Ohio State's Koufos ignores draft expectations, focuses on today
All Kosta Koufos wants to do is enjoy college life and relish the opportunity to play basketball at Ohio State. What happens in the future is talk for another day.
Some have chosen to look ahead. Basketball Web site DraftExpress.com is projecting Koufos to be the fourth pick in June's NBA draft.
Whoa, for a second.
"The NBA draft has never been on my mind," the 7-footer from GlenOak High School said. "I've never played a college game in my life, except for two exhibition games. I just want to take it year in and year out and see how I develop."
For Koufos, it starts for real Monday at Ohio State.
The Buckeyes will tip off the season against Wisconsin-Green Bay in the Preseason NIT at Value City Arena. Koufos will start along with fellow freshman Jon Diebler -- the player he finished runner-up to in Ohio's Mr. Basketball voting -- and returnees Jamar Butler, David Lighty and Othello Hunter.
"I've been waiting all my life for this experience," Koufos said. "God has blessed me with wonderful teammates and wonderful coaches."
Ohio State players and coaches also have been blessed with the addition of another talented big man.
Greg Oden helped carry the Buckeyes to their first championship game in 35 years last spring. He left OSU for the NBA after just one year. Oden was the No. 1 pick in the draft, but surgery on his right knee will force him to miss the entire season.
The Buckeyes won't downplay the significance of Oden's loss. However, the addition of Koufos has helped make it easier to bear.
Ohio State fans will see a center whose game stretches out from the paint.
"Kosta is a tough big man," Butler said. "He can score from the perimeter and in the post. That's what makes him so good. He can bring a big man out front and create his own shot."
Koufos' skill level for someone his size impressed Buckeyes Head Coach Thad Matta when he recruited him. Koufos will have to continue to raise that in college, but he is already making progress.
"The thing I love about Kosta is that he wants to be a great player and wants to be a great teammate," Matta said. "Nobody is going to work harder than him to become the best he's capable of becoming."
Monday's game against Wisconsin-Green Bay comes almost eight months after
Koufos led GlenOak to the Division I state semifinal on the same court. A lot has happened since then.
Koufos played in the McDonald's All-America Game and the Nike Jordan All-American Classic in the spring. Over the summer he went to Spain to play for Greece at the Under-18 European championships, where he was voted the MVP.
Highlighted by a 37-point, 20-rebound outing against Lithuania in the semifinals, Koufos led Greece to a silver medal at the Under-18s. He averaged 26.5 points, 13.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks during the tournament.
"It was an opportunity of a lifetime," Koufos said. "We should have won a gold medal, but the opportunity slipped by. Hopefully I get another opportunity at a gold medal and participate at the Olympics with the Greek national team."
Koufos' performance at the Under-18s was so impressive that several European pro teams showed an interest in signing him. But Koufos chose to honor his commitment to Ohio State.
"I just felt like it was a better fit for me to stay in college and get my body more prepared for whatever is to come," he said.
Koufos' focus, though, is to help the Buckeyes maintain their tradition. OSU won 35 games last season but lost Oden, Mike Conley Jr., Ron Lewis and Daequan Cook.
"We have a lot of work to do as well as every other team, but I think we're fairly prepared," Koufos said. "Every day we hope to continue to grow and get better."