Browsing: commits

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Jacob Lombard (Freek Bouw/Four Seam Images)

Florida high school shortstop Jacob Lombard announced his decision to commit to Miami on Monday, ending his status as the highest-ranked uncommitted player left on the 2026 MLB Draft board.

Lombard ranks as the No. 7 overall prospect in the 2026 class and the third-overall high school player, behind fellow shortstops Grady Emerson and Tyler Spangler.Â

A product of Gulliver Prep in Miami, Lombard wonâ€t have to go far for his college commitment if he gets there, but itâ€s unlikely the toolsy righthanded hitter ever makes it to campus in any official capacity. Thereâ€s an easy case to be made that Lombard has the most upside in the class, with the exception of UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky.Â

Lombard is a tremendous athlete with plus tools across the scouting card, including plus-plus run times, great bat speed, plus raw power, excellent defensive actions and a big arm. He also comes from an athletic family. His father, George Lombard, had a six-year big league career and is currently a bench coach for the Tigers. His older brother, George Lombard Jr., is the top-rated prospect in the Yankees’ system and was the teamâ€s first-round pick in the 2023 draft.

Lombardâ€s commitment gives Miami a second player in the 2026 class with first-round potential alongside lefthander Gio Rojas, who is the top-ranked prep pitcher in the class.Â

While Lombardâ€s combination of athleticism, tools and upside make him a potential top 10 pick and unlikely college player, itâ€s not impossible for him to make it to campus. Even if Lombard doesnâ€t get to campus, itâ€s a good sign for a Miami program to retain a local talent in their immediate backyard.

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Ohio State basketball has received a commitment from the program’s first five-star prospect since 2014.

Five-star forward Anthony Thompson has committed to the Buckeyes ahead of his final high school season, he told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi on Tuesday.

The 17-year-old, who will turn 18 next August, chose the Buckeyes over five other finalists including Indiana, Texas, Kentucky, Michigan and UNC.

Thompson is listed at 6-foot-8 and 205 pounds out of Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio. He is listed as the No. 8 overall prospect and No. 2 small forward prospect in 247Sports composite rankings.

Ohio State had previously received 2026 commitments from two four-star prospects in guard Marcus Johnson and forward Alex Smith.

Adding Thompson to that group of Ohio natives was enough to bump the Buckeyes up to the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation as ranked by 247Sports.

Thompson is coming off of a 3Stripes Select Basketball season during which he averaged 22 points per game on 53 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent from deep, per 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein. He also contributed 1.9 blocks and 1.6 steals per game.

Finkelstein described Thompson in July as “a potent shot-maker who leans back into a high release that is virtually unblockable, allowing him to make threes and pull-ups with very little separation.”

“Physically, he’s grown to 6-foot-8 with shoes on, and has a massive 7-foot-3 wingspan, which allows him to play both the three and the four. That overlap of length and shot-making is rare, especially at this early stage,” Finkelstein wrote.

Thompson is Ohio State’s first five-star recruit since D’Angelo Russell came to Columbus in 2014, per ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi. He is also the program’s highest-rated prospect since Jared Sullinger in 2010, per Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch.

His commitment marks a major recruiting win for Jake Diebler, who is looking to rebuild his program into an NCAA Tournament contender after finishing his first full season as head coach with a 17-15 record.

Thompson told Borzello and Biancardi that he wasn’t “focused on being one-and-done,” but there’s a chance he’ll only be in Columbus for a single season. Whether or not Thompson ultimately enters the 2027 NBA draft, Diebler will hope his decision to choose the Buckeyes over other marquee programs will help convince other top 2026 recruits to come to Ohio State.

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SAN FRANCISCO – Teammates were forced to answer questions for Jonathan Kuminga on Monday at Warriors Media Day because of his absence. Coach Steve Kerr fielded a few the next day before shutting them down and turning his attention to basketball. Finally, Kuminga on Thursday was able to speak for himself.

Kuminga on Wednesday ended his restricted free agency that lasted all three months of the offseason and bled into the beginning of training camp, signing a two-year, $48.5 million contract that has a team option on the second year. He went through his first training camp practice Thursday and later addressed the media for the first time since inking his new deal.

The business side of basketball was eye-opening to Kuminga, who turns 23 years old on Oct. 6. The longer it took for Kuminga and the Warriors to agree to a deal, the louder the outside noise grew.

