Anthony Thompson, a former Kentucky recruit, has committed to Ohio State to play under head coach Jake Diebler, he announced on his Instagram on Tuesday. Thompson was listed as the No. 7 overall recruit in the 2026 class according to 247 Sports.
An Ohio product, Thompson is a native of Lebanon and will play his senior season at Hudson Western Reserve Academy. The 6-8 small forward was the Buckeyes’ first top-10 verbal commitment in the past 16 years — a new era for the Buckeyes and Diebler.
Thompson
was down to six schools to end his recruitment, which included: Texas, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Ohio State. He officially visited Lexington on September 24.
Elsewhere, 5-star small forward Bryson Howard gave his verbal commitment to Duke on Tuesday. Howard was choosing between Kentucky, Duke, and North Carolina, a battle of blue bloods that the Blue Devils ultimately won out in.
A Texas native playing at Heritage High School in Frisco, Howard is ranked No. 12 nationally by 247 Sports. He officially visited Kentucky on October 4.
Josh Irving, a 2026 recruit, will also pick a school this week. The 4-star center will choose between Kentucky, Louisville, and Texas A&M this week. The Wildcats are still in the mix for Irving, but the Aggies appear to be the favorites.
A recruit in the 2026 class has yet to commit to the Wildcats to play under Mark Pope, but once the first puzzle piece falls into place, Pope should pick up some steam.
