Kentucky, UNC and Texas among top options for 5-star forward Anthony Thompson

Anthony Thompson is one of the best overall players in the 2026 basketball recruiting class. A consensus five-star prospect, the 6’7 small forward is an elite offensive player, capable of shooting at a high clip while also getting to the basket with ease.

Thompson projects to be a high-level CBB player and a likely starter a year from now. But which team will he ultimately land with? There are seven programs in the mix for the Lebanon, Ohio native. Here’s a look at how Robinson would fit with each of them.

Indiana Hoosiers

New Coach Darian DeVries has landed several key transfers this offseason, aiming to make the team more competitive quickly. That includes senior small forwards Lamar Wilkinson and Tucker DeVries. They also have four-star freshman forward Trent Sisley in the mix, but Thompson would be a massive piece in the 2026 class and a statement made by DeVries on the recruiting landscape.

Kentucky Wildcats

Coach Mark Pope is off to a great start with the Wildcats, including having an elite transfer class this offseason. They have some good wings on the roster, including Tulane transfer Kam Williams and Braydeon Hawthorne, a top-50 incoming freshman. There would be a good chance for Thompson to start over them, but it wouldn’t be a guarantee, although the four-spot is wide open once Mouhamed Dioubate leaves after next year.

Michigan Wolverines

Michigan’s wing depth includes senior guard Nimari Burnett and incoming freshmen Winters Grady and Ricky Liburd. On paper, Thompson would get minutes over the two youngsters and would be a potential focal point for the program in 2026-27. But can a guy from Ohio end up playing for Michigan?

North Carolina Tar Heels

Last year’s key wing Drake Powell was a first-round pick in the NBA Draft, and the team landed West Virginia transfer Jonathan Powell and international newcomer Luka Bogavac as capable options. Both of them have multiple years, and even more importantly, head coach Hubert Davis isn’t guaranteed to be around for much longer if UNC isn’t in the NCAA Tournament next year.

Ohio State Buckeyes

As the de facto hometown option, Ohio State will be a premier contender in this recruitment. The team has started forward Devin Royal entering his junior campaign, coming off a breakout season. If he elected to return for his senior season, the Buckeyes could still play Royal and Thompson together in a combo forward scenario.

Purdue Boilermakers

Arguably, Purdue’s top four players on the roster this upcoming season are seniors, along with North Florida transfer Liam Murphy. The program will be rebuilding, and a case can be made that Thompson can be the focal point as soon as his freshman year under Coach Matt Painter, who has been one of the better CBB head coaches in terms of development for players.

Texas Longhorns

New Coach Sean Miller landed several five-star prospects at Arizona, but didn’t at Xavier. He’ll need to land players like Thompson if he and Texas want to get to the top tier in the SEC. He’d be a starter on Day 1 for the program, and wings have historically done well in Coach Miller’s system.