Five-Star Small Forward Anthony Thompson, the No. 8 Overall Prospect in the 2026 Class, Commits to Ohio State

On Tuesday, five-star small forward Anthony Thompson committed to Ohio State. With a .9974 grade in the 247Sports composite, Thompson becomes 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).

A Lebanon, Ohio, native and current Western Reserve Academy senior, Thompson is the No. 2 small forward and No. 8 overall prospect in the 2026 class. He is also the No. 1 recruit in Ohio, marking the second time in the past four cycles that Ohio State has landed the top prospect from the Buckeye State, joining Devin Royal in 2023. (Diebler also landed Dorian Jones in 2025, though Jones chose not to enroll and later signed with Rutgers).

Thompson (6-foot-8, 205 pounds) is left-handed and can score from anywhere on the floor. According to 247Sports scouting director Adam Finkelstein, Thompson “leans back into a high release that is virtually unblockable,” which allows him to make 3-pointers and pull-up jumpers “with very little separation.” That assessment may remind fans of Ohio State great Deshaun Thomas, who helped lead the Buckeyes to the 2012 Final Four and recently retired from professional basketball.

What distinguishes Thompson from traditional small forwards is his 7-foot-3 wingspan, which gives him the versatility to defend both perimeter players and interior scorers. He’s still a bit lean – Thomas, for example, weighed 230 pounds out of high school – but Thompson remains young for his class and won’t turn 18 until August 2026, leaving plenty of room to grow into his frame.

This past summer, Thompson shined on the Adidas 3Stripes Select circuit, averaging 22 points per game on 53% shooting, including a 39% mark from behind the 3-point line. He also performed well on the defensive end, recording 1.9 blocks and 1.6 steals per contest.