There is no doubt how much Lebanon sophomore Anthony Thompson loves the game of basketball.

"It pretty much means everything to me," said the 6-foot-7 small forward. "It's the No. 1 thing I have in my life."

That prioritized focus is evident for the 15-year-old, who is regarded as one of Ohio's top basketball players in the 2026 class.

"He's not a showboat type of guy," Lebanon coach Nathan Chivington said. "When he's on the court he lets his game take care of itself."

Thompson averages 15.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.5 assists for Lebanon (12-10) which plays Clayton Northmont (14-8) or West Carrollton (10-10) in a Division I district quarterfinal Feb. 28 at Centerville.

"He's incredibly humble," Lebanon athletic director Keith Pantling said. "He's going to leave quite the legacy at Lebanon because of who he is and how he conducts himself, not just his highlight reel and national recruitment."

Thompson has seven scholarship offers including the University of Cincinnati, Ohio State, Indiana, Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Kent State and Ohio.

Several other college programs are showing interest including Purdue, West Virginia and Dayton. Purdue coach Matt Painter traveled to Lebanon to watch Thompson during an offseason workout.

"I've coached a lot of 1,000-point scorers over the course of my career, been very fortunate," Chivington said. "But when it comes to a complete player with the height, the skill and everything else, he's probably the most talented player I've coached."

Thompson has grown up around the game. As a 6-year-old, he'd wake up his father, Brian Thompson, a former college basketball player, at 6:30 a.m. to get to a gym.

"He's always had the dedication and the will within him to get better," Brian Thompson said.

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