Ohio State Star Guard Jacy Sheldon Headlines 2024 Rookie Class

 (Image - 2024 Pro Rookie Class - Dale Bonner - Celeste Taylor - Jamison Battle - Jacy Sheldon) 

2024 Rookie Class - It's that time of the year again where a new group of departing Ohio State Seniors enter the next stage of their lives and basketball careers. With this in mind and in light of the upcoming WNBA draft..we wanted to take a brief look at four prospects that make up the core of the 2024 Buckeye Pro Rookie Class. This year's group features a projected top ten WNBA draft pick who has been a star mainstay in Columbus for four years. Two transfers, an offensive scoring machine & an elite defender, both of whom made big impressions in just one season at Ohio State. And a combo guard who provided one of the most memorable moments of the 2023-2024 NCAA season.

Dale Bonner

What we like - His versatility - We describe Dale Bonner as a combo guard because not only can he play off the ball and be a capable scoring threat, but he has also displayed a lead guard floor game & mentality where his focus was on running offense, making sound decisions and setting his teammates up over hunting for his own shots. 

The primary role for Dale Bonner at Baylor & Ohio State was that of a reserve point guard. In this role Dale was brought in to be a solid ball handler & tactfully run the offense while a starter like Bruce Thornton was out of the game. Yet, perhaps an underrated aspect of Bonner's game is that he doesn't shy away from taking & making big shots in important moments. Some of his best moments in the S&G were his shotmaking against good competition such as Alabama, Virginia Tech in the NIT, and in East Lansing against Michigan State.

Pro Outlook - We have to think Bonner & his representation will look to get in front of scouts in the form of team workouts, possibly the NBA combine & a summer league team. We're not sure if his college numbers will warrant the latter two, but for now his initial pro prospects seem to be a lower to mid-tier overseas league where he can possibly start & have more freedom to go show his overall game in an expanded role. We think Bonner can be one of those players where after a few years of solid play in the pros, we look back and think here's a guy who was possibly capable of much more than what he produced at D1 Baylor & Ohio State. 

Celeste Taylor

What We Like - In today's basketball era of online hoop mixtapes & hyped up scoring outputs, it's almost rare to see players who especially relish in competing on the defensive end at a high level. But that is exactly the type of mindset that Celeste Taylor possesses. The New York native's  reputation as an elite defensive player is well earned, having won back to back Defensive Player Of The Year awards in two different conferences.                                                                                                                                                   At 5'11, Taylor is able to check the opposing team's best scoring guard/wing and can even hold her own guarding select forwards in post actions. And make no mistake..while defense certainly Celeste's calling card, she's also a capable player on offense with the ability to score on all three levels. In her lone season in Columbus, Taylor tallied 18 double figure scoring games with two 20 point outputs. An All B1G Ten 2nd Team Selection, Taylor is simply a stat sheet stuffer who can score, assist, rebound, and turn opposing players over with her guarding prowess.

Pro Outlook - Celeste Taylor projects as a late first/early second round selection in the 2024 WNBA Draft. We believe she's well equipped to make & stay on an WNBA roster as well as a high level European club. Taylor immediately fits as a starting two/three who is tasked to guard the opposing team's best scorer or a role as a high energy 'sixth man' off the bench. She will be able to help a pro team with on the ball & help side defense, on the boards with her rebounding ability, and in the passing lanes with steals leading to transition scoring opportunities. On offense, Celeste is an unselfish player, sometimes to her own detriment as we think she'll want to exceed the little credit she's been given as an offensive playmaker & scorer by media heads. She'll need to up her long range percentage and prove to be a consistent scoring threat as a classic '3&D' type of player, but all things considered, we think her overall floor game will allow her to have a solid to great pro career. 

                                                                                                         

Jamison Battle

What We Like - Jamison Battle is one of the more intriguing prospects to come out of Ohio State Men's Basketball in the last two/three years as a plug & play type of player with a seasoned game. The 22 year old Minnesota native has a deep offensive bag with a special ability as a catch & shoot and off the bounce long range shooter. At 6'7, Battle can score at all three levels by using an array of moves off the dribble for stop & pop pull up & fadeaway jumpers at the mid range as well as possessing adequate athleticism to get all the way to the rim. Moreover, he was Ohio State's second leading scorer and featured three point shooter with a team high 91 made threes on the year at a 43.3% clip. The All-B1G 10 Honorable Mention selection had 10 games of 20 or more points in the 2023-2024 season with a season high of 32 points against Nebraska on Februray 29, 2024. And when Jamison gets to the free throw line, he's reliable with a 92.6% percentage from his Senior season. 

Pro Outlook - Without looking at any mock drafts, we'd like to think Jamison Battle's NBA projection ranges from an undrafted free-agent to a late second round pick. His NCAA stats will garner opportunities to play in front scouts at the Portsmouth Invitational, possibly the official NBA combine & most definitely on an NBA Summer League roster. There's really not much separation among the tons of players classified as 'fringe' NBA guys. In this case it's all about getting opportunities and finding the right fit to make a roster and inevitably stick in the league. We believe Battle's offensive skill level can potentially land him in the G-League, mid to upper level overseas play and/or even on an NBA roster. Jamison will need to continue to show that he's a willing defender who can withstand the physicality of the pro game. 

Jacy Sheldon 

What We Like - Following the paths of Tayler Hill, Samantha Prahalis, and Kelsey Mitchell..Dublin, Ohio's own Jacy Sheldon continues the line of All-American Ohio State Women's Basketball Guards. For five seasons, Sheldon was an on & off the court leader for the Buckeyes and one of the premier players in the B1G Ten conference and entire country at large. The lightning quick lead guard has proven to be super effective on both ends of the court. Defensively, the length & wingspan of her 5'10 frame allows her to play much bigger than she is. Jacy is a constant pest defending the ball and is especially great at getting hands in the passing lanes with a dynamite ability to convert steals to quick transition points. In half-court offense, Sheldon can play on or off the ball with a dynamic first step off the dribble to get to certain spots for her jumper or all the way to the rim. Without the ball she shot 51.4% on open catch & shoot threes. 

The First Team All Conference selection has been a efficient long range asset overall throughout her college career. In her final season with the Buckeyes she had a 43.4% three point shooting percentage. Similar to Celeste Taylor, Jacy Sheldon possesses a high level of competitive spirit that allows her to be an impact player on offense & defense because she's always in attack mode. 

Jacy's time in Columbus wasn't without significant adversity as she suffered a serious leg injury in the 2022-2023 season. At the time there were some doubts about her returning to pre-injury form, but Sheldon answered those questions in emphatic fashion by returning to help lead Ohio State to an Elite Eight finish in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. 

Pro Outlook - Jacy Sheldon is a consensus top ten projected pick in the upcoming WNBA draft. Mock drafts have her as high as the number #5 pick down to number #8 at the lowest. We obviously have much confidence in Sheldon making a WNBA roster and competing for a starting guard spot right away as a rookie. If she chooses to play overseas she should qualify for a high level European club. Jacy will need to adapt to the very physical play she will run into in the 'W' & overseas. Her frame is comparable to former Buckeye Samantha Prahalis, another high WNBA draft pick..and physical play was something Sammy struggled with a bit in the pro game. But aside from that, we believe Sheldon's game is going to translate rather well to the next level of play!