But it was brought down to hush from Kumingaâ€s answers speaking on the situation for the first time.

“Itâ€s part of what we do. Itâ€s a business,†Kuminga said. “At the end of the day, all that matters is that we got it done and Iâ€m excited to be here.â€

The only time Kuminga somewhat hinted at where his head was at during his restricted free agency was when he posted a picture to Instagram story on July 30 of him and his agent, Aaron Turner, that read, “Iâ€ll bet on myself all day #JustKnow†while tagging Turner.

Once Jan. 15 arrives, the Warriors have three weeks to trade Kuminga by the NBAâ€s Feb. 5 deadline. His contract helps the Warriors find an in-season trade partner to move Kuminga if they choose to do so, but he doesnâ€t view his new deal as purely betting on himself.

“I wouldnâ€t say that,†Kuminga said. “But Iâ€ll tell you, me betting on myself is helping us win a championship. And I think thatâ€s our goal and how we all look at it. Iâ€m blessed, Iâ€m glad I got this done.â€

Kuminga was drafted No. 7 overall by the Warriors in 2021, one year after the team took James Wiseman No. 2 overall and the same year they selected Moses Moody at No. 14. A youth infusion appeared to be on the way as Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson entered the later part of their careers.

And then Curry led the Warriors to a championship in Kumingaâ€s rookie year that surprised many, possibly changing the franchiseâ€s plans of whatâ€s best for the present and future of the team. Yet the Warriors have turned down multiple trade offers for Kuminga in the past.

His 2024-25 season was hampered by a badly sprained ankle in early January that kept Kuminga sidelined for more than two months. Kuminga started the first three games of the season and then was back to the bench, starting just 10 regular-season games in total. He has played 258 regular-season games in his career and hasnâ€t even started a third of them.

Which brings everything to the ultimate question: Does Kuminga want to remain with the Warriors and play for one team like his idol, the late Kobe Bryant?

“Iâ€m here now,†he said, throwing up his hands at the podium. “Thatâ€s everybodyâ€s goal, to be somewhere for longer. You never know how your future will be determined. So far, thatâ€s my goal and what I want to accomplish is being here longer.â€

Kerr on Wednesday reiterated the Warriors will operate through their veteran star trio of Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. He emphasized what he always has for how Kuminga can earn more minutes and have a larger role: Run the floor, rebound and be the best defender he can.

Showing a focus for the small details has fell by the wayside for Kuminga at times over his first four seasons in the NBA. He has shown an affection for playing isolation ball offensively and has missed assignments defensively. Playing that way wonâ€t get him on the court under Kerr, in particular with this roster.

When asked about how he views his role on the Warriors, Kuminga deferred to winning over anything individually.

“Just helping us win,†Kuminga says. “Find a way to help us win. Both ends – defense, offense – just find a way to be a piece thatâ€s going to help us win games and hopefully a championship. Being involved on both sides. Finding a way to have an impact. If itâ€s defense, if itâ€s an assignment, just go guard the best player. Or if they need me to score. … I feel like thatâ€s what Iâ€m looking forward to and I am very open-minded.â€

Kumingaâ€s role isnâ€t expected to change much, but over the course of a season, he can be a highly valuable player for a team run by players in their mid-to-late 30s. Heâ€ll be relied on to be more of a scoring factor in games that Curry and Butler need off or canâ€t go, and called upon to do whatâ€s necessary to win on a nightly basis. Plus, the better he plays, the better his trade value is for the Warriors, possibly creating a win-win for both sides.

However it all plays out for Kuminga and the Warriors, heâ€ll have a new look to his game. At least when it comes to the front and back of his jersey.

Kuminga switched his jersey number from 00 to 1, marking a new chapter in a story that feels far from complete.

“A new start,†Kuminga explained. “I wanted to go back to my actual number that I used to wear when I was at [St. Patrick High School]. I just wanted to try new things, you know.â€

There wasnâ€t more fuel added to the fire by Kumingaâ€s first comments since re-joining the Warriors. How their relationship continues, however, can either burn the house down or be the spark he always needed to keep the flame all along.

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On the heels of perhaps the greatest recruiting class in NCAA women’s golf history two classes ago, Stanford just landed…