The club basketball season has come and gone in typical breakneck fashion. The four NCAA viewing periods (April, May, and two in July) always provide valuable observation and evaluation opportunities via the four major circuits: Under Armour UA Next, Select Events Power 24, adidas 3ssb, Nike EYBL.
Evaluation is just one part of the game, though; recruiting is another. Five of the top 20 players in the 2026 class have committed already, including No. 1 Saniyah Hall (USC), No. 4 Kate Harpring (North Carolina) and No. 8 Jordyn Jackson (Maryland). Still, only 13 of the top 50, and 28 of the top 100, are committed.
Those early top-level commitments will help shape the rest of the recruiting class' decisions to a certain extent. That said, good players want to play with other good players, so we continue to see overlap in recruiting finalist lists. Over on the college side of things, the blue bloods are trying to stay on top, and the next tier of schools are looking to break through to that next level. The recruiting battles will only intensify between now and the November signing period.
And then there's the new era of revenue-sharing, which will affect the recruiting landscape. So far it has manifested in players having longer lists of schools at this time of the process than in previous years. Couple that with recruits' ability to take unlimited official visits, and we may see decisions drag out longer than college staffs may like. We may also see some players wait until the late signing period begins April 15 to factor roster changes and transfer portal acquisitions into their decisions.
The bottom line: Winning matters. Let's look at individual players from the rising high school classes who could do just that, particularly after making major jumps this summer at the major circuit events.
Find the full player rankings here:
2026 ESPNW 100 | 2027 ESPNW 60 | 2028 ESPNW 25
2026 ESPNW 100
No. 39 Emily McDonald
Guard | 6-0 | Long Island Lutheran (NY) | Team Northeast P24
Major buzz around McDonald started in the fall at Long Island Lutheran's open gyms -- coaches were leaving sessions with another major name on their lists.
She is a do-it-all guard who is long and skilled. She can facilitate as a leader or slide over and hunt the 3-point shot aggressively. The outstanding thing about her though is that she constantly communicates - on both ends of the floor. She has serious leadership intangibles that benefit her teammates. She also has an advanced ability to read screens off the ball - timing, technique, and countering defense - and can play well out of ball screen action.
After the July periods, McDonald's locked in major offers from South Carolina and UCLA.
No. 57 Morgan Stewart
Guard | 5-11 | St. John's College Prep (DC) | Germantown Lady Panthers UA
Stewart is the biggest stock riser in the 2026 class in the country. A tough competitor, she took her game to the next level beginning in December at the Capital Invitational in Washington, D.C. where it was evident she had added skill, patience, maturity and acumen.
Fast forward to July, and she proved she can control games with her decision-making and her ability to counter anything defenses throw at her. There was a major buzz among college coaches as she navigated ball screens and made transition and secondary decisions -- from getting to the rim with contact to knocking down huge threes.
Stewart's long list of offers now also includes: Vanderbilt, West Virginia, Maryland, Michigan, Indiana, Washington, Penn State and Auburn.
No. 75 Jhai Johnson
Forward | 6-3 | Oakland Tech (CA) | Sports Academy Swish EYBL
Johnson always had the physical tools, but she needed to unlock her motor, confidence and consistency. She did that, and then some, between April and July. In her team's Platinum Bracket EYBL quarterfinal, she made the free throw to send the game to overtime; then, at the buzzer in OT, she made a swooping offensive rebound and tip-in to win the game. It may have been the play of the summer.
That performance and more from the summer earned Johnson offers from USC, North Carolina, NC State, Miami, Vanderbilt, Syracuse, Purdue and Florida -- with Arizona, SMU, Oregon and USC still in the mix, among others.
Honorable mentions: No. 77 PG Aaliah Spaight, No. 61 F Alliyah "Lee Lee" Bell, No. 29 Melissa F "Missy" Odom
2027 ESPNW 60
No. 9 Eve Long
Forward | 6-3 | Olathe South HS (KS) | Southwest Select 3SSB
Long had been on the fringes of the Top 10 in her class for some time before she made it in the most recent rankings, and she has further developed her game since. In a summer that saw her make the American U16 national team and win a gold medal, Long showed she is not just lengthy and springy, but also versatile and skilled. Recently, she created more buzz at Overtime Select's second weekend.
