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Mar 1, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes center Ivan Njegovan (7) celebrates during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
When Ohio State added Ivan Njegovan to its roster in 2024, the expectation was never immediate production. The Croatian big man arrived in Columbus as a developmental prospect. He possessed intriguing size, physical tools, and long-term upside, but few expected him to become a meaningful contributor early in his career. The plan was simple, give him time, allow him to adjust to the physicality and speed of Big Ten basketball, and see where his development could take him over several years.
Fast forward to the summer of 2026, and the conversation surrounding Njegovan appears to be changing. While Ohio State’s frontcourt headlines naturally focus on proven contributors like A’mare Bynum, Josh Ojianwuna, and Andrija Jelavic, some of the more interesting offseason reports have centered around Njegovan’s development behind the scenes. Early practice observations and internal buzz have consistently pointed toward noticeable improvements in his footwork, touch around the basket, conditioning, and overall offensive confidence.
No one is projecting him as an All-Big Ten player this season. But for a team with Big Ten and NCAA Tournament aspirations, the possibility of Njegovan developing into a legitimate positive rotation big could quietly become one of the most important storylines on the roster.
The development Ohio State was hoping for
Players with Njegovan’s profile often require patience. Listed on Ohio State’s website at 7-foot-2 and 260 pounds, the former international prospect entered college basketball with tools that coaches love but skills that still needed refinement. The physical frame was already there. The challenge was translating that frame into functional production against high-level competition.
Last season, Njegovan primarily served as a developmental depth piece. His opportunities were limited against top competition, but the experience proved valuable. Every practice against Big Ten caliber competition, every strength and conditioning session, and every film room rep helped accelerate the learning process. Now, according to multiple reports coming out of Ohio State’s offseason workouts, those developmental gains are beginning to show. And the biggest improvement appears to be around the basket, which is where a player of his profile should live.
Early in his career, Njegovan occasionally looked rushed offensively. His footwork was inconsistent, and finishing through contact was still a work in progress. This offseason, however, observers have noted a more polished player. His touch around the rim has reportedly improved significantly, his post footwork looks cleaner, and he appears more comfortable making quick decisions in tight spaces.
Those improvements matter because they make him much more playable in Big Ten basketball. Ohio State does not need Njegovan to become a primary scoring option. They simply need him to become a dependable rotation player capable of providing quality minutes when starters rest or foul trouble emerges. And if the offensive growth is real, paired with his already great rebounding, that pathway becomes much more realistic.
Why his role could be larger than most expect
Ohio State’s frontcourt rotation entering 2026 is deeper than it has been in recent years. A’mare Bynum provides proven production and interior scoring. Andrija Jelavic brings stretch-big versatility and significant offensive upside. And Josh Ojianwuna offers physicality, rim protection, rebounding, and high-major experience.
But over the course of a grueling Big Ten season, frontcourt success is rarely determined by star power alone. Depth, reliability, and having multiple playable bigs often becomes just as important as the talent at the top of the rotation, and that is where Njegovan enters the picture. Unlike some of Ohio State’s other frontcourt pieces, his game is built around traditional center responsibilities. He rebounds. He protects space. He sets physical screens. He plays through contact. And he occupies defenders in the paint and helps establish physicality around the rim.
Those skills are not always glamorous, but they become incredibly valuable during conference play. The Big Ten remains one of the most physical leagues in college basketball, and teams will regularly throw multiple frontcourt bodies at opponents, so depth often determines who survives the grit and grind of January and February.
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If Njegovan can become a trustworthy backup center, it changes the dynamics of the entire big rotation for Ohio State. Ojianwuna and Bynum can stay fresher throughout games. Jelavic can spend more time playing at the four when matchups allow, and Ohio State can gain additional lineup flexibility without sacrificing size or rebounding. That value extends far beyond statistics. Simply having another playable frontcourt option allows Jake Diebler to manage minutes more effectively and adjust to different opponents throughout the season.
The ceiling may be higher than just a backup
The most encouraging part of Njegovan’s development is that there may still be a lot more room for growth. Because of his size and physical profile, he will always have a chance to impact games defensively. Big men with legitimate size and strength remain valuable regardless of era, particularly when they can rebound, defend, and avoid mistakes.
What determines his long-term ceiling, however, is whether the offensive improvement continues. If the enhanced touch around the rim becomes consistent, if the footwork keeps progressing, and if his confidence continues growing, Njegovan could eventually become more than simply a backup center. He has the physical tools to develop into a legitimate Big Ten rotation player, and maybe even a starter, capable of handling meaningful minutes.
That possibility is part of what makes his development so important. Ohio State entered last season hoping Njegovan could eventually become a contributor. But now entering 2026, there are growing signs he may be much closer to reaching that goal than many expected. And if the offseason progress carries over into the regular season, the Buckeyes may have quietly turned one of their biggest developmental projects into one of their most valuable frontcourt pieces.
Sometimes the most important offseason additions are not transfers or freshmen. Sometimes they are the players already on the roster who take that next step. And for Ohio State, Ivan Njegovan may be proving exactly that.
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