Collegiate homecomings are often touted as an emotional chapter for any basketball player’s career. In the past, we’ve seen many such returns, including NBA players returning to their alma mater to lead their collegiate programs.

Hubert Davis is a good example who returned to North Carolina after concluding his pro career. But in a recent and unprecedented case, a former Ohio State player has expressed his desire to return to the program after 13 years as a player.

The player in question here is Deshaun Thomas, who last played during the 2012-13 season. He recently shared a post on his X handle, in a sarcastic tone, to return to the Buckeyes program. “After 16 seasons, I’ll officially be returning to The Ohio State University with 1 year of eligibility left😂🌰,” his X post read.

“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 overseas, the opportunity to wear Ohio State across my chest again means everything. One final season. One more chapter. One more run in Columbus,” Thomas added further.

Thomas was one of the most formidable frontcourt players in the program, racking up over 1600 points across his three seasons. He ranks 10th in the program’s all-time leaderboard.

In a follow-up to the above tweet, Deshaun Thomas also jokingly claimed that he is coming for the scoring record. “Gotta come back for that scoring record 🗣️” his tweet read. Narratively, it feels like a heartwarming moment. After all, it would mark the conclusion of Thomas’ career in the very program that gave him the foundation for his long international career.

Even an Ohio State Buckeyes X handle joined to hype the news via a post. “BREAKING NEWS: DESHAUN THOMAS WILL BE A HUGE ADDITION FOR OHIO STATE!” the post read.

But if you delve into reality, it’s not even possible, and Thomas’s tweet was, rightly so, purely sarcastic. There are numerous reasons for this comeback being impractical. Firstly, 34-year-old Thomas retired from basketball last year. So, for him to come back to college doesn’t make any sense at this point.

Most importantly, the return violates NCAA rules. The NCAA rules require athletes to complete their four-year career within five years. So, under this rule, Thomas’ eligibility had long passed in 2015.

On top of that, Deshaun Thomas also has professional experience. Although he was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 2013 as the 58th pick, he never played an NBA game. However, he has served a stint with the Austin Spurs in the G League.

Thomas has played for international clubs, including FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich, adding to his professional experience. So, that’s another red flag in his collegiate return. The NCAA prohibits players with professional experience from returning to college.

We saw it in the case with Charles Bediako, who played in the G League and was trying to return to the circuit. But the NCAA didn’t grant him permission and, through legal means, halted his plans. And similarly, Deshaun Thomas’ return to Ohio State is quite impossible.

But Ohio State fans don’t need to be upset about this news. Because the Buckeyes’ men’s basketball team isn’t going to be a cakewalk in the upcoming season.

Ohio State Looks Daunting With Its Latest Commitments

The 2025-26 season was a landmark season for the Ohio State Buckeyes. The program qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022. TCU eliminated them in the first round. But the program proved it is still worthy of competing in the Big Dance.

Subsequently, just a few days later, the Buckeyes faced several disastrous plays. Four crucial players from the program entered the transfer portal. It included players like Devin Royal, the program’s third-highest scorer last season. On top of that, the program’s cornerstone last season, Bruce Thornton (the program’s scoring leader), has graduated and won’t return next season.

These departures leave a massive dent in the program’s depth. But subsequently, Ohio State also made substantial use of the transfer portal to fill out these gaps. The program has landed Justin Pippen, a dynamic guard who averaged over 14 points last season.

On top of that, freshman forward Andreja Jelavic will also suit up for the Buckeyes next season. Jelavic played for Kentucky last season and showcased impressive flashes in the limited minutes he got. Jimmie Williams from Duquesne and Curtis Givens III are other notable players who will play for the Buckeyes next season.

Most importantly, Ohio State will also have a key returning player in John Mobley Jr. Mobley was the second-highest scorer for the program last season, averaging 15.7 points. And subsequently, he will be the player that Jake Diebler’s team centers around next season.

Thus, with all these reinforcements, the Buckeyes are looking quite formidable in terms of depth. They have all bases covered right now in the roster. And in turn, they will definitely look to make a deep run in the Big Dance next season, unlike the 2025-26 stretch.