"Real ones knew him for basketball": Fans react to Ohio State LB Sonny Styles' high school basketball highlights

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles is captivating fans once again, this time with his high school basketball prowess. A recent Instagram post by 'SportsCenter Next' showcased Styles' dominant on-court presence, featuring his electrifying dunks, relentless rebounding and standout defensive skills.

The video reaffirmed his remarkable athletic versatility, leaving viewers awestruck.

Fans flooded the post with admiration, reminiscing about his basketball legacy.

“Real ones knew him for basketball,” one commenter wrote.

One user humorously remarked:

“Only time my HS gets on these pages is when some freak athlete is doin work on ‘em 🤣 had to deal with Ted Ginn, Troy Smith, Le'Veon Bell, Styles, and Sawyer.”

Image via Ig@sportscenternxt

Here is how some other fans expressed their reactions:

"He also played with Devin Royal who is currently on the Ohio State basketball team."

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"bro been doin ts since we was in class," another noted.

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Before transitioning to linebacker for the Buckeyes, Styles was a multi-sport star at Pickerington Central High School in Ohio. Standing at 6-foot-4, he played a pivotal role in the Tigers’ 2022 OHSAA Division I state championship victory as a rim-protecting forward.

That game marked his final high school event, as Styles reclassified to the Class of 2022 and enrolled early at Ohio State to pursue football.

As a 17-year-old freshman in 2022, Styles appeared in 10 games, recording nine tackles and one tackle for loss, including action in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia.

By his sophomore season, he transitioned from nickel safety to strong safety, posting 53 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one pass breakup and a forced fumble.

Styles’ basketball accolades also included teaming with Devin Royal to secure the 2022 state championship. A five-star football recruit, he chose Ohio State over Clemson, Florida, Notre Dame and Ole Miss.

Sonny Styles shines as Buckeyes advance to national title game with defensive masterclass

Ahead of the 2025 College Football Playoff national championship game against No. 7 Notre Dame, the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes ride a wave of momentum. This follows a hard-fought semifinal win over No. 5 Texas at the Cotton Bowl.

Unlike its dominant victory over top-ranked Oregon in the quarterfinals, Ohio State relied on grit and defense to defeat the Longhorns. Texas focused on neutralizing star receiver Jeremiah Smith, limiting him to a single three-yard catch, and stymied the Buckeye offense for extended periods.

Ryan Day acknowledged areas for improvement, stating:

"To me, the story of this past game for us on offense was the self-inflicted wounds that set us back and allowed us to be in the game in the fourth quarter when I think we could have done a better job of executing and certainly made it a little bit of a bigger spread down the stretch," Day said.

Ohio State's defense has excelled in high-pressure situations all season, consistently delivering critical goal-line stops. Against Texas, linebacker Sonny Styles showcased his versatility and impact.

Now, in his linebacker role after starting as a safety, Styles has accumulated 94 tackles, five sacks and a forced fumble this season.