Ohio State fans will have the opportunity to see a lot more of Lee Aaliya in the coming years. It just won't be in the first exhibition game of the 2026-27 preseason.
On Oct. 7, a few hours before a scheduled outdoor exhibition game against Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio, the Buckeyes announced they had received a final ruling from the NCAA on Aaliya: The 21-year-old forward from Argentina, who most recently played professionally in Spain, will have three years of collegiate eligibility.
That gives coach Jake Diebler a potential cornerstone low-post presence through the end of the 2028-29 season, which was the only real question when Aaliya arrived on campus
in August.
The Buckeyes never doubted Aaliya would be allowed to play, but they needed to know how many years of eligibility the NCAA would grant him. The team's official roster had listed him as a "first-year player" rather than a member of a particular class.
Ruled able to play college basketball for years, he will not play against the Bearcats. Aaliya will miss the game due to illness.
The 6-foot-9, 235-pound Aaliya is one of two Ohio State players sitting out the Cincinnati exhibition game. Reserve guard Myles Herro, who redshirted last season, is also out. The reason for Herro's absence was unspecified.
Ohio State men's basketball beat writer Adam Jardy can be reached at ajardy@dispatch.com, on Bluesky at @cdadamjardy.bsky.social, on Instagram at @cdadamjardyor on Twitter at @AdamJardy.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State's Lee Aaliya gets eligibility ruling, will miss outdoor game
