Ohio State Lands Commitment from Top-20 Recruit in 2027 Class

The Ohio State basketball team has recruited well under the tutelage of head coach Jake Diebler.

After the Buckeyes saw veteran guard Bruce Thornton selected by the Houston Rockets at No. 31 in the 2026 NBA Draft, Ohio State could have another draft pick in the 2027 class.

Anthony Thompson was rated the No. 7 overall player and No. 3 small forward in the 2026 recruiting cycle by 247Sports, and has the potential to be a one-and-done prospect for Diebler's squad.

The Buckeyes continued their success on the recruiting trail recently, landing a commitment from Canadian wing Deng Ngor.

Ngor was also considering Florida, Duke and Washington, among others, and announced his pledge in a social media post on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Buckeyes let’s do it!! #commited pic.twitter.com/HJafweOhz0
— Deng Ngor (@dengngorr) September 17, 2026

Ngor, who attends Fort Erie International Academy, is rated the No. 19 overall player and No. 5 small forward in the 2027 recuriting class by Rivals, giving the Buckeyes another highly touted prospect after adding Thompson in the 2026 cycle.

Ngor's stock has risen rapidly after a strong performance at the 2026 FIBA U18 AmeriCup, which featured a handful of coveted recruits and served as a qualifier for the 2027 FIBA U19 World Cup.

Ngor helped lead Team Canada to a gold medal at the event, taking down a Team USA squad that featured multiple five-star recruits in the championship game.

The Buckeyes' newest commi tallied 15 points, two rebounds, an assist and three steals while shooting 5-of-8 from the field, 2-of-2 from beyond the arc and 3-of-4 from the free throw line against a United States team that included potential 2027 top-five pick Bruce Branch III.

Ngor made multiple important plays late in the title game, scoring the contest's last five points with a game-tying triple and the game-winning dunk in transition as Canada beat the USA 67-65.

Listed at 6-foot-8 and 195 pounds, Ngor offers great size on the wing and could be a solid "3 & D" prospect at Ohio State.

Ngor won't factor into the 2027 NBA Draft, but has the potential to be a 2028 NBA Draft prospect and will likely be on the radar of NBA scouts heading into his freshman year.

The Ohio State pledge could continue to rise in the national rankings during his final year at the prep level with a few more solid performances.

If Ngor improves over the coming seasons, he could join the growing list of Canadian players in the NBA, including back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

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