Former Kentucky target Anthony Thompson commits to Ohio State

Anthony Thompson, a five-star small forward in the 2026 class and a former Kentucky target, is staying home to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

With the Wildcats pivoting toward other wing options, particularly No. 1 overall recruit Tyran Stokes, the 6’8″ prospect’s recruitment came down to OSU and Indiana before he ultimately went with Jake Diebler and the Buckeyes.

Joe Tipton of On3/Rivals was among the first to break the news.

His finalists included Ohio State, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina and Texas.

Thompson is rated as the No. 5 overall player and No. 2 small forward, according to the Rivals150. He’s the third commitment of the cycle for the Buckeyes, joining four-star point guard Marcus Johnson (No. 45 overall) and four-star power forward Alex Smith (No. 110 overall).

“The staff made me a priority. I know I can rely on coach Jake Diebler to help me grow and reach the next level,” Thompson told ESPN.

Where does Kentucky go next? You won’t have to wait long to see the next domino fall as top-20 prospect Bryson Howard is set to choose between UK, Duke and North Carolina this afternoon. Like Thompson, though, that one is also not expected to favor the Wildcats — look for Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils to pull that one off.

All eyes are on Stokes with four-star center Josh Irving also set to decide between Kentucky, Louisville and Texas A&M this week, the Wildcats firmly in the mix there coming off his official visit to Lexington from October 10-12. Elsewhere, Deron Rippey Jr., Jordan Smith Jr., Caleb Holt, Baba Oladotun, Maximo Adams, Christian Collins and Arafan Diane are still on the board and names to watch for the Cats.

The wait continues for Mark Pope, but it may not be too much longer before we see some movement.