Spartans in Contention for 2026 Five-Star Small Forward
The Michigan State Spartans are in contention to land 2026 five-star small forward Anthony Thompson, one of the top recruits in the country. He revealed his top 15 schools on social media on Friday, including the Spartans as one of his final choices for his collegiate commitment.
Thompson is a five-star recruit out of Hudson, Ohio, ranked as the No. 1 player in the 2026 class in the state. He ranked ninth overall nationally and is the third-best small forward in the country, per 247Sports. Simply put, they rarely give you five-star ratings and Thompson surely earned his.
Thompson recently competed in the Adidas 3SSB event in Nebraska. 247Sports' Eric Bossi detailed what was displayed by the prospect.
"Standing around 6-foot-7, Thompson is a long-armed lefty with a beautiful looking jump shot, plus athleticism and an advanced skill set," Bossi wrote. "Young for the class of 2026, Thompson won't turn 16 until August and also told us that he's grown around five inches in the last year or so.
"Odds are the growth spurt isn't done yet and whether he grows or not, Thompson has now commanded our attention and looks like he could be one of the premier small forward prospects in the class."
Fellow Big Ten schools that are still in contention are Indiana, Ohio State, Purdue and Michigan. The Spartans and Boilermakers are likely the top two picks as the most elite programs out of the group. Thompson took an unofficial visit to East Lansing back in October of 2024 as well.
Thompson would be a major addition, adding to the Spartans' frontcourt in a big way. If all goes to plan, Thompson would join four-star incoming freshmen Cam Ward and Jordan Scott. That trio would present serious issues for the rest of the Big Ten in a few short years.
Spartans head coach Tom Izzo is a master recruiter and strongly values developing high school players compared to the transfer portal trend that has been in vogue over the past several years. Izzo and his staff will have as good a chance as any of Thompson's finalists of landing him.
Thompson's list will begin to shrink throughout the year, and the Spartans will hopefully continue to be involved.
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