Why was Thad Matta modeling Ohio State basketball's new uniforms?

Thad Matta

Ohio State basketball coach Thad Matta modeled the Buckeyes new uniforms before Thursday's media day.

(Ohio State basketball Twitter)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- JaQuan Lyle said he didn't know what Thad Matta was thinking of modeling Ohio State's new basketball uniforms.

Jae'Sean Tate said that was just typical Matta trying to make a joke happen.

Marc Loving said he didn't think Matta had muscles like that.

Matta said he was living out a dream.

Why, exactly, was Matta wearing Ohio State's new uniforms before the Buckeyes held their media day on Thursday?

"What happened was I was going to get changed to work out, and they had the uniform laying on the floor, and I said, 'You know, it looks a little better if somebody is in it,'" Matta said. "They said, 'No kidding, the guys aren't here yet.' I said, 'Well give it here, I'll put it on,' not thinking anything of it."

You can get the full effect, tweeted out by Ohio State basketball's official Twitter account, below.

The jerseys may not look new, but they are. Kind of. They're cut differently and hug players' bodies tighter. Ohio State described the uniform as made of "high performance lightweight material" and cut in the fashion of the jerseys Team USA wore in the recent Olympics.

"I always wanted to play in the Big Ten and wasn't good enough," Matta said. "For a four-minute stretch there I felt like my dream had come true."

And he surprised some of his players in the process.

"Sometimes I give a little gun show," Matta said. "I'm 49 years old man, it's hard."

Watch the video below to hear what the Buckeyes had to say about Matta's modeling skills at Thursday's media day:

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