Five-star Anthony Thompson looking forward to summer with Indiana Elite, breaks down visits
By JAMES MADDEN & SAM LANCE
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA — Class of 2026 five-star Anthony Thompson is often regarded as one of the hardest players in the country to guard. At 6-foot-8, Thompson’s sheer athleticism and size has proved to be a matchup nightmare for about any team he faces.
Thompson, the No. 9 player in the 2026 class out of Western Reserve Academy (OH), has drawn interest from almost every power five program in the nation. He’ll spend his summer with Indiana Elite of the 3SSB circuit.
Thompson is a do-it-all “big guard” and prides himself on his shooting and defense.
“I can do a lot of things on the court,” Thompson told ZAGSBLOG. “I can handle the ball, shoot and get to the basket. Defensively, I feel like I can guard 1-5.”
Thompson said he models his game after two NBA players with very similar builds and skillsets: Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum.
Several schools were in to see Thompson in Indiana Elite’s opening game in Council Bluffs, including Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Ohio State, Texas and more. Specifically, Thompson drew head coaches Bruce Pearl (Auburn), Pat Kelsey (Louisville), Jake Diebler (Ohio State), Matt Painter (Purdue), Sean Miller (Texas) and Richard Pitino (Xavier). Thompson has already taken unofficial visits to a handful of schools including two separate visits to Kentucky. Mark Pope was in the building to watch Thompson on Saturday, but the five-star didn’t dress in a loss to Compton Magic.
Thompson talked about the schools he’s visited and updated his recruitment entering a crucial summer:
Kentucky: “I was able to go to a game against Florida and it was a really good atmosphere. It was cool to see Rupp Arena and spend time with the coaches and be able to experience it.”
Xavier: “[Richard Pitino] came to see me and watch me play. I’ve known them for a long time”
Texas: “I’ve known [Sean Miller] for a while since he was at Xavier. We’ve continued our relationship.”
Michigan: “In [Dusty May]’s first season he did a really good job. He’s a really great coach, a winning coach. He came to see me, so just being able to see him is great.”
Ohio State: “Coach [Jake] Diebler, I’ve known him for a while too. They’ve been in contact with me for a long time.”
Indiana: “Coach [Darian] DeVries reached out to me. I’ve started building a relationship with him. I’ve known them for a while, going to their facilities and things like that.”
Purdue: “[Matt Painter] is cool. I think they’re high on me. Being able to go there and preach their player development has been great.” Thompson plays with point guard and Purdue 2026 commit Luke Ertel.
Right now, Thompson doesn’t have any visits planned. He said he’ll likely take officials in the fall during football season. The five-star said he is looking for a program that will help him develop as a player and person. He is also looking to contribute right away and compete for a national championship.
Thompson has released a top-15 schools list that includes Auburn, BYU, Georgetown, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue, Texas and Xavier.
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