5-Star Forward in 2026 Class Includes Purdue in Top 7 Schools
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Anthony Thompson, a five-star talent and a top-10 prospect in the 2026 recruiting class, has included Purdue on the list of seven programs he's still considering for his commitment. Joe Tipton of On3 reported the news on Thursday.
Thompson is a heavily-recruited prospect out of Ohio who received more than 30 offers on the recruiting front. Along with Purdue, he's also considering Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Texas, North Carolina, and Ohio State.
Purdue extended an offer to the five-star prospect in May 2024.
The talented forward brings great size and versatility to the court. He possesses the ability to score on multiple levels, can finish through contact and is able to stretch defenses with his three-point shot. Thompson has also proven to be an effective rebounder.
At Western Reserve in Ohio, Thompson averaged 22 points and eight rebounds and shot 43% from behind the three-point line. As a sophomore at Lebanon High School, he averaged Thompson averaged 15.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest.
247Sports ranks the 6-foot-8 forward as the No. 9 overall prospect in the 2026 recruiting class.
Boilermakers in the mix for Ogden, Kinney
Purdue has found itself in the mix for several highly-rated prospects in the 2026 class recently. Four-star forward Bo Ogden and top-ranked point guard Taylen Kinney are also considering playing for coach Matt Painter and the Boilermakers.
Ogden released his list of the six programs he's still considering for his commitment on Thursday. Along with Purdue, he also included Gonzaga, Texas, Kansas, Tennessee and Virginia.
Kinney is another five-star prospect in the 2026 class and has narrowed down his list of programs to 12. He's considering Purdue, Auburn, Kentucky, Louisville, Texas, Arkansas, Xavier, Indiana, Miami, Oregon, Tennessee, and Kansas.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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