Duke keeps top recruiting class following 247Sports 2024 basketball rankings update – 247Sports

After the rankings for the class of 2024 were updated, Jon Scheyer and Duke still have the highest ranked recruiting class. But, in a development that shouldn’t surprise anybody, John Calipari and Kentucky are trying to hunt them down for that top spot.
Today, we take a look at who else is at the top of the industry generated 247Sports Composite team rankings and why these 13 classes are building a buzz.
The class: Cooper Flagg, Isaiah Evans, Kon Knueppel, Patrick Ngongba II and Darren Harris.
Bossi’s take: It is only year No. 2 for Jon Scheyer at Duke. But after years on staff as an assistant to Mike Krzyzewski, he’s continuing Coach K’s tradition of bringing in No. 1-ranked recruiting classes.
Despite some hand-wringing during the process, Scheyer and the Blue Devils emerged victorious for the services of the nation’s best player, Cooper Flagg. The versatility, skill and energy he’ll bring to the front court can’t be valued enough. He is wired to win and won’t accept less from his teammates, so it’s a good thing that there’s plenty of skill around him as well.
Isaiah Evans and Kon Knueppel are five-star shooters who can stretch the floor and Darren Harris is another big wing who can really soften defenses with his shooting. As awesome as Flagg could be in Durham, maybe the biggest need was a five spot. That’s where the most recent addition to the class, Patrick Ngongba, comes into play. His skill as a passer, rim protector and rebounder.
They may not be done either. Duke remains very much in the thick of it for big-man Khaman Maluach. A product of the NBA Academy Africa, Maluach just wrapped up an official visit with the Blue Devils. He would be a potential top-5 player in the class if he decides to attend college.
The class: Jayden Quaintance, Billy Richmond, Boogie Fland, Somto Cyril and Travis Perry.
Bossi’s take: It isn’t a surprise to see John Calipari and Kentucky competing with Duke for the top overall class. That’s basically been how things have gone for the last 10 plus years.
In Jayden Quaintance, Cal and the Cats are landing an athletic, versatile and skilled big-man who has the tools do some real damage in Lexington. Since the 16-year-old reclassified from the 2025 class, Quaintance won’t be eligible for NBA draft until after he’s spent at least two years in college.
A tough and athletic wing, Billy Richmond waited until after the early signing period to commit to Kentucky but his versatility will be welcomed. A composite five-star point guard, Boogie Fland is a high-level scorer from deep who is adding to his ability to make plays for others. Somoto Cyril is a strong, athletic and rugged big-man who rebounds and protects the rim while the addition of Travis Perry (who is the state of Kentucky’s all-time leading scorer) gives the Wildcats another savvy guard who can really shoot from deep.
The class: Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, Lathan Sommerville, Bryce Dortch and Dylan Grant.
Bossi’s take: Get excited Rutgers fans! The Scarlet Knights have two of the top-3 players in the country coming to campus next year and it’s creating a ton of buzz around the program.
Landing a guy like No. 2 Ace Bailey sends a major message that the program is willing to compete for the best and on the floor. He’ll give Rutgers an explosive and versatile 6-foot-9 forward who is capable of making major noise as a freshman.
On top of that, they’ve added Dylan Harper! Harper a big guard with skill, scoring touch and the ability to play on or off the ball. Alongside Bailey, he could be part of a dynamic freshman duo.
The other guys aren’t exactly slouches either. Lathan Sommerville is a rugged big-man who cleans the glass, Bryce Dortch is a long and athletic forward with some defensive versatility while Dylan Grant is a combo-forward who is capable of pulling defenders from the rim by hitting jump shots. Those guys are really valuable, but the pairing of Harper and Bailey could be epic.
The class: Annor Boateng, Peyton Marshall, Marcus Allen, T.O. Barrett and Trent Burns.
Bossi’s take: It hasn’t taken very long at Missouri for Dennis Gates to establish himself as a coach with charisma and a vision for the future. Gates is young, his program plays a fun style of ball and he and his staff have proven that they can really relate to today’s high school stars. After helping develop the inherited Kobe Brown into a first-round draft pick last season, the Tigers staff is really looking forward to seeing what they can do with the jewel of the class, Annor Boateng.
