Ohio State's basketball program hasn't been a powerhouse program in a while, but after securing five-star Anthony Thompson, that may signal that change is on the way.
Don’t let people tell you that Ohio State is just a football school.
The football program may be ranked first in the country, but Jake Diebler’s squad has already secured a commitment from one of the highest ranked Buckeye recruits in over a decade, five-star forward Anthony Thompson.
Thompson, who is currently the seventh-ranked player in the 2026 class, fielded a lot of offers, and chose Ohio State over programs such as Big Ten rivals like Indiana and Michigan, and other schools like North Carolina, Texas, and Kentucky.
"My relationship with the coaching staff was different. They recruited me hard and consistently made me a priority," Thompson expressed to ESPN. "Coach Diebler really cares about all his players. He is on the court working with his players during individual workouts. He was very consistent in his communication and recruitment of me. I know I can rely on him to help me. I watched the team practice. They had great energy and buy-in.”
As a Lebanon, Ohio native, Thompson decided that staying just an hour and a half away from his home would be the best course of action to help him get to the next level.
Adam Finkelstein, the Director of Scouting of 247Sports was glowing about Thompson’s potential as an impact player at the collegiate level.
“Thompson is a skilled lefty forward and natural scorer with extreme length. He’s a potent shot-maker who leans back into a high release that is virtually unblockable, allowing him to make threes and pull-ups with very little separation. While his tough shot-making ability is his best offensive asset, we’re gradually starting to see him put more pressure on the rim."
He continued, "He has a terrific right hand in the paint, increasing vertical pop at the rim, and the ability to decelerate and maneuver the lane with euros and long strides. This 3SSB season he averaged 22 points per game on 53% shooting, 39% from three, and 88% from the free-throw line.”
Not only that, Finkelstein sees the incredible potential for him being a major threat on the defensive end with his above-average 7-foot-3 wingspan.
“Defensively, he has great playmaking metrics (1.9 blocks and 1.6 steals), and is particularly adept at flying out to block shots on the perimeter. His length allows him to close gaps and erase mistakes in a hurry, but too often that’s because he’s not fully locked in for the entire possession.”
Apart from Thompson, Ohio State has another commit from four-star guard Marcus Johnson. More commits for the 2026 class will be making their intentions soon, but Thompson’s addition has catapulted the Buckeyes to the third-best class of the year.