GRAY DEYOSports Writer

With Khani Johnson, Xavier Farrell, and Keegan Taylor graduating, there will be a new group of seniors next season in the spotlight for the Wildcats basketball team. One of those class of 2026 players is forward Jayden Thompson.

Thompson was a standout early in the season, but unfortunately, he suffered a foot injury that kept him out for a large portion of the season. Up until that point, Thompson established himself as a crucial part of the team. He was one of the better rebounders, post scorers, and overall defenders that the state runner-ups had to offer. When he went down it sprung a new starting lineup of Farrell, Johnson, Alex Bobo, Sam Bobo, and Austin Tinnon for the rest of the season.  When he came back late in the season and was healthy this lineup remained. He did not let that phase him however, he still found a way to impact the game off the bench.

Thompson during the Wildcats’ run to state became a fan favorite.

The passion he plays with on the court is palatable. If there is a loose ball he dives for it, if there is a tie-up he is likely on the other side of it, and he is always the first person to have his teammates’ backs if an opponent makes a questionable play. Fans love a player who lays it all on the line, and that is the way Thompson plays every time he throws on his Wildcat threads. He was the battery pack for this team at the start of the season and he found a way to amplify the impact of his play when his role got changed.

Next season Thompson will likely be back in the starting lineup and will have an increased role in a ton of areas due to the departure of the team’s top two scorers (Johnson and Farrell). It will be fun to see the season Thompson puts together in his final year of high school hoops.