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Here's why Dorian Jones chose Ohio State ahead of Rutgers, Michigan and others
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- Here's why Dorian Jones chose Ohio State ahead of Rutgers, Michigan and others
RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio – Alicia McDonald must have had a feeling.
One week prior, her son, Dorian Jones, publicly announced he would commit to one of four schools during a July 1 press conference. Once the press conference arrived, four hats were displayed on a table outside of the gymnasium at Richmond Heights High School: Michigan, Missouri, Ohio State and Rutgers.
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When Jones donned the black Buckeyes hat and said he was committing to "The Ohio State University," his family members onstage all revealed Ohio State clothing underneath their jackets. That included mom, who proudly showed off a scarlet shirt identifying herself as, "The Ohio State University Mom."
Here's the twist: McDonald bought that Sunday before Jones told her where he would be going.
"I got this shirt, and as soon as I seen it, I seen that it had 'mom' on it," she said. "It wasn't planned or anything. I was like, 'Oh my goodness. I'll bet you he's going to choose Ohio State,' and then this is what happens."
Dorian Jones poses with his mother, Alicia McDonald, at Richmond Heights High School after committing to Ohio State on July 1, 2024.
It was a fitting garment for the celebratory moment. But it was just a moment. Jones was quick to point out that the real work is just beginning. A four-star guard in the 2025 class, he has one more year of prep basketball before he joins Ohio State to play for coach Jake Diebler .
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The two have a relationship dating back to Jones' freshman year that strengthened when Diebler was promoted to Chris Holtmann's full-time replacement at the tail end of the 2023-24 season. Jones said he knew Ohio State was where he wanted to go by Friday or Saturday, but it wasn't until a few hours before Monday's 4 p.m. press conference that he finalized his plans and let the Buckeyes know.
It was then that McDonald showed her son the shirt she had purchased.
"She went shopping and once we had our little meeting with my agent and my (Richmond Heights) coach we had, she was like, 'I actually saw this shirt and just bought it, and it said Ohio State mom,' " Jones said.
The meeting he described took place Monday, when Jones, Richmond Heights coach Quentin Rogers and Jones' agent at Klutch Sports Group discussed committing to the Buckeyes. The toughest challenge came from Rutgers. The relationship with Diebler, as well as his planned business major , all weighed heavily in the final decision.
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"I want to say it was really Diebler," Jones said about the deciding factor. "He put in the time and invested in me, so coming up to the decision, I always knew in the back of my head this was where I wanted to be and where I wanted to go. He always kept it real and he never lied to me. He told me what I needed to work on in my game, my flaws, things I could get good at. He told me everything and kept it real."
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Jones entered June as a top-40 national recruit in the 247Sports.com rankings but dropped to No. 60 in a June 18 rankings refresh. He's the No. 13 shooting guard prospect nationally and the No. 2 player from Ohio.
"He's still evolving as a better ball handler, his passing," Rogers said. "But he did well (as a junior). He did very well. We play a very tough schedule and then he plays a very tough AAU schedule so he's extremely battle tested. His defense, his athleticism and his shooting is definitely going to carry over. Once he gets into the system and gets comfortable, I think he'll take off."
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During his announcement, Jones said he feels that he's "the best defender in the country." Rogers described him as a fast-twitch player who uses his 6-7 wingspan to create problems for opposing offenses and whose defense "is a big separation factor" for Jones.
He's Ohio State's first commitment in the 2025 class.
"I'm just ready to go in there and be ready to play and accept my role for who I am," he said. "That's just the type of guy I am. I'm ready to play and get better, stronger and faster and see where it takes me."
And when he gets there, mom already has the perfect shirt ready.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State landed Dorian Jones, and mom had a feeling all along
