 0.8 rebounds.

In essence, Weatherspoon easily could have been a senior in high school at that point with a birthday on Sept. 1, 1992. It's why Ohio State was slow to woo the athletic 6-foot-6 forward out of Northland.

"We wanted to see him mature a little bit more," OSU coach Thad Matta said of deciding to watch his progress through his junior season in high school before making a scholarship offer.

Instead, Weatherspoon picked Xavier. But when coach Sean Miller left for Arizona, he decommitted -- giving the Buckeyes another shot at him.

"I love the fact that with J.D., he was coming from a storied program, a winning program. He had won a state championship. He and Jared (Sullinger's) record throughout their four years there was astonishing," Matta said. "The big thing was how hard are you going to work when you get here and hone in on the skills?"

The answer wasn't available last year, but it appears as if it's happening this season.

Weatherspoon played himself from the end of the bench into a part of the rotation. He's done it with energy, attitude and work ethic.

"At the beginning of the year, I wasn't getting the minutes I thought I was going to be receiving. Instead of coming to practice the next day with a bad attitude and pouting, I wanted to be a man about it," he said.

One of the fiercest finishers in traffic and on the fastbreak, he's still undersized at power forward and he's not skilled enough on the perimeter to play small forward. But he's working on it.

"After practice, do extra work. Shoot with coach (Chris) Jent. Work on ball handling. Coming into the gym is really what you have to do," he said.

Weatherspoon admitted he took advantage of all the free time during the holiday break to make the coaching staff aware of his talents.

"He's obviously a very good athlete. He's rebounding and finishing around the rim. That's what we need him to do and get dialed in on good team defense," Matta said.

He's averaging 4.1 points and 1.5 rebounds this season, while shooting 63 percent from the floor. In the Big Ten, his minutes have increased to almost nine per game.

"I'm just glad I'm starting to receive more minutes," Weatherspoon said. "I'm just ready. When your name is called, you have to be ready at all times no matter what."

Weatherspoon is no longer in basketball purgatory, finding his niche as a spark off the bench and a high-energy guy on a top-5 team.

"They kept with me and stayed close to me and that's what I really needed," he said.

The Buckeyes are better for it.

"I think to his credit he went through a tough stage last year and he's rebounded and has done very well with that," Matta said.

Weatherspoon has grown into role at OSU | Mansfield News Journal | mansfieldnewsjournal.com

 

Man, that puts us at a 9-man roster with one of thos being Trey McDonald....

That's not good numbers....


I think we'll see a 5 or 6-man class in 2013......

 

Ohio State forward J.D. Weatherspoon will transfer from Buckeyes | cleveland.com

 

The Big Show Interview with J.D. Weatherspoon on 97.1 The Fan - YouTube
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Weatherspoon to Transfer

 

Sucks to see him go!