​Mar 31, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Anthony Thompson (1) during the McDonalds All American Boys Game at Desert Diamond Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Source: Lastwordonsports.com – Benjamin Yu, EditorNow that the college basketball season has arrived and the prospects of the 2026 NBA Draft are settling into the league, now is the time to shine a spotlight on the players of the 2027 NBA Draft. This upcoming draft has its fair share of talented prospects, even if they are not on the same level as the players from the 2025 and 2026 drafts. Among those talented players are the top freshmen prospects of the 2027 NBA Draft, who can be major pickups for any team in need of upside. As one of those top freshmen prospects, Ohio State Buckeyes forward Anthony Thompson can offer teams significant potential as an athletic and skilled forward.Ohio State Buckeyes’ Top 2027 NBA Draft Prospect: Anthony ThompsonThe six-foot-nine Thompson stands as one of the top freshmen prospects and one of the best forwards in the entire draft. His level of talent and potential is comparable to other top freshmen like Kansas Jayhawks forward Tyran Stokes and BYU Cougars wing Bruce Branch III. What makes Thompson unique as a prospect is the combination of his incredible physical tools and his great upside as a scorer and defender. While Thompson still has significant room for improvement ahead of him, his potential will easily make him one of the top freshmen to pay attention to this draft cycle. With that said, let’s take a deeper dive into Thompson, specifically where he excels and where he has certain concerns.Anthony Thompson’s Areas Of ExcellenceImpressive Size, Physical Tools, And AthleticismEasily, the thing that stands out the most for Thompson as a prospect is his blend of size, athleticism, and physical tools. At six-foot-nine with a reported seven-foot-three wingspan, he has the physical traits to be highly impactful on either end of the court. His level of athleticism grants him the ability to make incredible highlight plays. He can easily play above the rim and be a threat in transition due to mobility and vertical athleticism. Not only that, but that verticality alongside his massive wingspan gives him the potential to be a strong rim deterrent in the paint as well as being generally disruptive defensively.Great Shooting And Scoring TalentAs it stands currently, Thompson is more skilled on the offensive end, and it shows through his scoring potential, especially as a shooter. He possesses a smooth shooting form with a high release point, making his shot difficult to contest. Considering his high release point, height, and long wingspan, Thompson can just shoot over opposing defenders and hit contested shots. He can operate in the paint, from the mid-range, and from beyond the arc, making him a multi-leveled scorer. Furthermore, Thompson has the shooting versatility to hit shots in a variety of ways, whether it be on the move or spotting u