Ohio State basketball signee named Ohio Gatorade Player of Year
Ohio State-bound five-star forward Anthony Thompson caps a dominant senior season at by earning the prestigious Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year.
The Ohio State basketball team was not able to make it past the first round in the NCAA tournament, but there are reinforcements coming. Ohio State-bound standout Anthony Thompson has been named the 2025-26 Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year, earning one of high school sports’ most prestigious honors. The award recognizes not only his dominance on the field, but also his excellence in the classroom and impact in the community.
Gatorade’s state player of the year program honors student-athletes who blend elite athletic performance with strong academics and exemplary character. Since its inception in 1985, the award has highlighted athletes who often go on to star at the collegiate and professional levels. Thomas now joins that select company after a senior season that solidified his reputation as one of the top prep players in Ohio.
Thompson, a 6-foot-9 senior forward at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, established himself as one of the nation’s premier prep prospects with a dominant two-way season. He averaged 25. 6 points and 9.
4 rebounds per game while shooting 40. 4 percent from 3-point range, leading the Pioneers to a 26-7 record and a berth in the National Prep Championships tournament. He added 2.