Diebler Announces Signing of Thompson and Smith in 2026 Class
11/12/2025 6:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler has announced the signing of two of the top players in Ohio in Anthony Thompson and Alex Smith for the 2026 signing class.
“Today is a great day for the future of Ohio State Basketball,” Diebler said. “The combination of talent and character from both Alex and Anthony make them a perfect fit. Both have deep Ohio roots and will take great pride in wearing the Scarlet and Gray.”
Staying home??
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 12, 2025
Consensus five-star Anthony Thompson is officially a Buckeye ????#GoBucks | @ant_thompson26 pic.twitter.com/DFfLOmmePA
Thompson is a 6-8, five-star forward from Lebanon, Ohio. He plays for Western Reserve Academy in northeast Ohio as well as Indiana Elite in the Adidas 3SSB circuit. Thompson is a Top 10 recruit in the class and is the highest ranked recruit for Ohio State since 2010.
“Anthony is a special player. His combination of size, skill, and athleticism gives him unique versatility,” Diebler said. “Who he is, aligns with what our program is all about and the basketball IQ he has will help him be really impactful right away. Being from Ohio and coming to Ohio State means something to him, and we are excited for Anthony and his family to join ours!”
Signed ??
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 12, 2025
Columbus native Alex Smith is officially a Buckeye ??#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/YEoC7rzraW
Smith is from nearby Upper Arlington, Ohio and is playing his senior season at Prolific Prep in Florida after playing at UA his first three seasons. A four-star prospect, Smith has been one of the quickest risers in the recruiting class. He is a 6-9 forward that can score at all three levels as he averaged nearly 20 points per game at Upper Arlington as a junior.
“Alex and his family love the Buckeyes, and we couldn’t be more excited for him to officially join our family,” Diebler said. “He is highly skilled, has positional size, and a high basketball IQ which will be an asset for us. Alex has shown tremendous growth as a player because of his work ethic and will fit perfectly into the culture of our program because of who he is.”
Anthony Thompson
6-8, 210
Forward
Lebanon, Ohio
Western Reserve Academy
- Consensus five-star prospect
- No. 7 overall prospect and No. 1 in Ohio for the 2026 class, according to 247Sports.com
- Highest rated Ohio State prospect since Jared Sullinger in 2010
- Skilled, left-handed forward with a 7-foot-3 wingspan
- Played for Indiana Elite in the 2025 Adidas 3SSB and averaged 22.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.6 steals
- As a junior at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, he averaged 21.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 1.3 steals and 2.5 assists while leading the Pioneers to a 24-11 record
Alex Smith
6-9, 200
Forward
Upper Arlington, Ohio
Prolific Prep
- A four-star prospect who is rated in the Top 150 in the 2026 class according to 247Sports.com
- Transferred to Prolific Prep prior to his senior season after playing three years at Upper Arlington
- Averaged 19.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game as a junior at Upper Arlington while earning third-team All-Ohio honors
- Played for Midwest Basketball in the 2025 Adidas 3SSB circuit and averaged nearly 15 points and four rebounds per game while shooting over 45 percent from long range
#GoBucks
