Kalen Etzler joins Ohio State as a three-star recruit from Van Wert, Ohio.
Although Etzler will not see the floor in his first season with the program, picking up a redshirt for the year, he will earn valuable experience: learning what it means to be a college athlete at a major university.
Scouting report
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 200 pounds
Year: Freshman
Position: Forward
Last year: Dropped 18 points and just below 10 rebounds per game for Crestview High School.
What he brings
Etzler is an extremely long presence that could play inside out for Chris Holtmann in the future. With his length, Etzler could turn into an elite defender, both on the wing and interior.
Despite his length, Etzler will likely need to bulk up if he is to hang with the bigs in the Big Ten. Coming in at 200-pounds, Etzler is likely to be backed down easily and struggle to keep some of the bigger players in the Big Ten in front of him.
On offense, Etzler is a dynamic player who is not afraid to pull up from anywhere on the floor.
What to expect in 2021-22
Etzler will not play in 2021-22 as Holtmann elected to use a redshirt on the Ohio native.
But, Etzler will use the redshirt to acclimate to college basketball while making necessary adjustments to help him in his future Buckeye career.
