'Juni' Mobley showcases shooting in workout on eve of Ohio State arrival
The station was supposed to end with 10 made shots. Just like he had for much of the previous hour, John “Juni” Mobley Jr. was moving from spot to spot inside Value City Arena, putting in early-morning weekend work on the court he will soon call home.
With the help of his manager, Ronnie Steward, Mobley made his way through mid-range jumpers, 3-pointers and then deeper 3-pointers, each time getting to 10 makes before moving on. Then he got to a straight-on spot, one located a foot or two behind the 3-point line, and Mobley hit that number without missing.
Then he kept going, and Steward kept feeding him. In an otherwise empty arena, Mobley kept firing and Steward kept getting him the rebound as the future Ohio State guard finished with 20 straight made 3-pointers before finally missing and moving onto the next station.
He wasn’t being guarded, and he wasn’t running back up the court after having played defense for half a minute against another Division I team. But with only the swish of the net and the booming of the ball echoing off the hardwood of the main floor inside Ohio State’s arena, Mobley was channeling a glimpse of what he hopes to bring to the Buckeyes as a first-year guard in 2024-25.
“I grew up watching the Buckeyes,” he said, seated courtside at the conclusion of his Saturday morning workout. “I grew up in Columbus, so to actually be a part of the culture is unbelievable.”
A native of Reynoldsburg, Mobley’s love of the game and pursuit of growth has taken him across the country only to bring him back home again. With Ohio’s prep season in doubt amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Mobley moved to Las Vegas and played with Bishop Gorman before transferring to Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, where he averaged 21.5 points, 5.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game last season. Along the way, Mobley earned a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes and committed to his self-described dream school after his sophomore season.
Saturday’s pre-dawn workout was hardly an anomaly for Mobley, who has stuck with a diligent workout schedule for years. Since his senior year ended, Mobley has been back in Columbus and routinely waking up at 5 a.m. to start a regiment of weightlifting, conditioning and on-court skills work in preparation for joining the Buckeyes and first-year coach Jake Diebler. There’s even been some boxing workouts in the mix.
This Saturday was a bit different. While Mobley still got on the main floor at Value City Arena before the sun rose, the afternoon would consist of a graduation party. One day later, Mobley would move into his dorm at Ohio State, rooming with fellow freshman Colin White from Ottawa (Ohio) Ottawa-Glandorf.
There was work to put in first. Clad in scarlet-and-black Ohio State shorts, a shirtless Mobley quietly put his 6-3, 180-pound frame through enough shooting drills to work up a sweat. Throughout, he showcased the ability that led 247Sports.com to name him “The Sniper” in the 2024 recruiting class. Mobley hit 12 straight 3s from the right wing at one point, then went 10 for 11 from the left corner while showing off both his range and his accuracy.
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When the lights flicked off mid-workout, Mobley laughed at the suggestion that he shot the lights out. Steward was able to have security switch the lights back on and, around 7:30, the workout was complete.
Before long, they’ll be back on at full power, fans will be in the stands and Mobley will be suiting up for the Buckeyes. On this final day before starting college, there were no more shots to take, just an opportunity to get started.
It’s one he’s been waiting for.
“It feels unreal,” Mobley said.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Incoming Ohio State guard 'Juni' Mobley puts in early-morning workout
