5-star 2026 prospect set to make decision Oct 21, Michigan basketball in the picture

Lebanon (OH) Western Reserve five-star forward Anthony Thompson has set a decision date for Oct. 21. The elite 2026 recruit has trimmed his list to Michigan, Ohio State, North Carolina, Texas, Kentucky, and Indiana.

In a recent article with Rivals' Joe Tipton, Thompson shared what he was looking for in a school

“I want to play for a person I connect with. A coach on the court, but also off the court. I feel like that is the best way to succeed on the court is to play for someone you really connect with and really get to know them.

“I’m going to look at the play style and their plan for me. I’ve played a small forward role my whole life, so that is what I’m most comfortable with. I think it allows me to best open up my game inside and out. But I can play however the coach wants me, in multiple different styles. So, I’m going to look at the play style and go somewhere I’m comfortable.”

5⭐️ Anthony Thompson will announce his college commitment on October 21st, agent Nate Conley of Court XIV tells @Rivals.

The 6-8 small forward is a top-10 recruit in the 2026 class. https://t.co/MnPBiM22UV pic.twitter.com/WnT7HuBKBS
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) October 9, 2025

Rankings and who's favored?

Per the 247Sports' Composite, the 6-foot-8 forward is ranked as the No. 8 player in the 2026 class and the No. 2 small forward.

It's not clear who is going to land Thompson at this moment, but the Rivals' Prediction Machine has the Buckeyes as the favorite heading into late October. Ohio State has a 22.8% chance of landing the five-star player. Michigan is in fourth with a 11.4% chance. Thompson took an official visit to Ann Arbor back on Sept. 5.

Recently, Rivals' Jamie Shaw predicted Thompson to land at either Ohio State or Indiana. He noted the biggest threat to both of those programs is Texas.

Scouting report

While landing Thompson would be huge for Dusty May and Michigan, the Wolverines currently have four members in their 2026 class. But as you can see from 247Sports' scouting report, this would be a massive addition for Michigan.

Thompson is a skilled lefty forward and natural scorer with extreme length. He’s a potent shot-maker who leans back into a high release that is virtually unblockable, allowing him to make threes and pull-ups with very little separation. While his tough shot-making ability is his best offensive asset, we’re gradually starting to see him put more pressure on the rim. He has a terrific right hand in the paint and the ability to decelerate and maneuver the lane with euros and long strides. This 3SSB season he averaged 22 points per game on 53% shooting, 39% from three, and 88% from the free-throw line.

Physically, he’s grown to 6-foot-8 with shoes on, and has a massive 7-foot-3 wingspan, which allows him to play both the three and the four. That overlap of length and shot-making is rare, especially at this early stage. Thompson is also young for his grade, and won’t turn 18 until August of 2026, so he’s still growing into his body and learning to be physical.

Defensively, he has great playmaking metrics (1.9 blocks and 1.6 steals), and is particularly adept at flying out to block shots on the perimeter. His length allows him to close gaps and erase mistakes in a hurry, but too often that’s because he’s not fully locked in for the entire possession.

That’s almost a microcosm of his total game as there are moments when his motor and body language can be inconsistent, and yet his overlap of shot-making, scoring efficiency, length, and defensive playmaking is potentially unique in this class.

Rankings and who's favored?

Scouting report

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