Final 2025 men’s recruiting class rankings: 4 new teams, plus
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Jeff BorzelloMay 26, 2025, 09:00 AM ET
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- Basketball recruiting insider.
- Joined ESPN in 2014.
- Graduate of University of Delaware.
With Niko Bundalo and Braydon Hawthorne announcing their commitments, we can finally close the book on the 2025 men’s basketball recruiting class.
With roster movement settling down, college basketball coaches are hitting the road to watch the next generation of high school prospects. But before we turn the page to the next three classes, it’s time for the final edition of our 2025 recruiting class rankings.
There has been plenty of change since the last update in January, with multiple five-star prospects making commitments, as well as coaching changes and transfer portal machinations leading to decommitments.
Here were the biggest stories of the past few months:
Arizona adds five-star duo: Tommy Lloyd’s recruiting class was missing star power entering March, but that was rectified quickly with Koa Peat and Brayden Burries committing to the Wildcats within a two-week span. Both players should start immediately and keep Arizona in the top 15 nationally.
Nate Ament picks Tennessee: The single-biggest commitment of the spring came on Easter Sunday, when top-five prospect Ament committed to Rick Barnes and Tennessee. The Volunteers emerged as the favorite down the stretch, beating out a long list of programs that pursued Ament. The 6-foot-9 wing could be the best long-term prospect in the class.
Impact of coaching changes: Most springs, there are headline commitment flips due to the coaching carousel. And while there were still several top-50 decommitments this year, it was as much a result of portal additions as it was coaching changes. Darius Adams (UConn to Maryland) and Acaden Lewis (Kentucky to Villanova) made their moves after the Huskies and Wildcats added multiple perimeter players from the portal — both landed with head coaches new to their programs, with Buzz Williams taking over at Maryland and Kevin Willard at Villanova.
Most other big changes centered on Miami. Matt Able, who committed to the Hurricanes under Jim Larranga, flipped to NC State. And new Miami head coach Jai Lucas was able to land top-50 recruits Shelton Henderson and Dante Allen, who had originally committed to Duke and Villanova, respectively.
Note: Class rankings are determined by a mathematical formula weighting various factors related to the quality and quantity of players in the class.
January ranking: 1
Top recruit: Cameron Boozer (No. 3)
Jon Scheyer keeps Duke at the top of the recruiting pecking order despite top-30 prospect Shelton Henderson decommitting in April to follow former Blue Devils assistant Jai Lucas to Miami.
Scheyer had to work harder than initially perceived for the commitments of Cameron and Cayden Boozer (No. 16), sons of former Duke big man and NBA veteran Carlos Boozer, but ultimately beat out Miami for the twins. The Boozer brothers bring winning background after highly decorated high school careers.
Meanwhile, Nikolas Khamenia (No. 15) boosted his stock with his performances on the USA Basketball circuit and could be a one-and-done prospect.
With Washington State transfer Cedric Coward staying in the NBA draft, Scheyer pivoted to replace him, expanding the gap between Duke and other programs in the process. The Blue Devils landed projected first-round pick Dame Sarr, an Italian wing from FC Barcelona, as well as top-25 recruit Sebastian Wilkins, who reclassified in 2025 from the 2026 class.
January ranking: 2
Top recruit: Chris Cenac Jr. (No. 6)
Kelvin Sampson landed the program’s highest-ranked recruit of the modern era by signing his backcourt of the future. Cenac was one of the biggest breakout stars in the country last spring, then dominated at multiple events in the summer. Isiah Harwell (No. 14) committed in September, becoming only the second five-star prospect to pick the Cougars since 2012. He is a poised guard who is adept as a playmaker and can make shots from the perimeter.
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Harwell will pair with Kingston Flemings (No. 22), the No. 1 player in the state of Texas and another impact recruit. Flemings is a quick point guard who loves to beat his defender and get into the paint, where he can finish in traffic or create opportunities for a teammate.
In-state four-star guard Bryce Jackson has also signed with Houston.
January ranking: 3
Top recruit: Darius Acuff (No. 7)
Arkansas was inconsistent on the court in Year 1 with John Calipari at the helm, but it seems he will continue to land elite recruiting classes in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks are the only program with more than one recruit in the top 11 of the ESPN 100, with Acuff and Meleek Thomas (No. 11) both committed.
Acuff, the best point guard in this class, became the 16th five-star point guard to commit to Calipari since 2009. And Thomas, a big-time scorer, announced his decisions just before the early signing period. The two should form an incredibly dynamic backcourt for the Razorbacks next season.
Meanwhile, Isaiah Sealy (No. 68) brings versatility and size on the perimeter, and is aggressive with the ball in his hands. Four-star Karim Rtail is a Lithuania native.
