Who woulda thunk it? Meechie Johnson is back in his home state of Ohio! After ballin' out for the South Carolina Gamecocks for two years, Johnson's coming back to the Buckeyes for his senior season. Looks like Ohio State just got a major boost to their team!

The Timeline for Meechie Johnson

Meechie Johnson strutted onto the Ohio State court four years ago like he owned the place. Total "here-comes-trouble" vibes, right? But hold on, let's back up a sec. Imagine this: a super-tall (6'2" to be exact) point guard fresh outta Garfield Heights High near Cleveland. Problem was, he'd just torn his ACL and missed his entire junior year. Life can be a real jerk sometimes, but Meechie wasn't about to just chill on the sidelines.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Ohio State, led by Coach Chris Holtmann, saw something special in young Meechie. They dangled an opportunity in front of him—one that most high school seniors could only dream of. With the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility due to pandemic-empty arenas, Meechie graduated early and suited up for the Buckeyes midseason. Talk about a whirlwind entry! Johnson played 17 games as a freshman, averaging a mere 5.8 minutes per contest. Yeah, it was a slow burn.

Year two saw a slight uptick in production—4.4 points in 17.7 minutes—but the shooting percentages were more cringe-worthy than a missed free throw. Still, he did hit a clutch game-winner against Seton Hall, so there's that.

The Transfer Portal Shuffle

Things didn't go as planned for Meechie in his first two years at Ohio State. Remember, this is the same guy who tore it up at Garfield Heights High School? Yeah, he was a big deal coming in, but life happens.

Seeing an opportunity elsewhere, Meechie opted to explore his options. With Ohio State bringing in a stacked freshman class of guards like Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle, the playing time picture wasn't looking too pretty. He entered the transfer portal and landed down south with the South Carolina Gamecocks. That's where he truly found his stride. Meechie averaged 12.7 points a game in his first year with the Gamecocks, and his passing was fire!

This past season, Johnson turned up the heat. Meechie put on a show for The Gamecocks, leading the team in scoring (14.1 points per game) and assists (2.9 per game). He even shot a career-best 39.9% from the field. The Gamecocks had a fantastic season, going 26-7 before their run ended in the NCAA Tournament's opening round. So why transfer back?

Back to the Buckeye State

The Buckeye prodigal son returns! Meechie Johnson's decision to rejoin the Scarlet and Gray has fans buzzing with excitement. Teaming up with Bruce Thornton in the backcourt, they could form a dynamic scoring duo. Coach Diebler must be ecstatic – adding Meechie's firepower is like getting the holy grail of candy bars for his squad.

Their sights are set on returning to the NCAA Tournament, and with Meechie's clutch shooting, they have a legitimate shot. Need a game-winner? Look no further. From hometown hero to comeback king, Meechie's ready to make the Schottenstein Center roar. Welcome back, Meechie! Buckeye Nation's been waiting.