Fresh off the NBA draft, where 34 former ESPN100 players were selected, comes our updated early summer player evaluations and ESPN rankings. Each ranking cycle (there are 4 to 5 per year), we assess previous prospects and find up-and-coming talent. Prospects were evaluated in their high school role and now we transition to camps and grassroots basketball.
As the platform changes and the information becomes more readily available, the rankings are bound to change. Some players are improving and others are starting to emerge. The summer period is vital for getting on bigger stages against different competition, and July is considered the premiere evaluation period.
The No. 1-ranked players made their mark in their respective class, but this is a marathon not a sprint. In the class of 2024, expect Dylan Harper, Airious Bailey, Tre Johnson and a few others to battle for the top spot.
The most exciting race may be in the class of 2025, which is laced with star power. Expect Cameron Boozer and Cooper Flagg to go head-to-head in this race. For the class of 2026, A.J. Dybantsa and Tyran Stokes will be the favorites to come out No. 1.
In the next eight weeks there will be a tremendous amount of basketball played. I see it as separation time among the nation's best. Scouts, college coaches and NBA personnel will all be in attendance.
The schedule has USA Basketball U19's in Hungary to finish in early July. The NBPA Top 100 camp starts this week. Summer basketball events take over July in hundreds of gyms across the country. In early August, NBA stars Steph Curry, Chris Paul and Damian Lillard have their own invitation only camps.
The constant practice, competition and heavy travel will begin to shape the talent pool before the school year. This is a high school rankings board, not a college recruiting service or mock draft. It combines the elements of current performances, future college impact and NBA draft projection. The four main criteria are performance, production, potential and draft projection.
When the dust settles, we will update again in August.