2020-2022 SF - Seth Towns (Transfer from Harvard)

Harvard’s Seth Towns is in the transfer portal, source told @Stadium. Hasn’t played in a year and a half due to knee injuries. Was the Ivy League Player of the Year two seasons ago. Columbus, Ohio native.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 2, 2020

Towns will have two years of eligibility as a grad transfer

Ohio State could be a potential landing spot. Keep an eye on that 👀 https://t.co/DTxIe0rFp6

— Zach Fleer (@ZachFleer270) January 2, 2020

 

A POTENTIAL GRADUATE TRANSFER?
Seth Towns, a graduate transfer from Harvard, recently told the Washington Post that about 70 colleges have reached out to him since he placed his name in the portal in January. Among them? Ohio State, per a source.

Given his ties to the state and that he’s two years removed from being named the Ivy League Player of the Year, the contact shouldn’t surprise anyone – even though there are a number of obstacles.

Towns, who will have two years of eligibility following his spring graduation, is a native of Columbus who played for Northland High School. As a recruit, he picked up offers from various high-major programs, including both Ohio State and Michigan, but opted to attend Harvard.

As a freshman in 2016-17, the 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward averaged 12.5 points and 4.4 rebounds. The next season, he was named the conference’s player of the year with 16 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 27.9 minutes per game.

Since Towns’ breakout 2017-18 season happened, though, he hasn’t played a game. He suffered a cartilage tear in his knee in the 2018 Ivy League championship game that never healed properly and required an additional surgery a month ago. But the injury didn’t keep him out of the classrooms, so he’ll graduate from Harvard with a degree in sociology this spring and begin to look for a new university at which to both play basketball and study creative writing in graduate school.

“I really believe as an African American with a Harvard degree, I’ll have a chance to make an impact somewhere,” Towns told the Washington Post. “I love basketball, but I hope there’s a lot more to my life than that.”

At the moment, Ohio State doesn’t have an open scholarship for Towns.

By signing four-star wing Eugene Brown and three-star big man Zed Key in the fall, it crossed the 13-scholarship threshold and is currently one over the limit, meaning someone will either have to professionalize or transfer out of the program before next season. In order to make room for Towns, a second player would have to leave, too. Should that happen, the Buckeyes would have a scholarship available for him – or, potentially, a transfer big man if Kaleb Wesson leaves for the NBA.

It's also worth noting that Holtmann has a relationship with Towns. In 2015, he told the Columbus Dispatch that his decision came down to Harvard or Butler. Holtmann was coaching the Bulldogs at the time.

 

Harvard graduate transfer Seth Towns has announced his commitment to Ohio State, live tonight on ESPN. @coreyevans_10 breaks down what the Buckeyes are getting in the versatile guard https://t.co/4iBI8J1is6 pic.twitter.com/He8tFAVIdi

— Rivals (@Rivals) March 22, 2020

 

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I’m coming home pic.twitter.com/WB7rjzekqI

— Seth Towns (@219setty) March 22, 2020

 

Seth Towns missed the past two years with a knee injury that required multiple surgeries. After his latest surgery a couple months ago, he’s expected to be fully healthy around June or July.

More on his commitment: https://t.co/EpwpZOzLUv

— Colin Hass-Hill (@chasshill) March 22, 2020

 

What kind of impact does Seth Towns have on the Ohio State basketball roster? https://t.co/Zv5y9APbJT

— BuckeyeXtra.com (@BuckeyeXtra) March 22, 2020

 

It’s a great day to be a Buckeye!

— Seth Towns (@219setty) March 22, 2020

 

Late pitch from Duke didn't sway Seth Towns from picking Ohio State https://t.co/tvoPPeoXpV

— BuckeyeXtra.com (@BuckeyeXtra) March 22, 2020

 

SETH TOWNS (REDSHIRT JUNIOR)
What he’s done: Towns hasn’t played since March 2018, but the last time he stepped on the court he did so as the Ivy League Player of the Year. A 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward, he joins Ohio State as a graduate transfer from Harvard, returning home to Columbus. As a sophomore with the Crimson, he averaged 16 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 44.1 percent from 3-point range. He was one of the top immediately eligible transfers on the market, choosing Ohio State over Duke and others.

Next season’s outlook: Though he hasn’t played in two years, Towns will immediately compete for a starting forward spot – provided he’s healthy. He most recently had surgery on his left knee a few months ago, and he should be back to full health around June or July, but either way he’s expected to have some degree of rust. A healthy Towns could become Ohio State’s top 3-point shooter, and he also adds an ability to shoot off the bounce. First, he needs to get healthy. But provided that isn’t an issue, Towns will be a major piece of the Buckeyes’ 2020-21 plans.

From CJ Walker to Musa Jallow to E.J. Liddell, taking a look at what Ohio State's 2020-21 roster will look like: https://t.co/CGsrDp7F46

— Colin Hass-Hill (@chasshill) April 3, 2020

 

Ohio State announces the addition of Harvard transfer Seth Towns, a Columbus native who was named the 2017-18 Ivy League Player of the Year. https://t.co/EDbrj5qCdZ

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 14, 2020

 

SO VERY PROUD OF YOU SON!#HARVARD2020GRAD ⁦@seth_towns17⁩ pic.twitter.com/al0DGCvOI9

— Melissa Jackson (@melissmitherman) May 12, 2020

 

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Footage of Seth Towns in police custody earlier Friday at the scene of a protest in Columbus. Towns, an incoming Ohio State basketball transfer, graduated from Harvard Thursday.

Towns is no longer in police custody and is safe at home, according to a source. pic.twitter.com/kFptHH63BN

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) May 30, 2020

 

More on the story, including an incredible photograph from @Boogiedashootda https://t.co/aJsMROL9jW

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) May 30, 2020

 

pic.twitter.com/gVvhMcdi4G

— Seth Towns (@219setty) May 30, 2020

 

It says a lot that both Tommy Amaker and Chris Holtmann came to the support of Seth Towns today after the Ohio State forward was detained by police during a protest in Columbus last night. FREE on @Bucknuts247https://t.co/cB8n2GVRy6 pic.twitter.com/9CiVCKLCuJ

— Patrick Murphy (@_Pat_Murphy) May 30, 2020

 

Seth Towns hasn’t played a minute of basketball for Ohio State yet, but after the courage and character that he displayed this weekend, he should already be one of your favorite Buckeyes. https://t.co/ONAPkyoX3x

— Land-Grant Holy Land (@Landgrant33) May 31, 2020

 

A day after getting detained at a protest, Ohio State's Seth Towns says he plans to continue to fight injustice with both his actions and words: “I won't shut up. I won't stop.” https://t.co/1HHqmWQnZx

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) May 31, 2020