The decision, to some extent, doesn’t matter for Meechie Johnson. It’s not an all-or-nothing choice.
If Duane Washington Jr. takes his name out of the NBA draft pool and chooses to stay at Ohio State for one more season, then the rising sophomore combo guard will compete to start beside him in the backcourt and will play a significant role in this team’s 2021-22 outlook. If Washington leaves, then Johnson would play even more minutes with a clearer path to the starting lineup.
Either way, regardless of whether Washington – who earned an NBA Combine invitation late on Monday night – sticks around or not, Johnson will transform from a sparsely utilized reserve into a key piece of Ohio State’s immediate future.