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Paul Biancardi, Basketball Recruiting
The summer grassroots basketball circuit is over, meaning it’s time to update ESPN’s player recruiting rankings across all classes after a pivotal evaluation period for scouts, college coaches and NBA front office personnel.
Some of the biggest names in the country either boosted or reinforced their stock throughout the eight-week stretch.
Cooper Flagg headlines the top of the 2024 class after reclassifying from the junior class on Aug. 11. He punctuated his dominant EYBL campaign with an impressive showing at Peach Jam and turned heads every step of the way. Flagg is extremely versatile and plays with a competitive, winning style. He built upon his skillset and played like he was on a mission all summer.
Cameron Boozer has a firm grip on the No. 1 spot in the 2025 class, continuing to demonstrate an unmatched level of excellence. Boozer was named MVP of the Team USA 16U National Team that went 6-0 at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship in Mexico. His high school team, Christopher Columbus (FL), won the section event in Phoenix. Boozer plowed through camp and circuit play with stellar efficiency. A.J. Dybantsa remains No. 1 in the 2026 class after leading the U17 Peach Jam in scoring. He made his presence felt, averaging 25.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Dybantsa finished the summer season by appearing at multiple camps run by NBA players, including Chris Paul and Steph Curry, and gained notoriety working out alongside LeBron James.
We’re diving deep on both the biggest standouts and newcomers to the ranking, including evaluating the best 3-point shooters in the class, such as Top 100 newcomers Jackson McAndrew and Cole Certa, as well as shot-makers who climbed the list like Cooper Koch and Kon Knueppel. Below, find our evaluation of players earning five-star grades, others who made a jump within the rankings and several who debuted for the first time.
The full recruiting rankings can be found here: 2024, 2025 and 2026.