High school basketball has begun, and ESPN's December recruiting player rankings update examines what transpired throughout the fall to help set the stage for an intriguing winter slate. The 2025 ESPN 100 group now rivals last year's class, which is currently the talk of college hoops -- particularly following Alijah Arenas' announcement that he intends to reclassify.
A.J. Dybantsa keeps a firm grip on the No. 1 spot on the strength of some outstanding performances. He is laser-focused on the high school season in front of him, but told ESPN back in November he has moved his college decision timeline up and will likely make an announcement this month. He'll change the landscape no matter which program -- his finalists are Alabama, BYU, Kansas and North Carolina -- he chooses.
Elsewhere, there was movement among the fluid junior (2026 ESPN 60) and sophomore (2027 ESPN 25) rankings. We also added additional prospects to our positional rankings, for you to know about.
Let's break down the five biggest takeaways from our latest update, including insights from coveted uncommitted five-star recruit Nate Ament on his recruitment.
Updated player rankings:
2025 ESPN 100 | 2026 ESPN 60 | 2027 ESPN 25
Darryn Peterson jumps to No. 2
Cameron Boozer and Peterson are talented enough to rank No. 1 in most classes, and both will continue to challenge A.J. Dybantsa for that spot in 2025. But Peterson's overall game has been impactful for quite some time. His move up a spot from No. 3 to No. 2 has nothing to do with Boozer -- who is arguably the most accomplished player in the class and, on most nights, the best and most productive player in the game. But Peterson was the best player on the court when he scored 33 points to help Prolific Prep (Calif.) beat Boozer's Columbus (Fla.) 66-54 in November.
Peterson's college fit: The Ohio native will be a dynamic fit in Kansas in 2025-26.