After a year of battling his fellow Buckeyes in practice and watching the real games from the sidelines, California transfer Justice Sueing should take a primary role on a new-look Ohio State roster.

The Honolulu native was ranked as one of the top transfers of 2019 and committed to the Buckeyes in May of last year. It was Chris Holtmann’s second-straight year bringing in a sit-one, play-two transfer.

Sueing played in high school at Mater Dei in California and was a three-star recruit, committing to Cal over Utah and San Diego State.

He immediately made an impact as a freshman at Cal, averaging 13.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game in his first collegiate season.

As a sophomore, he led the Golden Bears in scoring, rebounding, and steals and was second in assists and blocks. Sueing was all over the court and was asked to do much more than a normal 6-foot-6 wing in Cal’s all-out pressing scheme.

There are some clear caveats to the numbers Sueing posted for the Golden Bears, the biggest of which is the completely terrible teams he posted stats for. He won a total of 16 games during his tenure in Berkeley, including a 5-31 record in Pac-12 play.

In both Sueing’s freshman and sophomore year, Cal finished as the lowest-ranked Power Five team in the country, per kenpom.com. It finished No. 279 in scoring offense and No. 307 in scoring defense (out of 351 teams) during his sophomore season.

Take it from someone who watched a couple of hours’ worth of film on these Cal teams- it was barely recognizable as basketball at some points.

Even on teams with little semblance of a competent offense or defense, Sueing’s talent clearly stood out. He is a skilled finisher and playmaker, has a smooth stroke with the potential to increase his subpar three-point percentage, and most importantly, he plays with relentless activity on the glass and in the full court.

With a year to develop his outside shot and tone down some of the wild risk-taking he was used to at Cal, Sueing should enter his redshirt junior season as Ohio State’s best all-around player.

Sueing’s greatest asset on the offensive end is his aggression. He makes quick, straight-line drives to the basket and is adept at working through opponents down low, using two feet on most of his finishes to keep his balance and draw contact.

His attacks are simple, either driving a defender straight back or using a quick change of direction to open up space. He leans into defenders subtly and tends to exaggerate contact on drives, leading to a very impressive 5.3 free throw attempts per game as a sophomore.

Even as a left-hand dominant player, Sueing can drive and finish with both hands at a high level. His midrange game does not have as much craftiness as teammate Seth Towns’ does, but Sueing does not settle for in-between shots very often, choosing instead to put his head down and get to the paint.

In the clip above, Sueing again uses a two-foot landing to stop on a dime and showcases his quick release, spinning into an open look before the defender can recover. When he gets into the painted area, Sueing is almost always going to finish, draw a foul, or both.

On a team with a host of outside threats like Ohio State, there will be spacing for Sueing to drive and make plays. However, in order to become a true multi-level scoring threat, Sueing has to improve his outside shooting.

He shot just 30.7 percent on four attempts per game at Cal, and his release looks nice, but it lacks the consistency of knockdown shooter. He starts with the ball almost on his hip, leading to an inconsistent point of release since he has to bring it up so high.

Sueing does have a smooth motion and a quick release though, and his free throw percentage jumped to 78.2 percent as a sophomore- a good sign that his shot is on the right track as well. With countless practice reps in his redshirt season, it is very possible that his shot making takes a leap.

The most underrated area of Sueing’s offensive game is his vision. He should immediately become Ohio State’s second-best passer as soon as he steps on the court.

Passes like these were not uncommon for Sueing. His assist numbers were fairly pedestrian at Cal- likely due more to the atrocious teams he has been a part of than his actual skill as a passer.

He sees plays as they develop and can make lob pass reads similar to that of Buckeye point guard C.J. Walker. Sueing also excels on the fast break, where he can get to the basket while remaining patient enough to spot open shooters.

Minus his disappointing shooting numbers, Sueing is the complete package on offense. He will not wow with many highlight plays, but he plays a straight-to-the-point game, getting his feet into the paint and making the extra pass.

Some of the most lovable Buckeyes of recent memory made their names on hustle. Jae’Sean Tate and Aaron Craft will always be fan favorites for their relentlessness on the court. Sueing might not live in Ohio State lore like those names when his time is up in Columbus, but his effort in all areas will stand out right away.

On offense, Sueing works well without the ball, especially against zones. He finds open gaps in the defense and is always moving, looking for a chance to score or facilitate. For an Ohio State program that almost always seems to struggle with movement against zones, his knack for cutting into space will be a game-changer.

Sueing will keep offensive possessions alive- he is a wonderful rebounder for his size. He has the timing and leaping ability to create second chances. His motor on the glass seems to never run out- he is always jumping, tipping, jumping again, doing everything he can to snag a rebound.

Just watch where Sueing starts on this play. He makes the initial pass to the shooter about five feet outside the three-point line, and once he sees a shot going up, he immediately dives into the paint, rumbling over and through three Washington defenders for the dunk.

It is not just highlight plays for Sueing. He has mastered the tip-out rebound to reset a possession and has a very quick second jump, letting him grab rebounds that appear out of reach.

On the other side of the ball, Sueing was No. 3 in the Pac-12 in steals per game as a sophomore, creating havoc in the passing lane. He also has great timing down low, leading to a decent number of shot blocks for someone his size. However, he had a strong tendency to gamble for steals and blocks, throwing him out of plays on defense.

Here, Sueing is in no-man’s land most of the possession, standing in the corner and watching the ball instead of actively helping his team. His motor and good instincts save him, as he realizes where the ball is heading and sprints over to contest and force a shot clock violation.

Holtmann will not allow lapses on defense, and with a full year getting rid of bad habits (sound familiar?), Sueing’s endless energy and nose for the ball can turn him into a great defender.

Whether Sueing can contribute at a high level for a good team remains to be seen, but his impressive all-around numbers at Cal combined with above-average playmaking in all facets of the game and a nonstop motor make him an incredibly valuable asset for Ohio State.