The landscape of college athletics has changed, especially since the NCAA implemented Next in Line in 2021. This change has made it harder for mid-major basketball programs to retain top talent because of the additional incentives available in the transfer portal.
Loyalty has increasingly disappeared in sports, and programs are starting to feel the repercussions as players decommit and leave behind the opportunity for a grab and more money for less opportunity, not staying with one program for their entire collegiate careers.
“I feel like loyalty is a trait,” senior guard Ajay Sheldon said. “You either have it, or you don't. When you come out, everybody's like, ‘I’m committed to play.' When you go somewhere, it's, ‘I’m committed.' Now, you might as well just say ‘I'm going to play here.’ I felt that meant something. It's, ‘I’m committed to this. They're paying for my school. I'm committed to you guys for the next four years.'”
The Bobcats utilize the portal to remain competitive, but the big advantage they have found is in homegrown talent, more specifically in two four-year seniors, Sheldon from Dublin, Ohio, and forward Aidan Hadaway from LaFayette, Georgia. These two are the building blocks of what makes Ohio go, and that all starts with the continuity within this program all four years.
“I love the guys, the coaches, I'm very close with all of them,” Hadaway said. “I trust all of them. I like the school, Ohio University is a great place to be. I couldn't see myself anywhere else.”
These two lived and breathed Ohio basketball for the past four years, but their journey with the Bobcats started as sophomores in high school, which was the first time both players visited the campus and stepped inside the arena they have called home since.
“The town reminded me of my small town in Georgia,” Hadaway said on why he chose Ohio. “I liked the coaches, there was a big family feel I could see within the team. They were really close, and my high school team was very close.”
The close-knit group for Ohio was part of the culture instilled by head coach Jeff Boals throughout these seniors’ careers. Sheldon and Hadaway hgrew together through the program and are now living together, which continued to build their chemistry on the court.
These men are both current starters for Ohio as they wrap up their senior season, but the road to getting these roles and making an impact for the Bobcats was not always smooth. Hadaway dealt with a couple injuries, but the biggest was a long-term injury that took him off the floor a majority of last year, something he reflected on heading into the 2025-26 season.
“It really just puts things into perspective,” Hadaway said. “You are not always going to be able to play the game that you love. So, just cherish it and take it day by day and find joy in it every single day, because at some point the ball's going to stop bouncing, and it can change just like that.”
Sheldon had a different path to his starting role with the Bobcats. He logged 123 games played for Ohio while biding his time off the bench. He learned from upperclassmen before stepping into a leadership role this season, and was a key part of the team's success behind his years of hard work.
“I think one of the best parts about it is when I graduate, I'll know that everything I got I earned,” Sheldon said. “You work for everything you get, and I think you see a difference in mentality and maturity when somebody comes in, and I feel like those who work for what they have cherish it more. I feel like if something's given, they might not value it as much.”
Another big aspect for Ohio players is playing in The Convo. Athens brings out a great crowd to support the Bobcats, whether that be students, alumni or residents. These fans bring the noise behind Ohio, which is a pivotal part of the team's success at home that does not go unnoticed by the players on the court.
“I would say that playing in front of an atmosphere like that with your brothers is an unmatched feeling,” Sheldon said. “It's so fun to be out there. We're all friends, it's not like we're just all five random people. Being out there with your boys and playing in front of a home crowd, it's a great feeling.”
