'26 OH SF Anthony Thompson is a Buckeye!!!

[DZ83CK]

For returning players, my priority would be Bynum, then Mobley, then Royal.
They need to decide if the injured big from Baylor can be their 5. And, for sure, they need to bring in a PG from the portal.

I suppose if Bynum takes a jump, he could supplant Royal at the 4, and Bynum can play some at the 5, but to me neither is ideal at any other position. I would hope that we're not planning on Bynum-Ojianwuna as the post combo, as it would not solve the problem area of defensive rebounding.

 

[calibuck]

Royal, for me at least, has been having a great season. His overall play, mostly on the inside, has been jaw-dropping. When he tees it up for a 3, that's just a bonus (when they hit net), and watching him sky for a rebound is wonderful. Mobley, is streaky. In a good way, methinks. But most teams put a taller, long armed guy on him, and his %age made goes down. Bynum is young, and starting to play within himself, but believe his future is at the 4, so needs to learn some 'back-to-the-basket' moves, a la a center, to go with his face-up skills. Pretty certain it will come, and he has some good hops. Agree with you on a PG, don't believe Cupps is the answer, but Thornton's don't grow on trees. Go Bucks!

 

[JohnnyCockfight]

In its 41st year celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade today
announced Anthony Thompson of Western Reserve Academy is the 2025-26 Gatorade Ohio Boys Basketball Player of
the Year.

Link

 

[ScriptOhio]

According to Adam Finkelstein, the Director of Scouting for 247 Sports, Thompson provides multiple matchup issues on both sides of the ball.

“Thompson is a skilled lefty forward and natural scorer with extreme length. He’s a potent shot-maker who leans back into a high release that is virtually unblockable, allowing him to make threes and pull-ups with very little separation,” Finkelstein said. “While his tough shot-making ability is his best offensive asset, we’re gradually starting to see him put more pressure on the rim. He has a terrific right hand in the paint, increasing vertical pop at the rim, and the ability to decelerate and maneuver the lane with Euros and long strides. This 3SSB season, he averaged 22 points per game on 53% shooting, 39% from three, and 88% from the free-throw line.”

Finkelstein added, “Defensively, he has great playmaking metrics (1.9 blocks and 1.6 steals), and is particularly adept at flying out to block shots on the perimeter. His length allows him to close gaps and erase mistakes in a hurry, but too often that’s because he’s not fully locked in for the entire possession.”

When Thompson committed to Ohio State, he told Paul Biancardi of ESPN that his relationship with Coach Diebler was a driving force.

“My relationship with the coaching staff was different. They recruited me hard and consistently made me a priority,” Thompson told ESPN. “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.”

Thompson is a projected lottery pick in the 2027 NBA draft, according to (very) early mock drafts. He will have an expectation to come to Columbus and be one of the best players in the conference and likely the best player on the team.

With the last player ranked this highly for Ohio State being Jared Sullinger, Thompson is a prospect that hasn’t been seen in Columbus since 2010 and will be a must-watch for fans, no matter how you currently feel about the program.