Ohio State has long been a launching point for those looking to compete at the professional level, and that dream is being realized for Jae'Sean Tate.
A native of Pickerington, Ohio, Tate signed a three-year contract with the Houston Rockets in November, and made his NBA debut on Dec. 26 when he scored 13 points in 37 minutes at the Portland Trail Blazers.
This season, Tate has shot 56% from the field while averaging 9.2 points per game in 25 contests.
“Jae’Sean has been phenomenal," Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann said Friday. "It’s been phenomenal to watch."
The former Buckeye donned Scarlet and Gray for four seasons beginning in 2014-15 under then-head coach Thad Matta. Tate started 15 games as a freshman, averaging 8.8 points per game, before he was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten in 2016 and 2017 after averaging double-digits in back-to-back seasons.
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Tate was the Buckeyes' returning leading-scorer during Holtmann's first season in 2017-18, having averaged 14.3 points per-game the season prior. The steps forward taken by then-juniors forward Keita Bates-Diop and guard C.J. Jackson - as well as the emergence of freshman forward Kaleb Wesson - made for a formidable roster that propelled Ohio State to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament in Tate's final season.
Holtmann said he texted Tate after a couple games earlier in the NBA season to congratulate the former Buckeye, saying "it's not a surprise" to those who know Tate's work ethic. Holtmann added that a near-change in the distant past of Tate's career choice could've made things different.
"Not many people knew he almost went to go play football the summer before his senior year," Holtmann said. "Thank God that didn’t happen for him and for us."
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Following his four seasons at Ohio State, Tate played for the Sydney Kings as part of the National Basketball League in Australia during the 2019-20 season. Behind an average of 16.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, Tate was named to the NBL All-First Team and earned Kings' MVP honors.
The 6-foot-4 forward has started 15 games for Houston and already notched the first double-double of his career (13 points, 10 assists on Jan. 14) as he plays alongside fellow Big Ten alumni in guards Eric Gordon and Victor Oladipo (Indiana).
“He’s a special kid,” Holtmann said. “He really fits today’s NBA - he could’ve played in a lot of NBAs, he just is that gifted.”
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Tate scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds on 7-11 shooting on Thursday against the Miami Heat. The Rockets will travel to Madison Square Garden to contest the New York Knicks at 8 p.m. on Saturday.
Holtmann wasn't short of praise and smiles when reminiscing Tate's Buckeye career, and foresees a successful future for the NBA rookie.
“You combine his giftedness athletically with his will and his competitiveness and his character, and you have a special player."
