Zane Starsky Lights Up The Court Again With Matta's Support!

Former Ohio State men's basketball player J. J. Sullinger paid tribute to former Buckeyes coach Thad Matta 's retirement by revealing that Matta once saved his career.

On March 16, Sullinger took to social media and said that former Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger wanted him removed from the team before the 2004-05 season. "When Coach [Thad] Matta was hired ... Andy Geiger told him to get rid of me if he ever wanted to be successful… (Said I was a cancer)," Sullinger wrote in an X post .

Sullinger wrote that on Sept. 4, 2004, he was pulled over for suspected driving under the influence. According to Sullinger, he was brought to jail and called Matta around 2:30 a.

m. to let him know about the situation. It was the same day that Matta was to be introduced as the new Ohio State coach during the home-opening football game.