The temperatures in Columbus are scratching triple digits, the NBA Finals are over, and summer workouts are underway for the Ohio State men’s basketball program.
Earlier this week, Bruce Thornton, John Mobley Jr., and Devin Royal had their first media availability since the season ended in Indianapolis on March 12. Jake Diebler spoke to the press last week for the first time since the season ended as well.
We’re halfway through the offseason. Hang in there, we’ll be back soon.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which former Buckeye who is not currently on Carmen’s Crew roster should suit up for the Ohio State alumni team this summer. Connor went with Duane Washington Jr., while Justin picked former Big Ten Player of the Year Keita Bates-Diop.
In a landslide win, 81% of the readers sided with Justin and his choice of KBD.
After 210 weeks:
Connor- 95
Justin- 89
Other- 20
(There have been six ties)
Diebler and his staff have been grinding on the recruiting trail lately, offering several 2026 and 2027 players, including multiple in-state recruits. Right now Ohio State has commits from four-star guard Marcus Johnson and three-star forward Alex Smith in the 2026 class.
The Buckeyes probably won’t go beyond three in that class, but that still means they could add one more player. On top of that, the 2027 class is completely empty for now.
This week, we’re talking about which potential Buckeyes Diebler and his staff should prioritize as we head into the scorching hot late summer months.
This week’s question: Which high school recruit should Ohio State be prioritizing?
Connor: Jason Singleton
Yes, Jason Singleton is the son of that Jason Singleton, and he’s one of the fastest rising recruits in the nation. Two months ago, Singleton wasn’t even rated by 247Sports. Fast forward to now, and he’s the No. 93 recruit and a four-star prospect in the 2026 class.
Singleton, whose father was a 1,000-point scorer at Ohio State from 1995-1999, finally received the Ohio State scholarship offer he’d been waiting for earlier this month. While family ties may give the Buckeyes a little bit of a heads-up, they aren’t the only program Singleton has visited. He’s recently taken tripe to Yale and Nebraska as well as Ohio State, and also has offers from Dayton, Creighton, DePaul, and several others.
Hand up, Singleton doesn’t fit perfectly into Ohio State’s backcourt plans at the moment. John Mobley and Taison Chatman each have two more years of eligibility after this season (years that could possibly overlap with Singleton), Marcus Johnson is already in the 2026 recruiting class, and that’s all before we even consider the possibility that the Buckeyes bring in a guard or two via the portal.
However, as quickly as you can add players, you can also lose players, and having a few good guards on the roster next year should not prevent Diebler from going after a player who is rapidly rising up the recruiting ranks. Singleton is 6-foot-4, and has grown two inches in the last year. He’ll be a combo guard at the college level, if not a small forward.
The legacy aspect is just the cherry on top of it all. Imagine what the fans will say if Singleton heads to a Big Ten foe like Nebraska and turns into a star.
“Diebler had Singleton right in his backyard — Jason Singleton’s son — and let him go to Nebraska?” You can just hear it now.
Jake Diebler allegedly talks to Singleton every day. This doesn’t seem too difficult, and if the coaching staff continues to push for it, I think we could see another Jason Singleton donning the scarlet and gray very soon.
Justin: Anthony Thompson
It is very simple in my mind. Adding Anthony Thompson to this class makes it a top five group in the country and one of the best in the last two decades for Ohio State men’s basketball.
Thompson, who is a rising senior at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, is currently ranked as the top prospect in the state of Ohio, the No. 3 ranked small forward, and the No. 11 overall player in the class of 2026, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings.
Thompson is 6-foot-7, 185 pounds and still has a year of high school ball to grow and get stronger, but he is as skilled as anyone.
Here is what 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein had to say of Thompson:
“A skilled lefty forward with extreme shot-making potential, and length to match, Thompson is a tremendously gifted offensively prospect,” Finkelstein said. “The southpaw leans back into a high release that is virtually unblocked and allows him to make tough shots with very little separation. He’s capable of making both threes and pull-ups in bunches, and is already a potential shooter.”
He added, “He also has good positional size, measuring in at over 6-foot-7 with shoes on and then a massive 7-foot-2-plus wingspan. The overlap of that length and shooting ability is very rare, especially for such a young player. While his core competency is his ability to make jumpers, we’re gradually starting to see him put more pressure on the rim. He has a terrific right hand in the paint and also the ability to decelerate and maneuver the paint with euros and long strides.”
The class already consists of Marcus Johnson and Alex Smith, and adding Thompson would give them two top 25 overall recruits — both of them being from Northeast Ohio. This would be a class with two possible one and dones and three guys ready to contribute immediately.
Poll
Which HS recruit should Ohio State prioritize?
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Anthony Thompson (Justin)
(0 votes)
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Jason Singleton (Connor)
(0 votes)
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A different HS recruit
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0 votes total Vote Now