Chris Jent’s return to Ohio State’s basketball coaching staff came with plenty of fanfare and a few whispers. Two productive years on Thad Matta’s staff led to three years at the professional level, where Jent was an NBA assistant and then a D-League head coach before an opening emerged at his alma mater.
Matta is preparing for his 13th season, the third-longest tenure in Ohio State history. He’s shown no indication of slowing anytime soon, but Jent’s hiring has quietly been viewed as setting up the program with a potential successor already in the building.
On Wednesday, at his first news conference since being officially hired April 21, Jent said he’s not worried about what might be down the road — but that he would like to be head coach of the Buckeyes one day.