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CBB Recruiting Weekly – Top 15 Prospects Regardless of Class – 247Sports
Last week’s episode of College Basketball Recruiting Weekly recapped the July recruiting period by breaking down the 15 best prospects in the country, regardless of class.
The selection process was done in draft style, with national recruiting analyst Travis Branham picking first, director of basketball Eric Bossi picking second, and director of scouting Adam Finkelstein picking third.
Consequently, the order isn’t reflective of the collective ranking process, but instead of each individual’s opinion at the time their pick was made.
Regardless, it still gives some clues about who could be making big jumps when rankings are updated later this month.
Here’s a rundown of how the order went.
Branham named Cooper Flagg, who reclassified from 2025 to 2024 on Friday, as his best prospect in all of high school basketball. Flagg is coming off a spectacular summer in which he put up huge numbers at the Nike Peach Jam and led his Maine United team to an unexpected run to the E16 finals in the process. His defense is even more impressive than his offense though, particularly as a shot-blocker away from the basketball.
With Flagg off the board, Bossi selected AJ Dybantsa as the second-best prospect in all of high school basketball. The rising sophomore is older for his grade, and thus a serious reclass candidate before it’s all said and done, but nonetheless still ahead of schedule regardless of what class he’s in. Dybantsa led the Peach Jam in scoring this summer, showing an already polished offensive repertoire in addition to a rapid rate of improvement.
With both youngsters from New England off the board, Finkelstein was forced to go beyond his home region and selected Cameron Boozer. While Boozer wasn’t quite as dominant as normal this summer, he still impacts winning as much as any player in the country, and projects as ready to do the same once he reaches college. He’s an excellent passer, vastly improved shooter, versatile defender, good rebounder, and very smart player.
With the three underclassmen (at the time of the draft) frontcourt players off the board, Branham selected rising junior guard Darryn Peterson as his 4th best overall prospect, and best guard, regardless of class. A big and versatile guard, Peterson seemed to take his game to new levels this spring and summer, assertive himself as a primary playmaker and showing a multi-dimensional attack in the process.
Because Flagg was still a member of the class of 2024 at the time of the draft, Bossi’s selection of Ace Bailey at fifth overall made him the first rising senior to be chosen. In so doing, Bossi echoed the sentiment previously articulated by Branham, that Bailey is a strong candidate for the top overall ranking in the class of 2024. Bailey is a big and athletic wing, fluid with both shooting and defensive upside, and young for the class.
Dylan Harper went into the summer as the top ranked prospect in the rising senior class and has done nothing to diminish that status in the two months since. He played a consistent role for the USA Basketball u19 team in FIBA play and then went directly to the Peach Jam where he put his Rens team on his back to carry them to the semifinals. He’s highly versatile, ultra-productive, equally instinctual, and still growing.
This is the spot where the draft seemed to really open up, but with Branham back on the board he selected a player he has advocated for before in Caleb Wilson at 7th overall. The rising junior forward is just scratching the surface of his potential but he has vast upside and two-way versatility. He’s mobile, athletic, naturally talented, and in the midst of a rapid ascension.
#8 DRAKE POWELL, CLASS OF 2024, COMMITTED TO NORTH CAROLINA
Drake Powell was aggressively ranked going into the summer, even before his production matched his potential. With the latter catching up with the former in July, Bossi went on record earlier this month as saying he would now consider Powell for a spot in the top 3 of the rising senior class. He backed that stance up here, selecting him 8th overall. Powell is an athletic and competitive wing who stands out on the defensive end of the floor and is now catching up offensively.
#9 KOA PEAT, CLASS OF 2025
It was just 16 months ago, that Koa Peat debuted on the 3SSB circuit as a freshman and led them in scoring during the April recruiting period. In the time since, he’s sculpted his frame, continued to develop his playmaking ability off the bounce, and gone on to play a critical role on a USA Basketball u16 team that dominated. While his upside isn’t as glaring as some of the underclassmen in the top 5, his productivity takes a back seat to no one.
#10 TYRAN STOKES, CLASS OF 2026
With the 10th overall pick, Branham selected rising sophomore forward Tyran Stokes, making him the second player taken in that 2026 class behind Dybantsa. While Stokes’ powerful frame and athleticism may create the impression that he’s older for the class, he actually is on the younger side. He’s also made dramatic gains with his skill-set in the last year, and would be the early favorite to take the number one spot in 2026 if Dybantsa were to reclassify.
#11 FLORY BIDUNGA, CLASS OF 2024, COMMITTED TO KANSAS
With the 11th overall pick, Bossi selected the most dominant big man in the rising senior class. Flory Bidunga is a truly explosive athlete who is an emphatic finisher, lob threat, and shot-blocking presence. He’s already very powerful, with a frame that is only going to continue bulking up, and has massively long arms to match.
#12 VJ EDGECOMBE, CLASS OF 2024
With the 12th overall pick, Finkelstein made VJ Edgecombe the 6th rising senior to come off the board, an indication that he could be on the verge of a major jump when updated rankings hit. After a breakout junior season at Long Island Lutheran, in which he led the NIBC in scoring, he continued to ascend this spring and summer on the 3SSB circuit showing his athleticism and developing guard skills.
#13 BRANDON MCCOY, CLASS OF 2026
Branham’s fifth and final pick went to a high-upside guard as he selected Brandon McCoy 13th overall. A big guard who has skill and fluidity to match his skill, McCoy has an undeniably high upside and looks to be as naturally talented a perimeter player as there is so far in that 2026 class.
#14 ALIJAH ARENAS, CLASS OF 2026
With Bossi’s last pick, he went with another high-upside young guard in Alijah Arenas. The son of former NBA all-star Gilbert Arenas, Alijah is just scratching the surface of his potential but he’s long and smooth with size, skill, and glimpses of stardom at this very early stage.
#15 TRE JOHNSON, CLASS OF 2024
Finkelstein’s final pick, and the last in this draft, went with Tre Johnson, one of the best scoring guards in the rising senior class and a player who could have easily come off the board earlier in the process. Johnson is a tough shot-maker off the dribble who has good positional size, length, and still developing physical tools.
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