In-state power forward Alex Smith commits to Ohio State
COLUMBUS — One of the top basketball players in Central Ohio has committed to Ohio State.
Three-star Upper Arlington (Ohio) power forward Alex Smith has committed to the Buckeyes. The 6-foot-8 and 195-pound Smith chose the Buckeyes over offers from Bryant, Indiana, Kent State, Ohio and Toledo.
Smith got the attention of the Ohio State coaching staff after a strong performance at the Buckeyes’ team camp from June 6-7. Head coach Jake Diebler then decided to offer Smith while he was on campus for the Buckeyes’ alumni week scrimmage on June 17.
“It’s pretty cool,” Smith said to Lettermen Row in June. “I did what I had to do at team camp and it rewarded itself. Scoring, rebounding, assists, defense and trying hard is all I had to do and I did it.”
Smith has quality relationships with multiple Ohio State assistants.
“It’s been pretty good. Coach Justus, Coach Simons and Coach Diebler are probably the main three. They’ve reached out consistently and they’re keeping a good relationship with me so that’s what I really liked about them.”
Smith is the second commitment for Ohio State in the 2026 class. He joins four-star point guard Marcus Johnson, a top-30 player in the 2026 class according to the On3 Industry Rankings, out of Cleveland (Ohio) Garfield Heights in the Buckeyes class.
Smith dealt with injuries throughout his junior season but still led Upper Arlington to the second round of the OHSAA Division I state playoffs. He earned honorable mention Division I All-Ohio honors as a junior.
In the offseason, Smith plays for Midwest Basketball Club on the Adidas 3SSB circuit. He also participated in the NCAA college basketball in July.
Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler has prioritized the state of Ohio on the recruiting trail and the Buckeyes have some of the top prospects in-state committed.
