Ohio State Loses John Mobley Jr. to Hand Surgery, Guard Out Indefinitely
Ohio State will be without sophomore guard John Mobley Jr. for an indefinite period after he underwent surgery on his right, shooting hand, the program announced ahead of its game on Feb. 14 (ET). The loss of the team’s second-leading scorer arrives as the Buckeyes navigate a crowded, consequential February schedule that will help determine their NCAA Tournament fate.
Surgery, expected return window
Mobley had surgery to address the injury sustained in the Buckeyes’ 89-82 win over USC on Feb. 11 (ET). The team said he will miss at least a week and is out indefinitely, but it still expects him to return before the season ends. No further timeline was provided, and the coaching staff has declined to establish a firm return date while Mobley recovers.
How the injury unfolded
The injury occurred early in the second half of the USC game. After a turnover on a left-corner drive, Mobley hustled back on defense, made an aggressive play on the ball and immediately held his right hand away from his body. He exited the game with 17: 24 remaining and received sideline treatment for what initially appeared to be a right pinky issue; he was later pictured with his right pinky and index fingers taped when he returned with 13: 22 left. Mobley still managed to hit two of his three 3-pointers after re-entering, finishing with 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting before the team opted for surgery in the days that followed.
Statistical impact and lineup ramifications
Through 24 starts this season, Mobley was averaging 15. 1 points per game and shooting 40. 0% from beyond the arc on more than 30 attempts — the best 3-point percentage among Buckeyes with that volume. His combination of catch-and-shoot accuracy and secondary creation formed a key complement to senior guard Bruce Thornton, the only other Buckeye to start all 24 games this season. With opening-game starter Brandon Noel already sidelined since suffering a foot injury on Jan. 5 (ET), Ohio State will be forced to lean more heavily on Thornton and reserve pieces to fill the scoring and spacing void.
What this means for the bubble and upcoming slate
The timing is brutal for a team fighting to climb the NCAA Tournament bubble. Ohio State hosts Wisconsin on Feb. 17 (ET) and then faces road dates at Michigan State on Feb. 22 (ET) and at Iowa on Feb. 25 (ET). Those matchups — along with additional games against ranked opponents later in the month — represent prime opportunities for signature wins, but they also pose a heightened risk of losses without one of the program’s primary scorers available. The coaching staff will have to chart a short-term plan that balances prudent lineup adjustments with the urgency to win now.
Coaching reaction and next steps
Head coach Jake Diebler acknowledged the injury after the USC win, noting that Mobley’s ability to knock down 3s after the play suggested improvement. “Better, because he hit those 3s after that, ” Diebler said at the time. He added that the staff had not yet fully evaluated the hand immediately after the game. Since then the program moved forward with surgery and an updated status that keeps Mobley sidelined while recovery proceeds.
Who steps up?
With Mobley unavailable, Ohio State will rely on Thornton for primary offensive creation and on depth pieces to supply perimeter shooting and energy. Role players who have logged minutes this season will need to expand their responsibilities quickly, and the coaching staff is likely to tinker with rotations to find the best spacing and defensive matchups. How effectively the Buckeyes adapt in the coming weeks could determine whether they rebound or drift further toward the bubble line.
For now, the program’s immediate focus is on Mobley’s recovery and on extracting wins from the next stretch of games that carry major postseason implications.
