Nobody seems to be fully aware of who can and can’t play NCAA basketball anymore. We all know you get five years to play four with a redshirt year, but as of late, we’ve seen guys who turned — and played — professional, be able to take advantage of loopholes and come back to the college game. There are other medical reasons, etc., in which a player can petition the NCAA for additional eligibility.
Former Ohio State star DeShaun Thomas has apparently taken note from afar and had a bit of an April Fool’s joke in May by posting a graphic and announcement that he would be returning to the OSU program for his one year of eligibility he has left.
Stay with us here.
Thomas played under former head coach Thad Matta from 2010 to 2013. He was a five-star prospect coming out of high school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and had a very solid career in the scarlet and gray, averaging 19.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per contest in 35.4 minutes during his junior campaign. He started in all 27 games that year for Ohio State as a first-team All-Big Ten performer.
Thomas left Ohio State after his junior year with one year of eligibility left, but never made it in the NBA, instead having a long and productive professional career in Europe. And that’s where Thomas’ post comes in. He trolled the NCAA by “announcing” that he would use that one-year of eligibility left at Ohio State and come back to play for Jake Diebler this coming season — sixteen seasons after wearing the OSU uniform.
After 16 seasons, I’ll officially be returning to The Ohio State University with 1 year of eligibility left. 😂🌰
Man… after a great conversation with Coach Diebler, I’m excited to announce I’ll be coming back home to suit up for the Buckeyes one more time. After a long career… pic.twitter.com/krRt8QL3NF
— DeShaun Thomas (@Deshaunthomas_0) May 21, 2026
Who knows, maybe Thomas can test this one out and see where it goes with the NCAA. We know it’s in jest, but it just goes to show you how the game has changed and where it might be going. I mean, Diebler could use another wing scorer, right?
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Former Ohio State basketball star DeShaun Thomas throws shade at NCAA