Five-star basketball prospect L.J. Smith, who initially committed to join the 2027-28 Ohio State roster in November, announced Monday that he plans to reclassify into the 2026 class and join the Buckeyes for the upcoming season.
Smith, a guard, is ranked No. 11 in the SC Next 100 for the 2027 class and was the first five-star junior to make his commitment when he initially picked Ohio State last fall.
The Buckeyes, coming off the first NCAA tournament appearance of coach Jake Diebler’s tenure, have reloaded into elite contenders again. They lost all-everything guard Bruce Thornton and starters Devin Royal and Christoph Tilly, but starters John Mobley Jr. and Amare Bynum will return. Transfers Jimmie Williams (Duquesne) and Justin Pippen (California) plus Smith’s reclassification give Ohio State a top-25 recruiting class nationally.
He and fellow five-star recruit Anthony Thompson should be immediate-impact freshmen, while four-star Alex Smith and international addition Vuk Lazarevic round out the incoming group. Before Thompson’s pledge, Ohio State hadn’t landed a five-star recruit since D’Angelo Russell in the 2014 class.
“I picked Ohio State because it felt like home to me,” Smith told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi after committing. “I feel like it’s a place where I can succeed and reach my goals.
“My connection with Coach Diebler is great; he’s a great guy who believes in me a lot. I noticed he loves to work with his players and help them reach their goals and succeed. Their plan for me is to come in and play the role of John Mobley Jr.”
Smith was one of the best shooters in the 2027 class, averaging 13.8 points and hitting nearly 42% from 3-point range on the Nike EYBL circuit with Team Thad last spring and summer. He has also played for Team Thad in seven games this spring, leading the squad in scoring at 17.7 points per game and knocking down nearly 39% of his 3-point shots on 7.7 attempts per game.
