A New Vision: Thad Matta and the Rebirth of Buckeye Basketball

A New Vision: Thad Matta and the Rebirth of Buckeye Basketball is an insider’s view of Thad Matta’s first three seasons as head coach of the Ohio State men’s basketball program and the arrival of one of the most talked-about recruiting classes in decades. Building a winner began in the wee hours of July 7, 2004, when Thad Matta called long-time assistant coach John Groce at 3 a.m. asking where four of the most sought-after recruits were playing summer league basketball that day. At 6 a.m. Matta was on a plane to Teaneck, New Jersey, to watch Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr., Daequan Cook, and David Lightly play. Within a year, all four signed on as Buckeyes. As the No. 1-ranked recruiting class in the country played out their final high school and junior college seasons, Matta’s Buckeyes were claiming on outright Big Ten championship in just his second season.