Five-star forward Anthony Thompson is poised to have a big role for the Scarlet and Gray as they look to make another run at the postseason.

Anthony Thompson is a talented 6-8, 205-pound small forward from Lebanon, Ohio, who will be touting the scarlet and gray in the 2026-2027 college basketball season. Thompson is one of the top players in the 2026 class and is the top player in the state of Ohio, according to 247sports. He is also the 3rd-ranked small forward and 7th-ranked overall player in the country.

Five-Star & Ohio-Native Among the Best Players in the Country

The Ohio kid is staying home, but received lots of offers from big-time basketball schools, including North Carolina, Michigan, and Indiana. Thompson played in the 2026 McDonald’s All-American game last night, making him the first Buckeye to do so since D’Angelo Russell in 2014.

In 12 minutes, he registered five points, three rebounds, one assist, and one block for the East team in their 102-86 loss last night. There wasn’t too much to break down in the limited time he played, but Diebler and the coaching staff know they are getting a potential NBA-talent in the Western Reserve Academy player.

High School Career

Thompson is from Lebanon, Ohio, and attended Lebanon High School, and had a very successful Sophomore season. He averaged 15.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, which earned him first-team all-conference and honorable mention all-state honors.

He then transferred to Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, where he lit it up in his junior campaign. He put up 22 points per game and also played in the Adidas 3SSB circuit, where he averaged 22.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He showed off his natural scoring ability with efficient numbers while also making plays on defense using his length.

These numbers helped rocket Thompson up the high school ranks, and his five-star rating and composite score made him Ohio State’s highest-ranked basketball commit since Jared Sullinger in 2010.

What to Expect

Ohio State made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years and for the first time under Head Coach Jake Diebler. It was expected to be a busy offseason with this group, and we have already seen some major news, all of which has happened with the Thompson arrival in mind.

Amare Bynum announced he is staying for his Sophomore season, and many Buckeyes fans think he and Thompson will be running the show in the frontcourt. This is also one of the reasons that Pickerinton-native Devin Royal decided to transfer after spending his first three seasons in Columbus.

John Mobley Jr. is another important piece who announced he will return to Ohio State after testing the NBA Draft waters, with many signs pointing to him returning for his junior season. Alex Smith is a four-star power forward who is coming into the class with Anthony Thompson, forming a solid core to build around.

On top of losing Royal and guard Mathieu Grujicic, who is rumored to be gone, the Buckeyes are losing some key pieces due to ineligibility. Bruce Thornton, who became Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer on his own senior night and bobblehead night, finally got his chance in the tournament but now will weigh his next steps for his post-Ohio State hoops. Christoph Tilly, Brandon Noel, and Puff Johnson are other players who saw key minutes throughout the season that will need to be replaced.

Obviously, Thornton is very hard to replace, and it will be a group effort, but Diebler’s crew is losing four players who started many games this season. Mobley Jr. and Bynum are the key guys returning, and adding two highly ranked freshmen is a good start, but it will be very interesting to see how the Buckeyes attack the portal.

In this new era, you need to spend big bucks to attract and retain the best talent. It is evident that this rendition of Buckeyes hoops will need some ball-handling, shooting, and size added to a roster that already has a lot of athleticism and potential. If they can get some proven guys in the portal, this group will have a great blend of youth and experience.

The Ohio State Buckeyes will look to return to the NCAA Tournament, and if they do so, five-star Anthony Thompson will play a big part in that.

MORE: Follow along with The Silver Bulletin’s Offseason Tracker for Ohio State Basketball to stay up to date on all Buckeye basketball transfer portal news during the offseason.