It didn't take long for Elliot Cadeau to find a new home in the transfer portal. Should we expect the same to be said for big man Jalen Washington?
If the latest update is any indication, the former Tar Heel might not be far from making a final decision.
UNC transfer Jalen Washington was on campus at Ohio State today. https://t.co/0uHxEISjeH
— Jamie Shaw (@JamieShaw5) April 1, 2025
According to Jamie Shaw of On3, Washington was on campus at Ohio State on Tuesday for an official visit. This confirms that the Buckeyes are at least among the list of strong suitors that Washington is considering in his transfer recruitment.
The transfer portal works a bit differently than typical high school recruitments, as players tend to make decisions quicker on the transfer portal market. It really becomes more of a cut and dry situation, as if the on the court fit is there and the NIL money meets what the player and agent are looking for, players tend to jump on the opportunity once it's there for them to take.
A highly-touted big man out of Gary, Indiana, Washington's career at North Carolina was hampered early on due to injuries suffered in high school. Considered to be a player who can do more than just impact a team offensively in the post, Washington showed flashes of his offensive skillset while serving as the backup for Armando Bacot.
With Bacot exhausting his eligibility last season, Washington was projected to be the team's starter at the position for the 2024-2025 season. However, that wasn't the case, as he was outplayed by Ven-Allen Lubin and was relegated to a role off the bench once again.
Over 36 games played (16 starts) this season, Washington averaged 5.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per-game. While he didn't take many three-point shots, he didn't shoot the ball well from deep regardless, only knocking down 27.8% of his attempts.
On the defensive end, he struggled, especially against bigger post players. Given his lack of offensive contributions, combined with some defensive woes, Washington's minutes started to decrease as the season went along, as Lubin was the best option among the front court options that this year's team had available.
Washington has a ton of potential, but unfortunately, wasn't able to put it all together in Chapel Hill. Regardless of whether Ohio State is his next stop or not, the hope is that he'll be able to live up to his potential at whatever destination he chooses to finish up his collegiate career.