After four-star power forward Kalen Etzler took his latest trip around Ohio State’s campus, Chris Holtmann brought him into his office.
Holtmann and assistant coach Ryan Pedon had watched Etzler develop into a top-60 overall recruit in his class while playing for Convoy Crestview and All Ohio Red the past couple years and determined he had finally developed enough to pull the trigger. The coaches offered him a scholarship, giving him his first high-major offer, and he accepted.
“I said, ‘I think I want to be a Buckeye,” Etzler told Eleven Warriors.
Etzler committed to Ohio State on the spot during his visit on Thursday, becoming the first commit in the team’s 2021 recruiting class and surprising the coaches.