The Ohio State men’s basketball team returns one of the best backcourt combinations in the nation from last season, with sophomore guard John Mobley Jr. and senior Bruce Thornton set to handle the rock for Jake Diebler’s second Ohio State team. However, the depth chart behind the two of them is far from set in stone.

Someone will have to step in and help operate the offense when Mobley and Thornton are getting a breather, and incoming freshman Mathieu Grujicic is one candidate to claim those minutes. More on him shortly…

Last week, Connor and Justin coincidentally debated who will be Ohio State’s third guard on the depth chart behind Thornton and Mobley. Connor went with Gabe Cupps, who has some starting experience at Indiana but was hurt for nearly all of last season. Justin chose Taison Chatman, who did in fact miss all of last season with an injury but was a top-40 recruit in his class and has been with the program for two more seasons than Cupps or Grujicic.

But after averaging 24.6 points over seven games in the FIBA U18 Eurobasket Tournament last week, do we need to revisit our expectations for the freshman from Germany? Unless an unexpected and unfortunate injury occurs, Grujicic won’t be a starter as a freshman, but his performance and production will ultimately dictate how much he plays during his first year in college.

This week’s question: What do you expect from Mathieu Grujicic?

Connor: 6.2 points, 2.1 assists, 13.4 minutes per game

Last week, I said that Gabe Cupps would likely start the season as Ohio State’s third guard, picking up more minutes when the season begins than Chatman or Grujicic will. He has more experience than the other two guards, is probably more trustworthy with the ball in his hands at this point, and will likely earn Diebler’s trust in crucial minutes before Chatman or Grujicic, who don’t have nearly the run Cupps has had in college basketball to this point.

However, Grujicic turned heads at the FIBA U18 Tournament last week, with more than one person describing him as a “future pro.” Grujicic averaged 24.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game over a seven-game stretch during the tournament.

While that level of competition may not be as high as the opponents he will see in late January in the Big Ten, Grujicic’s willingness to attack the basket and try to make things happen bode well for his playing time this season. The worst thing a freshman can do is be timid, and the 6-foot-6 guard does not look timid at all.

Grujicic’s playing time should increase as the season goes on, because he has a higher offensive ceiling than Cupps and possibly Chatman as well — although injuries have kept Chatman off the floor quite a bit so the book may still be out there. He’s taller than either of those guards, and has some professional experience that nobody else on the team has thus far.

After scoring 31 points against Latvia in the quarterfinals, the scouting site Pro Insight, which highlights “elite up-and-coming players” described Grujicic’s performance as “MVP like” and mentioned his willingness to score at the rim.

I expect the freshman guard to take some time to get acclimated to the college game in November, but in the latter part of December and the rest of the season after that, he will contributing to nearly every single game. At his height, there’s a chance Jake Diebler may try to play Grujicic with Thornton and Mobley as a pseudo-small forward, especially in games that aren’t particularly close.

Keep an eye on him to be a late bloomer this season, and someone who will make a noticeable impact during the back half of the season.

Justin: 4 points, 3 assists, 8 minutes per game

When it comes to Mathieu Grujicic, I could really see anything happening.

Adjusting to college basketball will take some time and the pace and athleticism will take some getting used to, but the talent is undeniable. However, my prediction for his stat line is pretty low in production because he will be buried pretty deep in the guard rotation.

Bruce Thornton and John Mobley will play heavy minutes in the starting lineup. Also, rising sophomore Taison Chatman is the third guard coming into the season, and I would expect him to play a lot of minutes as well, especially since he is fully recovered his injury.

That makes Grujicic the fourth or fifth guard on the team.

Grujicic was able to showcase his talents with Team Germany this summer in the FIBA U18 Eurobasket tournament. In seven games, Grujicic was the best player by far, leading the Germany team in scoring, rebounding, and assists. He also was listed on the official website as one of 10 rising stars.

“The Ohio State commit showcased a rare combination of size, physicality, smoothness, and multi-level shooting touch, which allowed him to make an impact as a slasher, rebounder, and three-point shooter,” the listing said. “Grujicic was one of the most skilled scorers in Belgrade, and his freshman season with the Buckeyes will be one to watch.”

He led the tournament in scoring at 24.6 points per game and scored 36 points and 11 rebounds against Turkey on 11-of-20 shooting. He added four steals to show off his defensive instincts.

Grujicic has a lot of talent, but he may have to take it slow until he gets his college basketball leagues on him. He will see the court, but how often remains a question mark.