Inside The Panthers

Pitt Basketball in Attendance for Top Ohio Recruit

Pitt Panthers basketball coaching staff watched the top Class of 2026 recruit in Ohio.

Dominic Campbell

Mar 15, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel looks on from the sidelines against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Mar 15, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel looks on from the sidelines against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images / Amber Searls-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers basketball coaching staff were in attendance to watch one of the best players in the Class of 2026, as they work to build relationships with future recruits.

Tom Keller, Vice President of Scouting Northeast Region for ELITE High School Scouting, reported that Pitt watched four-star forward Anthony Thompson play recently. Thompson plays for Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, which is in between Cleveland and Akron and also about 110 miles from the Petersen Events Center.

He holds offers from ACC schools in Clemson, Louisville, Notre Dame, Stanford and Wake Forest, Big East schools in Marquette and Xavier. Big Ten schools in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue, Big 12 schools in Cincinnati and West Virginia, SEC schools in Alabama, Auburn, Missouri, Texas, MAC schools in Kent State, Ohio, plus Dayton, Eastern Kentucky and San Francisco.

Thompson has made unofficial visits to Miami (Ohio) back in Oct. 2023, plus Indiana, Ohio State and Cincinnati in June.

Major recruiting sites all list him as a four-star and the best recruit in Ohio in the Class of 2026. 247Sports ranks him No. 11 in the country and No. 3 small forward, On3 rates him at No. 17 in the nation and No. 6 small forward, Rivals ranks him at No. 13 in the United States, while ESPN has him at No. 48 in their top 60 recruits in 2026.

He previously played for Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Ohio before transferring to Western Reserve Academy this summer. He averaged 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals per game as sophomore last season.

Thompson also played for Indiana Elite on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit this summer, impressing coahces throughout the country with his play and rising up recruiting rankings.

He stands at 6-foot-7 and has a wing span of 7-foot-2. He also functions as a wing, playing at both guard and forward. He is a great shooter, pulling up from both behind the arc and mid-range, with his wingspan making it difficult for defenders to contest his shots.

Thompson also has the strength to play in the post and drive to basket for points. His length allows him to make rebounds and steal passes as well. He also possesses good court vision and knows when to find his teammates for scoring opportunitites.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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