The Ohio State Buckeyes are making a concerted effort to restore their basketball program to a competitive level.
Head coach Jake Diebler has instilled a renewed sense of optimism in the program and is actively pursuing top recruits to revitalize the team.
On Monday, Ohio State welcomed a new addition to their roster. Alex Smith, a 6-foot-8 power forward from the 2026 recruiting class, declared his commitment to the Buckeyes.
I want to thank my family and everyone who supported me through this process. That being said I will be committing to THE Ohio State University! Go bucks❤️🩶 pic.twitter.com/WXlvDbwEyH
— alex smith (@alexx_smith26) September 2, 2024
Smith shared more about his decision to commit, emphasizing that Coach Diebler played a significant role in his choice to join Ohio State.
“I’ve had a long-standing relationship with Diebler and a strong connection with him. They’ve been incredibly supportive and honest, which is rare to find in a program. There’s a lot I could say, but combined with the fact that the school is just 15 minutes away, everything just fell into place.”
Smith, a native of Upper Arlington, received his offer from Ohio State after a standout performance at their summer camp. He was also considering an offer from the Indiana Hoosiers.
He elaborated on his recruiting process, saying, “Everything just clicked. When I thought about recruiting, Ohio State was always at the forefront. I realized this was where I wanted to be, so I decided there was no reason to delay.”
Although Smith is currently unranked, Ohio State has high hopes for his potential. It will be intriguing to see the impact he will make for the Buckeyes in the future.