Boateng is a clear standout who looks built to star in the SEC. He can play inside and out, has leadership ability, is athletic and is will show up physically ready to play college ball.
Peyton Marshall is going to need to continue to reshape his body, but he’s a huge post presence with soft hands and touch in the paint. Marcus Allen creates mismatch problems as a combo-forward while T.O. Barrett has some feel for making plays for others. A skilled seven-footer, Trent Burns is going to need some time to adjust to the physicality of the SEC. But, a guy with his size and shooting ability is always an intriguing add.
The class: VJ Edgecombe, Rob Wright, Jason Asemota and Noah Boyed.
Bossi’s take: It’s no longer a surprise to see Scott Drew and Baylor showing up in the upper-tier of recruiting rankings.
They’ve kept the pipeline rolling this year with the addition of VJ Edgecombe. An electric athlete who is all kinds of fun in the open floor, Edgecombe’s shooting is progressing nicely and he’s good enough to lead them in scoring as a freshman.
Rob Wright isn’t the biggest floor general around, but he’s a high-level leader who specializes in getting to the paint and making plays for others around him. Jason Asemota has good size and should be able to help stretch the floor while Noah Boyed is an athletic junior college player with the size and mobility to add depth to Baylor’s interior rotation.
The class: Derrion Reid, Aiden Sherrell and Naas Cunningham.
Bossi’s take: It may have taken a little while for Nate Oats and Alabama to get going on the class of 2024, but they’ve ended up with a nice trio of prospects who fit the way they play.
A five-star prospect, Derrion Reid is an athletic forward with a developing skill level and a versatile game. Reid’s high school teammate, Aiden Sherrell was the first to pledge to the Tide this cycle. He is a mobile big-man with a body to build on and an intriguing skill level.
Formerly ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the country, Naas Cunningham is a bouncy wing with size and length who can stretch defenses. Also, he has a huge ceiling for improvement based upon his physical gifts.
The class: Ian Jackson, Drake Powell and James Brown.
Bossi’s take: Hubert Davis and the North Carolina staff got their work done early in the class of 2024, wrapping up their three-man class well before the early signing period.
One of the most combustible scorers in the class, Ian Jackson is a five-star prospect and a guy who is capable of creating for himself. An explosive wing who grew up pretty much down the road from the Smith Center, Drake Powell soared up the rankings after committing the Tar Heels. He has since solidified himself as a five-star.
James Brown gives the Heels a solid post player who will be able to add depth to the front court early into his college career.
Although the Tar Heels seem to be done, don’t be surprised to see Carolina add another front court piece via the transfer portal.
The class: Tre Johnson, Cam Scott, Nicolas Codie.
Bossi’s take: After taking over for Chris Beard, Rodney Terry helped keep the Texas ship afloat in Austin. It was the job he did with that team, his previous experience as a head coach and the hope that he would recruit well that earned him a full-time job as the Longhorns’ coach.
Terry is certainly delivering on the recruiting trail. The highlight came on the when Tre Johnson announced his commitment to Texas on live television. A likely one-and-done candidate, Johnson could put up huge numbers right away in Austin.
The first player to commit to the class, Cam Scott is another long and athletic wing who has serious potential on the defensive end of the floor. A late-blooming recruit from the Lone Star state, Nicolas Codie is a long and slender four-man who still has huge upside. He just needs to get stronger.
The class: Flory Bidunga, Labaron Philon and Rakease Passmore.
Bossi’s take: Bill Self and the Jayhawks emerged victorious in one of the most intensely fought recruiting battles when they landed Flory Bidunga. A pogo stick around the rim, Bidunga soars for lobs, runs the floor hard and is a real rim protector. He’s an easy fit for what Self likes to do.
Formerly committed to Auburn, Labaron Philon was somebody KU targeted in the fall and moved quickly to land once he reopened his commitment. His ability to play on or off the ball fits the prototype of guards who have done well in Lawrence.
