5-Star Basketball Recruit Anthony Thompson Commits To Ohio State

Five-star senior Anthony Thompson committed to Ohio State on Tuesday, becoming the Buckeyes’ highest-ranked men’s basketball recruit in more than a decade.

Anthony Thompson Chose Ohio State Over Indiana, Texas

Thompson chose the Buckeyes over Indiana and Texas. The 6-foot-8, 205-pound wing also visited Michigan, Kentucky, and North Carolina, per ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi.

“My relationship with the coaching staff was different. They recruited me hard and consistently made me a priority,” Thompson said. “Coach Diebler really cares about all his players. He is on the court working with his players during individual workouts.

“He was very consistent in his communication and recruitment of me. I know I can rely on him to help me. I watched the team practice. They had great energy and buy-in.”

Breaking: Five-star senior Anthony Thompson tells ESPN that he has committed to Ohio State.

“The staff made me a priority. I know I can rely on coach Jake Diebler to help me grow and reach the next level,” Thompson said.

High-level 6-8 shotmaker, ranked No. 13 in SC Next 100. pic.twitter.com/deiD5dR2zU

— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) October 21, 2025

Thompson’s main aspiration is to make it to the NBA level. The Lebanon native looks forward to developing his skills under Diebler’s development plan in the near future.

“I am going there with the intention of improving and winning and making it to the NBA, however long it takes,” Thompson said. “I am not focused on being one-and-done. If it happens, that is great.

“Their plan is to help me become the best player I can be and prepare me for the NBA. They see me as a versatile shooter and can defend different positions. They showed me how I would fit on both ends of the floor.”

Thompson Was Fourth In Scoring On The Adidas 3SSB Circuit

A standout at Western Reserve Academy (Ohio), Thompson is ranked No. 13 in ESPN’s SC Next 100 and rated as the No. 7 overall player in the 2026 class by 247Sports. He’s the top-ranked player in the Midwest.

Thompson was fourth on the Adidas 3SSB circuit in scoring during the spring and summer, averaging 22.8 points along with 5.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists. He also shot nearly 59% from the field, 40% from beyond the arc, and 87.5% at the free throw line.

He becomes Ohio State’s first five-star recruit since D’Angelo Russell in the class of 2014.

Thompson is the third member of Diebler’s 2026 recruiting class, joining four-star point guard Marcus Johnson and four-star forward Alex Smith.

All three commits are from Ohio.