Background: In the Sullinger household, basketball isn’t just a sport - it’s a way of life. Jared’s brothers, J.J. (Ohio State) and Julian (Kent State), both played college ball while constantly battling it out in their father’s gym. As the proud father of the three, Satch Sullinger has also served as head basketball coach at Northland High School for more than ten years.
Jared’s the rough upbringing, battling his brothers on the court, helped shape his current game. By the age of 9, he was rated him as the best player in his age group. Typically, when recruiting outlets produce these lists, they often become laughable, because they change so dramatically, yet Sullinger’s name has been consistent.
After a dominating freshman year at Northland High School, Thad Motta from Ohio State offered Jared a scholarship. It proved to be enticing as Jared already had a comfort level with the University thanks to his brother, J.J., and the close to home location, which made it an easier sell. Sullinger committed to Ohio State as a 9th grader after bypassing a host of colleges who were hot on his heels, like Xavier and Purdue.
During the course of his high school, Jared led his team to an amazing 95-4 win loss record. As a senior, he averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game while earning the 2010 Naismith and Parade Magazine Player of the Year awards and as a McDonald’s All-American, was also rated a top 5 high schooler by various recruiting outlets. This blue chip recruit is a primary reason why many predict Ohio State to once again find itself in the NCAA tournament as a Big Ten force in their conference, despite the program’s talent defecting to the NBA in the past 4 years.
