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Jake Diebler continues to prioritize homegrown talent with addition of 2026 forward Alex Smith
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy of 247Sports.com
Smith, a 6-foot-9 forward, is the second member of Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class.
One of the implied benefits of hiring Jake Diebler as head coach this spring was the fact that Diebler, an Ohio-native and the son of a longtime high school basketball coach, is well-connected among high school coaches and programs throughout the state.
An external candidate could have stepped in and built those relationships, but if you sit down and talk to any high school basketball coach in the state of Ohio, odds are they already have Diebler’s number.
Diebler has stated the importance of prioritizing Ohio talent as well as players who want to win at Ohio State. With class of 2026 forward Alex Smith — Diebler’s third commit since getting the job — you get both. Smith committed to the Buckeyes this weekend while on an unofficial visit.
Smith is a 6-foot-9, 195-pound forward from nearby Upper Arlington High School, less than three miles up the road from the Schottenstein Center. He is not yet rated by 247Sports, but also recieved scholarship offers from Nebraska, Xavier, Cincinnati, and Indiana, as well as in-state MAC programs Ohio, Toledo, and Bowling Green. Former Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann was also recruiting him at DePaul, but had not officially offered him, according to 247Sports.
A good shooter for his size, Smith utilizes his outside shot to force defenders into making a quick decision on whether to close out or defend against the drive. He continues to improve as a passer, which is crucial for him at the high school level as he draws attention from two — and at times three — defenders. Smith allegedly had several impressive assists at the OHSBCA Midwest Live event in Sandusky on June 29.
Smith becomes the second member of Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class, alongside five-star guard Marcus Johnson (Garfield Heights). He is the third Ohio State commitment since Diebler took over, with all three (Smith, Johnson, and Dorian Jones) coming from the Buckeye state.
With Smith, Diebler and his staff are getting a lifelong Ohio State fan who has “always been thinking about” the Buckeyes.
“Everything just kind of clicked,” Smith told the Columbus Dispatch on Monday afternoon. “When I would think about recruiting, I would think about Ohio State. I realized this is where I wanted to play, so I saw no reason to wait.”
Smith told Eleven Warriors that “Ever since he could talk” he’s been an Ohio State fan, and called OSU his “dream school.” With the support of his family, his high school and the Upper Arlington community, Smith will become the third local product on the team when he joins in 2026, joining Devin Royal (Pickerington Central) and Braylen Nash (New Albany).
With the addition of Smith, Ohio State is now the first school in the Big Ten to have two players committed in the class of 2026. While Smith is still unranked, he is two years from playing college basketball and his being offered by several high-major programs infers that the Buckeyes weren’t the only program who think he can contribute at the highest level of college basketball.
It will be interesting to see how the 2025 and 2026 classes continue to develop around Smith, who brings a unique size and shooting combination to the program. Other Ohio products that Diebler and his staff are pursuing include Darryn Peterson (2025), Jerry Easter (2025), Niko Bundalo (2025), Anthony Thompson (2026), and TJ Crumble (2026).
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy of 247Sports.com
Smith, a 6-foot-9 forward, is the second member of Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class.
One of the implied benefits of hiring Jake Diebler as head coach this spring was the fact that Diebler, an Ohio-native and the son of a longtime high school basketball coach, is well-connected among high school coaches and programs throughout the state.
An external candidate could have stepped in and built those relationships, but if you sit down and talk to any high school basketball coach in the state of Ohio, odds are they already have Diebler’s number.
Diebler has stated the importance of prioritizing Ohio talent as well as players who want to win at Ohio State. With class of 2026 forward Alex Smith — Diebler’s third commit since getting the job — you get both. Smith committed to the Buckeyes this weekend while on an unofficial visit.
I want to thank my family and everyone who supported me through this process. That being said I will be committing to THE Ohio State University! Go buckspic.twitter.com/WXlvDbwEyH
— alex smith (@alexx_smith26) September 2, 2024
Smith is a 6-foot-9, 195-pound forward from nearby Upper Arlington High School, less than three miles up the road from the Schottenstein Center. He is not yet rated by 247Sports, but also recieved scholarship offers from Nebraska, Xavier, Cincinnati, and Indiana, as well as in-state MAC programs Ohio, Toledo, and Bowling Green. Former Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann was also recruiting him at DePaul, but had not officially offered him, according to 247Sports.
A good shooter for his size, Smith utilizes his outside shot to force defenders into making a quick decision on whether to close out or defend against the drive. He continues to improve as a passer, which is crucial for him at the high school level as he draws attention from two — and at times three — defenders. Smith allegedly had several impressive assists at the OHSBCA Midwest Live event in Sandusky on June 29.
Smith becomes the second member of Ohio State’s 2026 recruiting class, alongside five-star guard Marcus Johnson (Garfield Heights). He is the third Ohio State commitment since Diebler took over, with all three (Smith, Johnson, and Dorian Jones) coming from the Buckeye state.
With Smith, Diebler and his staff are getting a lifelong Ohio State fan who has “always been thinking about” the Buckeyes.
“Everything just kind of clicked,” Smith told the Columbus Dispatch on Monday afternoon. “When I would think about recruiting, I would think about Ohio State. I realized this is where I wanted to play, so I saw no reason to wait.”
Smith told Eleven Warriors that “Ever since he could talk” he’s been an Ohio State fan, and called OSU his “dream school.” With the support of his family, his high school and the Upper Arlington community, Smith will become the third local product on the team when he joins in 2026, joining Devin Royal (Pickerington Central) and Braylen Nash (New Albany).
With the addition of Smith, Ohio State is now the first school in the Big Ten to have two players committed in the class of 2026. While Smith is still unranked, he is two years from playing college basketball and his being offered by several high-major programs infers that the Buckeyes weren’t the only program who think he can contribute at the highest level of college basketball.
It will be interesting to see how the 2025 and 2026 classes continue to develop around Smith, who brings a unique size and shooting combination to the program. Other Ohio products that Diebler and his staff are pursuing include Darryn Peterson (2025), Jerry Easter (2025), Niko Bundalo (2025), Anthony Thompson (2026), and TJ Crumble (2026).
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