January ranking: Unranked
Top recruit: Koa Peat (No. 10)
Arizona saw the biggest rise in the final iteration of these rankings, landing a pair of top-15 prospects in the spring. The Wildcats had been recruiting Peat and Brayden Burries (No. 12) for years, and it paid off in a two-week span in March when both five-star targets announced commitments to Tommy Lloyd’s program.
Peat was one of the most consistently productive players in high school basketball, while also winning four state championships and three gold medals with USA Basketball. Burris is a gifted scoring guard who continues to make strides as a playmaker and creator. The pair joined top-40 prospect Dwayne Aristode (No. 37) and three-star wing Bryce James, son of LeBron James.
Arizona also landed Senegal native Sidi Gueye, who will arrive after debuting for Real Madrid as a 17-year old this past October.
January ranking: 5
Top recruit: Braylon Mullins (No. 17)
Winning back-to-back national championships makes for a nice recruiting pitch. With Mullins and Eric Reibe (No. 23), this is the first time since the ESPN recruiting database launched in 2007 that UConn has had multiple top-25 recruits in the same class.
Mullins is one of the elite shooters in the class, and Reibe — a left-handed 7-footer — is a skilled big man and the No. 2 center in the country. Dan Hurley also landed skilled Australia native Jacob Furphy and four-star Jacob Ross, a former Minnesota commit and the younger brother of current Husky Jayden Ross.
Top-30 recruit Darius Adams decommitted following the additions of transfer point guards Silas Demary Jr. and Malachi Smith.
January ranking: 4
Top recruit: Jasper Johnson (No. 18)
Mark Pope is never going to be John Calipari on the recruiting trail, but he doesn’t need to be — and Pope has answered a lot of questions about his ability to recruit high-level high school prospects with this class. There were some factors working in the Wildcats’ favor: Johnson, a five-star guard, is from Lexington, and Malachi Moreno (No. 25) is another in-state recruit. But Pope still had to fight off big-time competition, particularly for Johnson.
Acaden Lewis decommitting after the Wildcats landed several perimeter players from the portal dropped them down a couple of spots in the rankings. They did add Croatian big man Andrija Jelavic in the spring, then fast-rising ESPN 100 prospect Braydon Hawthorne (No. 81) to close out the roster.
January ranking: Unranked
Top recruit: Nate Ament (No. 4)
With Rick Barnes losing six key players from this past season, the Volunteers needed an impactful recruiting class — and they signed the best player left on the board entering the spring. Ament had a long, drawn-out recruitment with a slew of programs perceived to be at the top of the pecking order at different points in time. But with Tennessee able to sell its string of winning seasons and a huge role from the start, Ament is headed to Knoxville. He has one of the highest ceilings of any recruit in the 2025 class and is a legitimate contender for the No. 1 pick in next June’s NBA draft.
Nate Ament’s commitment catapulted Tennessee into ESPN’s final rankings of the 2025 men’s basketball recruiting classes. Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire
Ament is one of three ESPN 100 prospects from this class to sign with Tennessee, along with DeWayne Brown (No. 70) and Amari Evans (No. 76). The Vols are loaded up front, but Evans could have a role to play early given the lack of proven bodies on the perimeter.
Former Fordham commit Troy Henderson and France native Clarence Massamba round out the class.
January ranking: 8
Top recruit: Caleb Wilson (No. 5)
Even after the Tar Heels missed on A.J. Dybantsa in December, it was clear they weren’t done taking big swings with this class. Then Wilson, one of the top prospects left on the board, committed to North Carolina over Kentucky. Given his size and two-way ability, he is one of the highest potential players in the class.
Before Wilson picked Carolina, Hubert Davis had two ESPN 100 guards already signed in Derek Dixon (No. 54) and in-state prospect Isaiah Denis (No. 59). Both can really shoot from the perimeter, while Dixon has more of a college-ready frame.
January ranking: 9
Top recruit: Jalen Haralson (No. 19)
If Micah Shrewsberry can kick things into high gear in South Bend, he’ll look back at late September 2024 as the week that took the Fighting Irish to a new level. Within a five-day span, the team landed three ESPN 100 commitments, including the program’s highest-ranked prospect in the modern era.
It started on a Monday with Brady Koehler (No. 94), followed by the big target: Haralson, the best boys’ high school player in the state of Indiana, with the Irish beating out the Hoosiers for Haralson. Two days later, ESPN 100 wing Ryder Frost (No. 79) also committed.
Three-star center Tommy Ahneman rounded out the group before the month ended.
January ranking: 6
Top recruit: Jaden Toombs (No. 33)
Andy Enfield won 24 games in his first season as SMU’s head coach, but he has also brought his high school recruiting success at USC to Dallas.
