It's been years since we've been able to celebrate an Ohio State basketball commitment of the magnitude that head coach Jake Diebler just landed for the 2026 class.
That's because, on Tuesday, the best prospect in the state of Ohio, and the No. 8 recruit in the entire country according to the 247Sports Composite rankings , 5-star small forward Anthony Thompson, announced his verbal commitment to the Buckeyes . Thompson is a part of the 2026 class and plays his high school ball for Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio.
And it's no small thing. According to the metrics available from recruiting services, Thompson is the fourth-highest-rated prospect the Buckeyes have landed since 2000 , trailing only Greg Oden (1.000), B.J. Mullens (0.9989), and Jared Sullinger (0.9983), all a part of what former OSU head coach Thad Matta brought to the program. Thompson has a 247Sports composite rating of 0.9974.
At 6-foot-8, 205 pounds, Thompson has the size and length (7-foot, 3-inch wingspan) to go up over defenders and get his lefty shot off with ease, whether it be out on the perimeter or in near the basket. The length should also help him on the defensive end and with rebounding, meaning he has the tools to be an all-around two-way player for Ohio State.
It's a major win for the Buckeyes because they beat out the likes of North Carolina , Kentucky , Indiana, Michigan , and Texas for his services. Ohio State needs to start winning some of these top-tier recruiting battles to get the program back where it has -- and should -- be, and this could go a long way towards starting some recruiting momentum.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State recruiting: Buckeyes land 5-star 2026 small forward
