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After signing for Ohio State, five-star forward Anthony Thompson has prolific game
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- After signing for Ohio State, five-star forward Anthony Thompson has prolific game
HUDSON, Ohio – Through the massive, white wooden doors and through the foyer with two electric chandeliers suspended high overhead, Ohio State's highest-rated signee in more than 15 years was warming up.
Roughly half an hour before Western Reserve Academy tipped off against visiting Erie Prep Academy on Nov. 13, Anthony Thompson was equal parts relaxed and serious. Going through layup lines, Thompson worked on a few dunks, at one point pulling off a through-the-legs slam that echoed through the mostly empty gym. Standing with his fellow big men while the guards went through a positional drill, he stood and watched, spinning a basketball on one of his right-hand fingers.
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Soon enough, it would be time to play. The nine rows of green bleachers lining one side of the court would fill up with students and more than a couple of extra-interested observers wearing Ohio State gear, and Thompson would give them what they came to see. In only 25:27, Thompson scored 23 points, pulled down seven rebounds and generally helped his Pioneers take care of the visiting Yetis in an 83-52 win.
It was a big performance but arguably not the biggest moment of Thompson's week. One day prior, the five-star forward originally from Lebanon, Ohio, had officially put pen to paper and signed with the Buckeyes for their 2026 recruiting class, making him the program's highest-rated recruit since Jared Sullinger arrived in 2010.
Not that such hype matters much to the 6-foot-8, 205-pound Thompson.
"It doesn't bother me because I feel like if I was the highest-rated or not the highest-rated, I'd still approach the game the same way," he said. "I feel like it really doesn't get into my head all that much. I don't feel too much pressure about it. I just feel like when I'm out there playing, I just need to do what I do."
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Against the Yetis, that occasionally meant serving as a decoy to free up opportunities for his teammates. Sometimes, it meant taking a pass in the corner, squaring up, ripping the ball from his left shoulder to a dribble at his right foot and driving the baseline for a lay-up. And at other times, that meant swishing a 3-pointer after setting a screen, poking a loose ball upcourt for a breakaway dunk or subbing out for good with 11:56 to play and the lead at 67-30.
Thompson said he went into the game focusing on his rebounding and defensive presence while trying to impact the game as he typically does offensively. Erie Prep Academy was within 18-13 after Thompson enjoyed a 2½-minute break near the midpoint of the first half, and after he subbed back in, Western Reserve Academy closed on a 25-11 run to take a 43-24 lead into the break.
Operating outside of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, Western Reserve Academy plays with a college 3-point line, a 30-second shot clock and two 20-minute halves. Given that, it's notable that Thompson was 8 for 11 from the floor, including 3 for 4 from 3-point range.
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"I'm trying to help lead my team to a national prep championship, trying to lead us to being the best team in the country," he said. "For myself, get better at all parts of my game so that I'm ready to perform at the college level."
Before committing to Ohio State, Thompson took a visit to each of his six finalists in successive weekends starting in August. He checked out Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina and Texas in addition to the Buckeyes and then committed to them Oct. 21.
"I was able to continue to talk with the (Ohio State) coaching staff about what we'd been talking about for a while, which was just me fitting in with the program and how they fit with me as well," he said of his Ohio State visit. "Then I was able to feel the atmosphere of the campus. I went to the football game as well against Texas so I was able to be around the students and campus and get a good feel for the atmosphere."
Thompson said his decision to pick Ohio State came out of a high level of trust in coach Jake Diebler, who is in his second season leading the program.
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"He's done a really, really good job of showing me what they're going to do for me and get me better when I get to campus," Thompson said. "I really trust that. They see me as being a really high-impact player from day one, when I set foot on campus in June. My development on the court and in the weight room and getting me better and ready for the season, and when the season comes me being a really, really high piece for that team and using all my skills and versatility to be able to impact the team."
Anthony Thompson, a forward in the 2026 class from Hudson (Ohio) Western Reserve Academy, poses while on a visit to Ohio State.
Thompson is projected as a potential top-10 NBA draft pick in 2027, and he said picking Ohio State gives him the best chance of reaching his goal of getting to the professional level.
"They just talked about the development of me and whenever that time is, whether it's one year, two years, three years, I'm just going to continue to get better, continue to build my way up," he said. "First, playing for Ohio State, and if the time does come that I've played well enough and shown that I'm ready, then I'll be ready to go."
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That's where Thompson wants to be. First, though, were the Yetis. Then the rest of his senior season. Then at least one year with the Buckeyes. It's going to be a process, but the five-star recruit said he's not rushing it.
"My goal is to go to the NBA," he said. "I think that's my biggest thing. My goal is to be the best player that I can be, that as well. I know I still need to get better at a lot of stuff."
Ohio State men's basketball beat writer Adam Jardy can be reached at ajardy@dispatch.com, on Bluesky at @ cdadamjardy.bsky.social or on Twitter at @ AdamJardy .
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Anthony Thompson talks Ohio State decision, shows off game in win