One of the best wing athletes in the country, Rakease Passmore is an extremely explosive player who loves to attack the rim. If he can become a consistent jump shooter, then he could prove to be a steal.
There are still some holes to be filled this spring and a lot of eyes will be watching to see if 2025’s No. 3 player Darryn Peterson ends up reclassifying. If he does, then you can expect Self and his staff to be in the mix to land him.
The Class: Kanon Catchings, Gicarri Harris, Raleigh Burgess, Daniel Jacobsen, CJ Cox and Jack Benter.
Bossi’s take: At Purdue, Matt Painter just keeps doing what he does best, honing in on talent that he sees as a fit for his program and locking them up early in the recruiting process. More often than not, it works out in his favor. He’s proven time and again to be one of the best evaluators of under the radar talent in the game. While this class features some of the blue-collar types he’s been known to land, there’s also some top-shelf talent.
In Kannon Catchings, the Boilermakers have landed a long, explosive and versatile forward who is dripping with upside. He’s got tremendous genes and all of the potential in the world to be a college star and pro player.
The son of program legend Glenn Robinson, Gicarri Harris signed on the final day of the early period. He is a strong and skilled four-star guard who is a steady performer.
Raleigh Burgess is a big post player who has some ability to stretch the floor while providing sneaky-good rim protection. Daniel Jacobsen is seven-foot plus with an intriguing combination of skill and mobility. He just needs strength. CJ Cox is a shot-maker and versatile defender while Jack Benter is a hard-nosed wing who fits the profile of dudes who have found success under Painter.
The class: Carter Bryant, Jamari Phillips and Emmanuel Stephen.
Bossi’s take: For years, Arizona has built a powerhouse in the desert Southwest that featured one big-time player from the state of California after another. Their 2024 class shows that Tommy Lloyd is tapping into that established pipeline by landing a pair of talented Californians.
California native, Carter Bryant, is a big and athletic combo-forward who has all of the tools in the world to be an instant impact player.
Although he’s finishing his high school career in the Phoenix-area, Jamari Phillips is another California product. He is a high-scoring guard who can really create and hit jump shots off of the dribble. Phillips has lots of scoring instinct that should transfer to Tucson.
In Emmanuel Stephen, the Wildcats have landed a four-star big-man who they can develop over the long haul. He’s not overly skilled, but he’s huge, plays with a motor, blocks shots and cleans the glass.
The class: Jalil Bethea, Austin Swartz and Isaiah Johnson-Arigu
Bossi’s take: When it comes to coaches who have really gotten a feel for what works best for their programs, there aren’t many better than Miami’s Jim Larrañaga. This group of future Hurricanes personify that.
Arguably the most naturally gifted perimeter scorer in the class, Jalili Bethea is a smooth two-guard from Philadelphia with deep range, improved playmaking skills and sneaky athleticism. His confidence to let it fly in any situation is a good fit.
Austin Swartz is another two-guard who likes to let it fly from deep. He’s going to be able to play some bully-ball, too, once he gets into a college weight room. A small-ball four-man by nature, Isaiah Johnson-Arigu is an athletic late bloomer who has a lot of upside. If he gets his jump shot right, he could be a steal.
The class: Jase Richardson, Kur Teng and Jesse McCulloch.
Bossi’s take: It took a little longer than expected, but Tom Izzo and Michigan State have locked down a major legacy in Jase Richardson.
The son of program legend Jason Richardson, Jase is a really versatile guard who is just as good defensively as he is on the offensive end. Even though he’s already a top-35 player nationally, there’s some “late-bloomer” in him as he’s just starting to scratch the surface of his potential. Now that he’s healthy, he’s been taking his game to new levels.
Kur Teng just seems like an Izzo-type of dude. The two-guard is physically tough, already has a college ready frame and is a good pull-up jump shooter. Jesse McCulloch can move pretty well for a big-man and has some intriguing skills. But, he will need to add some muscle and physicality if he wants to earn minutes in East Lansing.
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