There are a lot of moving parts surrounding the Ohio State basketball program ahead of the season, and not just the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chris Holtmann’s crew has seen significant addition and subtraction in the form of transfers in and out of the program, and despite several veterans returning, it seems a bulk of production figures to be replaced by relatively new faces.

The youngest of which are freshman guard Eugene Brown and freshman forward Zed Key, a pair of four-star prospects that comprised Ohio State’s 2020 recruiting class, and they’ve already made some impressions on their head coach and teammates.

“They’ve been really good. They’ve been exceptional in the classroom, we knew they were good students to begin with,” Holtmann said Friday. “They’ve been working hard and have gotten better. They both have to get in better shape. They both have to get in much better shape and they have to be able to push through fatigue, normal freshman stuff; push through fatigue and their work capacity has to continue to grow and increase.”

Brown, a 6-foot-6 wing out of Decatur, Georgia, enters the slightly higher-rated prospect of the two as the No. 100 player in the country. His frame and potential for early impact on the defensive end have garnered the attention of fellow Buckeyes early on.

“He’s a lot taller than I thought coming in,” redshirt senior guard CJ Walker said about Brown. “Really lengthy, can shoot the ball, athletic. Also can guard multiple positions one through three. Really athletic, smart kid, willing to learn, willing to work.”

Brown is one of nine players on the Ohio State roster listed between 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-8, adding fuel to the theory that the Buckeyes will transition to a somewhat more positionless brand of basketball that will no longer run through Kaleb Wesson.

Holtmann said Brown may still have a ways to go before he can make major contributions to the scoring side of things, but without Luther Muhammad this season, Brown’s efforts on the defensive end could make a difference right away.

“Gene has shown ability to, defensively we think, be able to help us,” Holtmann said. “He’s got to continue to improve some of his offensive skills and shooting at this level, but really pleased with both guys.”

Key, a power forward from Bay Shore, New York, and the No. 113 recruit in the class, has already brought a physical presence to the team ahead of his first season on the court.

“Both guys have done some really good things in our workouts so far. Zed has been –– as we’d expected –– he’s physical, he’s 6-8, 7-1 wingspan, about 255 pounds. He’s used a lot of that 255 pounds in our workouts,” Holtmann said. “He’s a strong, strong kid.”

Junior guard Duane Washington noted Key’s timing on the glass and a knack for blocking shots, and said the freshman is “way more athletic” than he initially thought.

Entering his third season in the program, Washington said he’s taken on more of a leadership role in helping to mentor the new freshmen as they get familiar with the program.

“What I’ve been through in college so far, I just try to preach to them that if they have any questions, I’m here for them,” Washington said. “They’re learning quickly, their bodies are changing rapidly every day, they’re working their tails off in the gym, in the weight room, recovering, stuff like that.”

The Buckeye freshmen may still need time to develop, but with Holtmann revealing that Harvard transfer Seth Towns likely won't be recovered from injury by the start of the season, and with a general lack of size down low, both Brown and Key might find themselves more time than anticipated in the earlygoing.