The Mustangs had three ESPN 100 prospects commit early: Toombs, Nigel Walls (No. 69) and Jermaine O’Neal Jr. (No. 80). During the early signing period, they added another four-star recruit in B.J. Davis-Ray. Toombs’ elite rebounding ability should translate early at the college level; Walls needs to physically develop but has a high ceiling; and O’Neal can make plays at both ends of the court. Davis-Ray brings a wide array of offensive skills.
January ranking: 10
Top recruit: Kaden Magwood (No. 39)
Bruce Pearl has a trio of ESPN 100 prospects in the fold, with a mid-November surge that netted Magwood and Sebastian Williams-Adams (No. 45). Magwood is a dynamic guard who plays with notable aggression offensively, constantly looking to make a play. He can light up the scoreboard in a hurry and is capable of huge scoring performances. Williams-Adams should fit Pearl’s system perfectly, given his length and versatility on the defensive end.
The third member of the group is Simon Walker (No. 99), an in-state perimeter shooter. Junior college prospects Abdul Bashir and Emeka Opurum have also signed.
January ranking: 11
Top recruit: King Grace (No. 72)
With a top-15 recruiting class in the fold — including the top-ranked player in the state of Mississippi, Jamarion Davis-Fleming (No. 93) — Chris Jans continues the momentum started by three straight NCAA tournament appearances. The best player in the class is Grace, a terrific scorer who can get points at all three levels.
Center Tee Bartlett (No. 90) and four-star wing Cameren Paul are also committed.
January ranking: 7
Top recruit: A.J. Dybantsa (No. 1)
When Kevin Young took over in Provo, it was clear the program was willing to provide the resources to compete for top talent and upgrade the roster. It paid off quickly.
In December, BYU landed the No. 1 prospect in high school basketball when Dybantsa picked the Cougars over Alabama, North Carolina and Kansas. Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 wing, is a potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft and possesses an advanced skill set and an incredibly high ceiling.
Young is planning to surround Dybantsa with plenty of talent, including ESPN 100 center Xavion Staton (No. 55) and four-star big man Chamberlin Burgess.
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A.J. Dybantsa slams it home to get the 2025 McDonald’s All American game started
No. 1 overall prospect and BYU commit A.J. Dybantsa slams it home to get the 2025 McDonald’s All American game started.
January ranking: 12
Top recruit: Sadiq White (No. 27)
Syracuse was one of the first to strike in the 2025 class, landing White, a talented forward from North Carolina last spring. He’s a terrific athlete and will either replace current freshman Donnie Freeman or play alongside him in one of the most explosive frontcourts in the country. But the commitment that pushed the Orange into the top 15 was Kiyan Anthony (No. 35), son of Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony. Anthony is an elite scorer with supreme confidence and unlimited range on his jumper.
Red Autry is also bringing in a pair of wings in four-star Australia native Luke Fennel and three-star Aaron Womack from Milwaukee.
January ranking: Unranked
Top recruit: Niko Bundalo (No. 34)
The Rebels surge into the final rankings after the late addition of Bundalo, a former Washington commit who was a McDonald’s All American and one of the most talented frontcourt prospects in the class. Bundalo is the third ESPN 100 pickup for Chris Beard in this group, joining forward Tylis Jordan (No. 91) and shooting guard Patton Pinkins (No. 97), the son of assistant coach Al Pinkins.
There’s plenty of intrigue surrounding the addition of French guard Ilias Kamardine, who won MVP at the FIBA U20 Eurobasket and has professional experience in France.
January ranking: 13
Top recruit: Nigel James (No. 67)
Shaka Smart has built his past couple of Marquette teams via roster retention and experience, and is bringing in a four-man group that will have the ability to grow within the program.
James rose nearly 30 spots in the rankings during his high school season; he brings toughness to the point guard spot. Fellow ESPN 100 prospects Michael Phillips II (No. 95) and Adrien Stevens (No. 100) join him. Phillips, who reclassified from the 2026 class, has huge upside, and Stevens is aggressive going to the rim. Three-star wing Ian Miletic rounds out the group.
January ranking: 14
Top recruit: Mouhamed Sylla (No. 28)
Georgia Tech flashed in Damon Stoudamire’s first season at the helm (2023-24), and while the Yellow Jackets didn’t build on that momentum this past season, there is real promise on the recruiting trail. They rose up the rankings when Sylla, a top-50 center and top-five player at his position, picked Georgia Tech over Arkansas and Oregon in mid-January. Akai Fleming (No. 52) committed shortly after last season ended; he can score and is physically ready for the next level.
