Ethan Thompson gives Oregon State a big commitment
It wasn't a surprise that Gardena (Calif.) Bishop Montgomery shooting guard Ethan Thompson committed to Oregon State on Monday. His brother, Stephen Thompson Jr., plays for the Beavers basketball team and his father, Stephen Thompson Sr., coaches for the Beavers.
It will be a Thompson party in Corvallis, and Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Eric Bossi talked with BeaversEdge.com about how important the family ties were that led the four-star recruit to commit to the Beavers.
"I think it played a huge role," Bossi said. "There can't be many recruits out there who could possibly have a better feel for the daily ins and outs of the programs they are committing to.
"Most kids are looking for a place that they say makes them feel like family, at Oregon State, Thompson will be around actual family. When you combine that with the Beavers being on the rise, Oregon State was going to be nearly impossible to beat for Thompson."
Bossi rates Thompson as the No. 49 overall player in the country and has high praises of his abilities.
"Thompson is a smooth shooting guard with some sneaky athleticism and long arms," Bossi said. "He shoots well from deep, he can put the ball on the floor, and he's a pretty polished scorer. He lacks strength right now but has a frame that will allow him to carry some more muscle, and he will become very dangerous as he adds that strength and the explosiveness that should come with it.
"Obviously, he's a huge pickup. We have Ethan ranked as a top 50 player nationally, and he's the type of kid who should be able to come in and play legitimate early minutes in Corvallis."
The Oregon State Men's Basketball team ended a 26 year NCAA Tournament appearance drought last year, and Bossi believes that the program is on its way up.
"I've been pretty effusive in my praise of Wayne Tinkle and the direction that he and his staff have the Oregon State program headed in," Bossi explained. "They do a good job of identifying talent, they can coach, and they have a terrific core of young players that are serving as the new foundation of the program. They are definitely on the rise."