Long is the smoothest forward to get to the rim in the country, and with enough space finishes well above the rim in a variety of ways. She is showing improved range and her handle is well advanced. She talks the game well and craves coaching -- evidence of a very bright future.
This summer, Long has received offers from South Carolina, Texas, UCLA, USC, TCU and Notre Dame.
No. 38 Jada Jackson
Post | 6-2 | Frenship HS (TX) | Team Mo Jeff P24
At last fall's Best of the Best camp, Jackson was an athlete who played basketball. By June's Perfect & Perfect camp, she was a certified hooper.
Jackson has improved her handle, range and feel on the floor -- and she can still dunk. Her ability to defend and rebound will transcend many levels of this game.
Jackson's recent offers include Penn State, Baylor, Cincinnati, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Texas A&M, West Virginia and Rutgers.
No. 51 Syniah Coachman
Guard | 5-10 | Fayetteville HS (AR) | Missouri Phenom EYBL
Coachman has physically grown this summer, gaining strength and improving her long-range shooting. She is quick to the rim and comfortable all over the floor, and she will be a high-level defender in the future.
Her recent offers include: TCU, Arizona State, Colorado, Boston College, Tulsa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Honorable mention: G Charis Rainey, No. 13 F Miciah Fusilier, No. 21 PG De'Andra Minor
2028 ESPNW 25
No. 25 Khloe Nicholson
Wing | 6-1 | Quincy HS (IL) | Missouri Phenom EYBL
Nicholson carries herself like a classic hooper: she has a calmness and a swagger that says she knows she can just go and get a bucket. And she can. Her advanced handle can shake defenders in small spaces and her mid-range and turn-around jumper elements are hard to teach.
The next steps for her include adding strength and balance to her long-range shooting, and owning her potential.
Recent offers include: Oklahoma, SMU, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Marquette, Ohio State, TCU, Indiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Missouri and Arizona State.
Love Lei Best (unranked)
Point guard | Tualatin HS (OR) | ML20 Enforcers P24
There are point guards and then there are point guards, and Best is the latter. She has a connectivity factor on the floor (really in the whole gym) that is so contagious, and gives off a positive energy that makes others around her better.
Best is savvy with the ball, subtly manipulating defenses with her eyes, patience, timing and ability to map the floor. She has an array of finishing techniques that help counter her slight build. She has become more confident from long range and beyond, and should continue to grow. She left an impression with observers of the recent outdoor Nike event in New York, NY vs NY.
Love's recent offers include: Virginia, Utah, Texas A&M, Georgia, Ohio State, Baylor and Purdue.
Janaya Cooper (unranked)
Power forward | 5-9 | Fort Wayne Snider (IN) | Always 100 3SSB
Overlooking Cooper in the June rankings debut of the 2028 class was clearly a mistake. She is a physical guard who is long and strong and hard to keep from getting to the rim. Although playing at the U15 level, we were able to see her in a couple settings that showed how much she has separated herself in her class.
As her long-range shooting continues to improve to complement her mid-range and off-the-bounce game, look for her to be an even tougher cover. Defensively, she can be an absolute lock-down defender.
Some recent offers include: Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio State and Virginia Tech.
Honorable mention: G Taylor Morris, PG Leah Dewitt, W Syniyah Grigsby
2029 freshman watchlist
Kolbi Brooks (AZ) - Hoop Code
Geralyn Byers-Veal (TX) - Southwest Select
Chloe Jenkins (CA) - Hoop Code
Jayden McClain (KY) - FBC
Kristen Winston (AL) - Alabama Southern Starz
Carib Morris (GA) - FBC
Khloe Ison (MD) - Team Durant
Melody Vaughn (PA) - Exodus
Makenzie Jackson (TX) - Cy Fair
Ja'Kyiah Cooke (OH) - United Fam