Louisville Report

Five-Star '26 Forward Anthony Thompson Names Louisville to Top Schools

Thompson is a top-five prospect in the 2026 cycle.

Matthew McGavic

Lebanon forward Anthony Thompson (5) battles Winton Woods guard Nate Dawson (5) for a loose ball during their 50-61 loss Friday, Jan. 5, 2024.
Lebanon forward Anthony Thompson (5) battles Winton Woods guard Nate Dawson (5) for a loose ball during their 50-61 loss Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. / Tony Tribble for The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville men's basketball program is continuing to make inroads with some of the top prospects in the Class of 2026.

Hudson (Oh.) Western Reserve forward Anthony Thompson, a top-five prospect in the cycle, announced his list of top schools on Friday with the Cardinals in the mix for his commitment.

Holding 30 total Division I offers, 14 other schools are still in the running to land Thompson. Auburn, BYU, Georgetown, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue, Texas and Xavier also made his top schools.

While a wide variety of schools are in the mix, Louisville is still seemingly in a good spot. Thompson was one of the first high school prospects to receive an offer from head coach Pat Kelsey, receiving his back in July of 2024.

There's a reason Kelsey wanted to get involved early in Thompson's recruitment. The 6-foot-8, 185-pound small forward ranks as high as the No. 5 player in the nation, per On3's in-house rankings. The 247Sports Composite places him as the No. 11 recruit in the 2026 cycle and a five-star prospect.

So far, Louisville has offered 21 prospects in the Class of 2026, but have yet to land a commitment. In the more immediate 2025 cycle, they have commitments from five-star point guard Mikel Brown Jr. and four-star German forward Sananda Fru.

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(Photo of Anthony Thompson: Tony Tribble for The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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Matthew McGavic
MATTHEW MCGAVIC

McGavic is a 2016 Sport Administration graduate of the University of Louisville, and a native of the Derby City. He has been covering the Cardinals in various capacities since 2017, with a brief stop in Atlanta, Ga. on the Georgia Tech beat. He is also a co-host of the 'From The Pink Seats' podcast on the State of Louisville network. Video gamer, bourbon drinker and dog lover. Find him on Twitter at @Matt_McGavic

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