Four-star guards Eric Chatfield and Brandon Stores, as well as three-star center Cole Kirouac, are also signed.
January ranking: 15
Top recruit: Darryn Peterson (No. 2)
After entering November without a single commitment from the 2025 class, Bill Self and Kansas had a fantastic three-week surge that vaulted the Jayhawks into the rankings.
The first domino was the best of the group, with Peterson choosing the Jayhawks over Ohio State, Kansas State and USC. He is the best guard in the 2025 class and one of the best scorers coming out of high school. He will be joined in Lawrence by fast-rising forward Samis Calderon (No. 87), two-sport star Jaden Nickens and late signee Corbin Allen.
With top-30 prospect Bryson Tiller included, this could have been a top-10 class, but Tiller enrolled early at Kansas to redshirt and prepare for next season.
January ranking: 17
Top recruit: London Jemison (No. 42)
The Crimson Tide secured a spot in the rankings when top-50 prospect Davion Hannah (No. 46) picked Bama over Cincinnati, Missouri and Ohio State. He joined a group that already included four-star prospects Jemison and Amari Allen. Jemison is a versatile wing who continues to progress as a perimeter shooter, and Allen can also make shots from deep and should provide depth right away. But they did miss out on top prospect A.J. Dybantsa.
January ranking: 24
Top recruit: Alijah Arenas (No. 13)
Eric Musselman and the Trojans didn’t have a single commitment coming out of the early signing period but beat out Vanderbilt, Ohio State and SMU for Jerry Easter (No. 44) in late November, then made a big splash with top-15 recruit Arenas — son of Gilbert Arenas — in January. Easter might have to play a bigger role earlier than expected given the Trojans’ lack of point guards, and Arenas is a terrific scorer with great size for the wing, though he is recovering from a serious car crash in April.
Musselman has traditionally built his rosters via the portal — and he did land eight transfers this spring — but he’s establishing a strong talent base with high school recruits so far at USC.
January ranking: 23
Top recruit: Trey McKenney (No. 20)
Michigan saw a huge jump in the rankings right before the early signing period in November, when Dusty May landed his first five-star recruit (McKenney) as head coach. The in-state guard is one of the tougher matchups in the class because of his strength and ability to score at all three levels. McKenney joined a class that already included four-star wing Winters Grady (No. 86) and New Zealand native Oscar Goodman, who broke out at last summer’s FIBA U17 World Cup and enrolled early in Ann Arbor before redshirting.
Patrick Liburd joined the class late in the spring.
January ranking: 18
Top recruit: Cornelius Ingram Jr. (No. 21)
The Gators have two ESPN 100 prospects, both from the state of Florida. Ingram is an incredibly intriguing player. He’s the son of former NFL tight end Cornelius Ingram and made waves on the Nike EYBL circuit with his explosiveness and highlight-reel ability in transition.
Alexander Lloyd (No. 36) isn’t far behind Ingram in the rankings; Lloyd can play either guard position and score in a variety of ways.
January ranking: Unranked
Top recruit: Shelton Henderson (No. 30)
Part of Jai Lucas’ appeal to Miami was his ability to attract high-level talent, which he did at Duke, Kentucky and Texas — and the Hurricanes are hoping his first recruiting class in Coral Gables is a sign of what is to come.
The big move came when Henderson decommitted from Duke, where Lucas had recruited him, and followed the former Blue Devils assistant to Miami. Henderson was the second top-50 prospect that Lucas brought to Miami, after former Villanova commit Dante Allen (No. 41) signed. The ESPN 100 duo is joined by Slovakia native Timotej Malovec and Turkish center Salih Altuntas.
January ranking: 16
Top recruit: J.J. Mandaquit (No. 47)
Danny Sprinkle’s first full recruiting class in Seattle looks likely to end up in the top 25 despite top-35 prospect Niko Bundalo decommitting from the Huskies and reopening his recruitment. The Huskies still have a top-50 prospect in the fold in Mandaquit, one of the better true point guards in the class. Mandaquit is joined by four-stars Courtland Muldrew, who signed early, and Jasir Rencher, who decommitted from Texas A&M following a coaching change.
Junior college big man Mady Traore and German forward Hannes Steinbach round out the group.
January ranking: 22
Top recruit: Jack McCaffery (No. 89)
Despite three up-and-down seasons back at Butler, Thad Matta has two ESPN 100 prospects and a top-25 class coming to Hinkle Fieldhouse. McCaffery — son of Penn coach Fran McCaffery — and Azavier Robinson (No. 96) are the best of the group, but there is a third four-star prospect in the fold in North Carolina native Jackson Keith.
Three-star Canada native Efeosa Oliogu committed in January to round out the group.