Men’s basketball: L.J. Smith to reclassify to 2026 class, join Buckeyes for upcoming season

Reilly Cahill
Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:34:34 +0000
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L.J. Smith on a visit at Ohio State in March. Credit: Ohio State Athletics.

A highly-touted commit is set to join Ohio State a year early.

L.J. Smith, a four-star recruit from Oak Hill Academy, has reclassified to the 2026 recruiting class from 2027, and will be a part of the Buckeyes’ team for the upcoming season.

Smith is a 6-foot-4 guard from Lincolnton, North Carolina, who has been committed to the Buckeyes since Nov. 20, 2025.

Smith announced the decision to be a part of the 2026 class on his Instagram Monday and was officially added to the team Tuesday.

By reclassifying, Smith joins fellow 2026 commit five-star forward Anthony Thompson, to give the Buckeyes two of the program’s top-10 all-time commits, in one recruiting class. Smith is ranked eighth and Thompson is fourth on Ohio State’s all-time commit list according to 247Sports.

Smith becomes the eighth newcomer of Ohio State’s revamped 14-man roster. The Buckeyes now have four members of their 2026 recruiting class, the largest number under head coach Jake Diebler’s tenure, with Smith, Thompson, forward Alex Smith and center Vuk Lazervic.

Since losing Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer Bruce Thornton, whose collegiate career ended in March, the Buckeyes have reassembled their backcourt by retaining last season’s second-leading scorer John Mobley Jr. and bringing in veteran transfer guards Justin Pippen from California, Jimmie Williams from Duquense and Curtis Givens lll from Memphis.

Prior to reclassing, Smith was the highest-rated player in Virginia and No. 28 ranked overall player in 247Sports’ 2027 recruiting rankings.