Ohio State basketball notes: Five-star freshmen, targeted portal adds create an intriguing roster

Some summer hoops thoughts after getting to watch some practice this week.

Freshman forward Anthony Thompson is one of eight newcomers for Ohio State basketball this year. (Photo by Bill Landis)

COLUMBUS — Some summer thoughts and observations on Ohio State basketball after getting to watch some practice on Thursday morning.

1. Your eyes immediately go to freshman forward Anthony Thompson when you walk in the gym. He’s 6-foot-9, nearly 220 pounds, and has one of the sweetest shooting strokes Ohio State has had come through the building in recent memory. It’s immediately evident why the No. 12 player in the 2026 recruiting class has one-and-done potential.

The towering wing forward looked comfortable after a few weeks getting acclimated to the program.

“I’ve been able to come in and learn a lot so far,” Thompson said. “I’ve already gotten a lot better and a lot stronger. I’ve already accomplished some of the goals I had coming in for the summer.”

Thompson needs to be ready from the jump for this team, because he doesn’t figure to be here long. John Mobley Jr. and Amare Bynum are back. Mobley should be one of the top scorers and guards in the country. Bynum emerged as one of the country’s more exciting young forwards last year. Add in a dynamic freshman scoring wing like Thompson, and you’ve got something cooking.

What was clear on Thursday is that the scoring touch that made Thompson one of the top players in his recruiting class should translate immediately. He has a remarkably high release on his jump shot that makes it borderline unblockable, but he can get to his spots off the dribble, too, thanks to his large frame and improving handle. He’s got a complete scoring package. He should be a plus defender because of his length, and moves his feet well enough to stay in front of smaller perimeter players. The coaching staff is working on making him a more tenacious rebounder.

“A big thing for us, talking to Anthony, is being active on the glass. He’s getting better at that,” head coach Jake Diebler said. “Anthony has an ability to erase mistakes and get up and protect the rim. We’re just growing in that stuff. It takes time. But I’ve been impressed with the progress.”

A player hasn’t arrived in Columbus with one-and-done buzz since D’Angelo Russell, and I don’t think it’s too much to expect Thompson to have a similar impact. The difference is that OSU doesn’t necessarily need Thompson to be its best player the way Russell was for the Buckeyes over a decade ago.

2. We’ve not done any offseason coverage of the basketball team. So here’s a snapshot of the new additions: