Now that the college basketball season has arrived and the prospects of the 2026 NBA Draft are settling into the league, now is the time to shine a spotlight on the players of the 2027 NBA Draft. This upcoming draft has its fair share of talented prospects, even if they are not on the same level as the players from the 2025 and 2026 drafts. Among those talented players are the top freshmen prospects of the 2027 NBA Draft , who can be major pickups for any team in need of upside. As one of those top freshmen prospects, Ohio State Buckeyes forward Anthony Thompson can offer teams significant potential as an athletic and skilled forward.
The six-foot-nine Thompson stands as one of the top freshmen prospects and one of the best forwards in the entire draft. His level of talent and potential is comparable to other top freshmen like Kansas Jayhawks forward Tyran Stokes and BYU Cougars wing Bruce Branch III . What makes Thompson unique as a prospect is the combination of his incredible physical tools and his great upside as a scorer and defender. While Thompson still has significant room for improvement ahead of him, his potential will easily make him one of the top freshmen to pay attention to this draft cycle. With that said, let's take a deeper dive into Thompson, specifically where he excels and where he has certain concerns.
Easily, the thing that stands out the most for Thompson as a prospect is his blend of size, athleticism, and physical tools. At six-foot-nine with a reported seven-foot-three wingspan, he has the physical traits to be highly impactful on either end of the court. His level of athleticism grants him the ability to make incredible highlight plays. He can easily play above the rim and be a threat in transition due to mobility and vertical athleticism. Not only that, but that verticality alongside his massive wingspan gives him the potential to be a strong rim deterrent in the paint as well as being generally disruptive defensively.
As it stands currently, Thompson is more skilled on the offensive end, and it shows through his scoring potential, especially as a shooter. He possesses a smooth shooting form with a high release point, making his shot difficult to contest. Considering his high release point, height, and long wingspan, Thompson can just shoot over opposing defenders and hit contested shots. He can operate in the paint, from the mid-range, and from beyond the arc, making him a multi-leveled scorer. Furthermore, Thompson has the shooting versatility to hit shots in a variety of ways, whether it be on the move or spotting up. While he still can develop his scoring abilities further, Thompson has shown real flashes as a scoring forward.
Ohio State Buckeye Anthony Thompson shoots the ball during practice in the practice gym at the Schottenstein Center on July 21, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Thompson's abilities on the defensive end are trailing what he can do on the offensive end. However, he does have significant upside on defense, especially with the physical tools and athleticism he possesses. With his size and wingspan, Thompson has the potential to be a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions, specifically against wings and bigger forwards. His long wingspan and athleticism help him be disruptive as a defensive playmaker, both in terms of rim protection and playing the passing lanes. Furthermore, Thompson uses his height and length well to attack the boards, consistently being a rebounding presence for his team.
While there is a lot to like with Thompson's abilities on the offensive end, there are certain things that hold him back on that side. In particular, Thompson struggles in terms of shot creation for himself and others, as well as handling the ball in a primary ball-handling role. He isn't someone who can consistently create space using his handle to generate good scoring opportunities, relying on tough jumpers when he can get past his man.
Furthermore, that same difficulty with creating his own shot also extends to his ability to create shots for others. He has never been the type of player who can facilitate the offense, and his own passing skill isn't the best. He will most likely serve as a play-finisher instead of being a creator on offense. Being a play-finisher isn't a bad thing, but it does limit his ceiling on the offensive end.
Another major area of concern for Thompson as a prospect is his lackluster motor and consistency on defense. While he has all the tools to be an impactful defender at the forward spot, Thompson can struggle to put forward the necessary energy on defense at times. He isn't always locked in defensively, which has burned him in terms of his off-ball defense.
His overall consistency as a defender is also something of a concern with Thompson. His still-improving strength can be an issue for him, as physical opponents can outmuscle him. Plus, he must look to use his size and tools further to be more consistently disruptive.
Featured Image: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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