
ROCK HILL, S.C. — Ohio State commit Alex Smith announced Tuesday that he will transfer from Upper Arlington High School and play his senior season at Prolific Prep, which is relocating from California to Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Smith, a 6-foot-9 forward in the 2026 class, made the announcement while competing with his Midwest Basketball Club team at the adidas 3SSB Palmetto Road Championship. We caught up with him to discuss the move.
The transfer gives Smith the opportunity to join a Prolific Prep program filled with elite talent, including 2026 center Davion Adkins, 2026 guards Seven Spurlock and Caleb Holt, and 2027 five-star guards Bruce Branch III and Nasir Anderson.
Smith is known as a versatile stretch-four, capable of handling the ball, shooting from distance, passing, and defending. As a junior at Upper Arlington, he averaged 19.8 points on 49.3% shooting, along with 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.7 blocks, helping lead the Golden Bears to the Division I regional tournament. He earned first-team All-OCC-Central, second-team all-district, and third-team all-state honors in 2024–25.
After receiving offers from Cincinnati, Indiana, Nebraska, and Xavier, Smith committed to Ohio State on Sept. 2, 2024. Initially unranked, he has since risen to a four-star recruit, ranked No. 138 overall and No. 19 among power forwards nationally by 247Sports. He is the No. 7 player in Ohio.
In adidas circuit play this spring, Smith has continued to showcase his range and skill. Through 12 games, he’s averaging 14.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and shooting 49% from three-point range (29-of-59). At Palmetto Road, Midwest Basketball Club went 3-2, with Smith scoring 20 and 19 points in two standout performances and shooting 43% from deep (13-of-30) for the week.
Q&A with Alex Smith
Q: How did the opportunity to join Prolific Prep come together?
Smith: “They recruited me last year, so I already had a relationship with them. I turned it down then, but when they reached out again this year, the conversations became more serious. In the end, my family and I decided this was the best move for my senior year.”
Q: How do you think playing at Prolific will help your development?
Smith: “It’s going to push me. I’ll be going against top talent every day, which will get me ready for the level of competition I’ll face at Ohio State and in the Big Ten. That’s really the main reason for the move — to prepare for college basketball.”
Q: Was Ohio State supportive of the decision?
Smith: “Absolutely. They made it clear they were behind me no matter what. Whether I stayed or transferred, they were there to support and guide me through the process.”
Q: Prolific is stacked with talent. Are you excited to play alongside guys like Bruce Branch and Caleb Holt?
Smith: “Definitely. It’ll be a challenge, but that’s the point. You can’t replicate this kind of environment at a public school. Competing with and against top players every day is only going to help me grow.”
Q: How would you assess your spring and summer performances?
Smith: “I think I’ve really been able to show my shooting ability and how I can stretch the floor. Even though I had solid numbers at Upper Arlington, I think I’ve taken a step forward and proven myself more on the national level.”
Q: Have you been able to visit Ohio State this summer or connect with their players?
Smith: “I haven’t been able to visit lately because of scheduling, but I’ve stayed in close contact with the coaching staff. They’ve been very supportive and keep encouraging me to prove I belong and keep improving.”
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