Ohio State freshman forward Alex Smith knows that taking the next step in his basketball career isn’t something he has to do alone.
Returning home to join Ohio State before the 2026-27 season, the Upper Arlington native brings elite national prep experience and said he has built a connection with the Buckeyes’ freshman class as they prepare to tackle their first year together.
Smith enters the college ranks as a four-star prospect ranked as the No. 194 overall recruit, the No. 31 power forward and the No. 31 player in the state of Florida, according to 247Sports.
Prior to his lone season of prep basketball, Smith spent three years playing locally in Columbus at Upper Arlington. He had his best campaign as a junior with the Golden Bears, averaging 19.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game on his way to a third-team All-Ohio nomination.
Smith then transferred to national powerhouse Prolific Prep in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., before his senior year. During his final high school season, he averaged 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting 43 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from deep. He also earned Grind Session Championship MVP honors after scoring 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from three-point range.
Reflecting on his time at the prep level, Smith credited the experience with getting him ready for the physical and mental demands of college basketball.
“It prepared me a lot,” Smith said. “Going from a public school to prep really challenges you mentally. You are away from home and just physically you are playing against top players every day in practice.”
Now back in Columbus, Smith enters his freshman year alongside a tight-knit group of newcomers that includes two former five-stars, guard LJ Smith and forward Anthony Thompson, as well as Serbian center Vuk Lazarevic.
Smith said the freshman class has formed a connection off the court by spending time together in their daily lives and expects that bond to translate into success on the floor.
“We all live in the same apartment. So it’s really good. We all ride in the same car together. We were at the pool together,” Smith said. “We’re all in it together. If we see a guy down, one of the four of us picks him up. The four of us are in it together…it’s our first year.”
While Smith has already developed a bond with his fellow freshmen, the relationships that ultimately brought him to Ohio State were built years before he arrived on campus.
Smith said the trust head coach Jake Diebler and the Ohio State coaching staff built throughout his recruitment ultimately made choosing the Buckeyes a natural fit.
“I already knew a lot about the program. (Ohio State) was recruiting me longer than every other school,” Smith said. “Being from Columbus, they can contact my coaches and it literally is a 10-minute car ride. I’d be on campus for a football game. They’ve been recruiting me a lot longer than all the other schools.
“I got familiar and comfortable with the coaches. They sent a coach to every game on live periods. There was always a coach courtside and they were reaching out consistently. I liked the scheme. I liked what they had going on. I knew the past of Buckeye basketball and Coach (Diebler) talked about ‘the best in Ohio stay in Ohio.’ I thought that really hit home.”
With his recruitment behind him and his transition to campus underway with summer workouts, Smith is now turning his attention toward becoming the best version of himself on the court.
When asked which areas Diebler and the Ohio State staff have identified for his growth, Smith said his main goals are to improve defensively and get stronger physically.
“Defensively a little bit, just working on adapting to the physicality, playing stronger in the paint,’ Smith said. “I’m focused on defense right now. That’s my main piece.”
While improving his game is his immediate focus, Smith said the opportunity to wear an Ohio State uniform is something he has dreamed about long before he began preparing for his freshman season.
“Being from Columbus, it’s a lot of kids’ dreams to be able to play for Ohio State. For me to be able to do that is really crazy,” Smith said.
