Ohio State Signs Five-Star Guard LJ Smith, Rises to No. 24 as Kansas Falls to No. 27

Ohio State signed five-star guard LJ Smith on Tuesday. Smith, previously the No. 28 recruit in the Class of 2027, is reclassifying to 2026 and plans to play for the Buckeyes next season. Head coach Jake Diebler said he is excited about adding LJ to this year's team.

Diebler described Smith as a mature player who fits the program and will handle the transition well. He added that Smith has the ability to score from multiple levels on the floor and will be a great addition to the backcourt. Ohio State rose to No.

24 in Version 18 of the CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 preseason rankings. Florida remained No. 1. The move pushed Kansas from No. 26 to No. 27 outside the rankings. Seven Big Ten schools appear in the Top 25 And 1.

They are Michigan at No. 3, Illinois at No. 4, Michigan State at No. 6, USC at No. 18, Purdue at No. 20, Indiana at No. 22, and Ohio State at No. 24. Ohio State returns two of its top five scorers in John Mobley Jr.

And Amare Bynum. The Buckeyes finished 21-13 last season and reached the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Incoming transfers include Jimmie Williams from Duquesne, Andrija Jelavic from Kentucky, Justin Pippen from Cal, and Curtis Givens III from Memphis.

Five-star prospects Anthony Thompson and LJ Smith join four-star prospect Alex Smith and international prospect Vuk Lazarevic. Florida returns six of its top seven scorers in Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Boogie Fland, Rueben Chinyelu, Urban Klavzar, and Isaiah Brown.

They added Kentucky transfer Denzel Aberdeen and 7-foot center Jones Lay. Duke returns four of its top six scorers in Patrick Ngongba II, Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, and Dame Sarr. Duke finished 35-3 and reached the Elite Eight.