Ohio State Professional Athletes

Two Buckeyes headlined Ohio State's NBA preseason week — one chasing a ring in Boston, the other managing an early setback in Salt Lake City.

Conley's Long-Awaited Celtic Chapter

Mike Conley didn't mince words: this was supposed to happen sooner. In a candid one-on-one with Yahoo Sports, the Ohio State product opened up about finally landing with the Boston Celtics after years of the pairing almost materializing. Conley, a PG who has spent nearly two decades building a reputation as one of the league's most respected teammates, arrives on a Celtics roster that looks dramatically different from the one that won Banner 18 two years ago. Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis are out; Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, and Conley are in.

The veteran spoke warmly about his developing bond with Payton Pritchard, who has evolved into one of Boston's key contributors. Conley framed the relationship as mutually rewarding — the kind of veteran-young guard dynamic that has defined much of his career. His arrival is less about star power and more about the intangibles: locker room presence, decision-making in crunch time, and the institutional knowledge that comes from two decades of doing it right.

Training camp is currently wrapping up at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, with the preseason opener in Cleveland on the horizon. Conley, by all accounts, is settling in exactly the way Boston hoped.

Sensabaugh Navigating Preseason Ailment

The news out of Utah is less tidy. Brice Sensabaugh, the Jazz's young Ohio State wing, surfaced with a minor injury during Utah's first two preseason games, prompting the organization to offer clarity on his status. Per Sports Illustrated, the Jazz characterized the issue as short-term, but the timing is less than ideal — the regular season is roughly two weeks out as of October 7.

Sensabaugh's situation is one of several injury headaches compounding in Salt Lake City. Lauri Markkanen is also recovering from a short-term ailment, and the Jazz absorbed another blow with an unfortunate center rotation update involving Jusuf Nurkic. For a team already navigating roster uncertainty, the pile-up makes Utah's path to a coherent opening night rotation more complicated by the day.

For Sensabaugh specifically, the preseason was an opportunity to build on a promising sophomore profile and solidify his role in the Jazz's evolving system. A setback now doesn't slam any doors, but it does compress his runway to get game-ready before the regular season tips off.

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Ohio State's NBA footprint remains wide — ten active alumni scattered from Boston to Dallas to Orlando — but this week belonged to Conley and Sensabaugh, representing opposite ends of the career arc: a veteran finally where he wants to be, and a young Buckeye working to stay on the court.

Ohio State in the NBA: Week of Sept. 27–Oct. 3

Two Buckeyes. Two drastically different career trajectories heading into the 2026–27 NBA season.

Mike Conley Is the Celtics' Locker Room Compass

Mike Conley Jr. has been in the NBA long enough to have been drafted before one of his current teammates was born — and he's leaning into that legacy with open arms in Boston.

At Celtics media day, someone ran the numbers: Conley was selected fourth overall in the 2007 draft. Rookie guard Chris Cenac Jr. entered the world four months later. When Cenac was told, he pushed back. "I thought it was longer, actually." Conley's reaction, per ClutchPoints, was described as "outrageous" — though in the best possible way. It's the kind of moment that underscores just how seamlessly the 38-year-old has slotted into his new role: the wise veteran on a team built to chase another championship banner.

That mentorship is already taking shape in tangible ways. As training camp opened, Conley moved quickly to form a close bond with Payton Pritchard, taking the starting point guard under his wing despite being more than a decade his senior, according to Yahoo Sports. He's also been vocal about Baylor Scheierman — offering a pointed endorsement of the third-year wing — and publicly raved about Jayson Tatum's growth as a franchise leader. "He's a guy I feel like is really coming into his own as a leader," Conley said.

The Celtics, meanwhile, appear to be treating Conley and fellow newcomer Paul George as more than roster pieces. Tatum told reporters the team intends to actively learn from both veterans this season. For a Boston squad that already has the hardware to prove it can win it all, adding a seasoned floor general who has seen nearly everything the league can throw at a player is a luxury — and Conley is making the most of it from day one.

D'Angelo Russell: The Quiet Exit

The other prominent Buckeye in the NBA conversation this week isn't in the league at all.

D'Angelo Russell's time with the Dallas Mavericks — which Mavericks GM Nico Harrison once envisioned as a fresh start at point guard — turned out to be the final chapter of his NBA career. Per Sports Illustrated, Russell has since signed with the Shanghai Sharks, making his stint in Dallas the last minutes he'll log in the NBA.

It's a sobering ending for a player who spent stretches looking like a legitimate franchise cornerstone. The Mavericks gamble didn't pay off, and no team came calling afterward. Russell is 30 years old — not ancient by NBA standards — but the league has apparently moved on.

The contrast with Conley could hardly be starker. One Ohio State alum is shaping a contender's culture from inside one of the league's premier organizations; the other is beginning a new chapter overseas after quietly running out of chances stateside.