Juni Mobley made his college choice based on a few factors. The four-star guard in the 2024 class picked his future home thanks to his relationship with the coaching staff, its proximity to where he grew up and his desire to play for his childhood favorite program .
Now as one of those factors has changed with the firing of Ohio State men's basketball coach Chris Holtmann on Wednesday , Mobley is not planning at this time to change his mind about playing for the Buckeyes next season.
"As a family, we have no intentions of opening his recruitment anytime soon," Ronnie Steward, a family friend and athlete management representative for Mobley, told The Dispatch on Friday. "Juni's still really excited about being a Buckeye."
Listed as a 6-0, 150-pound combo guard in the 247Sports.com database, Mobley is the No. 40 national recruit, the No. 6 prospect at his position and the top player in Utah. Mobley, who lived in Reynoldsburg from ages 5-14, is playing his senior season at Mount Pleasant (Utah) Wasatch Academy .
He is one of two players signed to Ohio State for its 2024 class, and Steward said the plan is to stick with that at least until Holtmann's replacement is hired. The hope is that the plan doesn't change, ever.
"We're aware a coaching decision is going to be made," he said. "Right now the focus is on finishing this high school season strong and at the end of the year we'll evaluate once a decision is made and with the new staff, what their plans are and how they view Juni. Finding that comfort level.
"As of today, we have no intentions of opening Juni's recruitment. We plan on him being a Buckeye next season."
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Ohio State has appointed associate head coach Jake Diebler as Holtmann's interim replacement for the remainder of the season . Incoming athletic director Ross Bjork will lead the search for a replacement, and he will officially start at Ohio State on March 1.
Steward said the Mobley family has been in contact with both Holtmann and Diebler since the firing.
"The conversation (with Holtmann) was what we thought it would be," Steward said. "He thinks Juni's a great player that's on the verge of being a really, really great player and he was excited about coaching him, but it was all positive. He said he'd definitely stay in touch and be watching from afar.
"We have a really great relationship with Jake. We're happy for Jake and supporting him for the rest of the season and seeing where things go with him."
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: After Chris Holtmann's firing, Juni Mobley still committed to Ohio State
