Another round of bluebloods has been beaten.
Less than a month after Ohio State hoops landed five-star prospect Anthony Thompson in the recruiting class of 2026, Jake Diebler and assistant coach Joel Justus secured an anchor for the Buckeyes' 2027 recruiting class in top-40 prospect LJ Smith.
Kansas and a host of other top programs wanted the elite ball-handler, shooter and scorer, who averaged 33.1 points per game as a sophomore in the 2024-25 season. Smith's length at 6-foot-4 and refined dribbling skills make him an option at point guard, shooting guard or even small forward in certain lineups for Ohio State, a versatility that is valuable to any program.
Smith's tape is ridiculous, filled with ankle-breaking crossovers and logo 3-pointers both off the catch and off the dribble. It's an especially important land for Diebler after Marcus Johnson's late decommitment left the Buckeyes without a guard in their 2026 recruiting class on early signing day.
There is a metric ton of momentum behind the Ohio State basketball program right now, maintained by a win over Notre Dame on Sunday on the court. But it will be up to the months of January, February and March to see if the Buckeyes can keep the wind in their sails. Eleven Warriors' Andy Anders and Chase Brown break it all down on a new episode of Press Coverage, which you can watch at the top of the page.
