New Ohio State coach blocked from hiring his brother due to unusual reason

Mar 15, 2024; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Jake Diebler looks on during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

New Ohio State basketball coach Jake Diebler is assembling his coaching staff, but one of his preferred candidates will not be joining him due to an unusual reason.

Diebler’s brother Jon, who played for Ohio State and is the program’s all-time leading three-point shooter, will not be joining the Buckeyes’ coaching staff even though Jake wanted to make it happen. The school’s legal department stepped in and blocked the hire for an odd reason.

Under Ohio law, public employees are prohibited from using their position to hire family members, via Tony Gerdeman of Buckeye Huddle. In other words, Jake Diebler cannot hire his brother as an assistant due to the state’s nepotism laws.

Jake Diebler has never held a coaching job before, so things might have been different had that not been the case. The Diebler brothers are said to be “frustrated” over the ruling.

Diebler landed the job after taking over as interim coach and guiding the team to an 8-3 record down the stretch. Things could have perhaps been very different had he not finished so strongly.