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Early 2026 boys’ basketball recruiting class rankings: The surprise SEC team on top
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Jeff Borzello
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Paul Biancardi
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Paul Biancardi
Basketball Recruiting
- National Recruiting Director for ESPN.com
- 18 years of coaching experience at Division I level
- Former Horizon League coach of the year at Wright State
In past boys’ high school basketball recruiting cycles, there have been more than enough commitments at this point in the calendar to do initial class rankings. But, as we wrote in the summer, the 2026 class is coming off the board at a snail’s pace.
Well, at least that was the case until the past couple weeks.
A string of recent commitments has finally given us enough data to provide a snapshot of the national recruiting picture for the boys’ SC Next 100 class of 2026 as things stand.
It’s worth noting the class as a whole still has a long, long way to go before the dust settles. Only one top-10 player is committed. Only four five-star prospects are off the board. Only 14 top-50 prospects and 40 top-100 players have made decisions.
Blueblood programs Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina have a combined zero commitments.
With that said, the early signing period is just one month away (Nov. 12-19), so let’s look at the top five recruiting classes — beginning with a surprise SEC program at the top.
See more:
5-star commit fits |
2026 player rankings
No. 5 PG Jason Crowe
No. 14 PF Toni Bryant
No. 83 SF Aiden Chronister
After leading Missouri to one of the most impressive turnarounds in the country in 2024-25, coach Dennis Gates carried that momentum over to the recruiting trail. Prior to this 2026 class, the Tigers hadn’t landed a five-star prospect since the 2017 class — and now they have two.
At this point in the cycle, they have the highest-ranked committed player in the class — in fact, the only top-10 committed prospect. Crowe led the Nike EYBL in scoring this past summer and is perhaps the most explosive offensive player in the class. He’s a left-handed guard who gets by his defender at will. He’ll be joined in Columbia by fellow five-star Bryant, who was a priority early in the cycle for Gates. Bryant is tremendously athletic and excels in transition. Chronister is a prolific 3-point shooter who should get open looks courtesy of Crowe’s drive-and-kick ability.
Biancardi’s most important recruit: Crowe is not only the most important recruit, he’s the second-highest ranked recruit ever to commit to Missouri since No. 2 Michael Porter Jr. in 2017. Crowe brings immediate scoring prowess that is needed in big and tight SEC games. The bigger the stage, the bigger he plays.
No. 17 PG Taylen Kinney
No. 46 PF Davion Adkins
No. 77 SF Trent Perry
One year after landing potential No. 1 NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson, Bill Self is building his 2026 class around an immediate-impact, elite point guard. Kinney has the size and playmaking ability to cause matchup problems against smaller backcourts, he’s a terrific scorer with a variety of finishing moves, and is developing as a playmaker.
Self then followed up Kinney’s commitment with a string of pledges: Perry committed three days after Kinney. Top-50 junior in the class of 2027 Javon Bardwell picked the Jayhawks a couple of days later, and then Kansas went back to work on the 2026 class, beating out Houston for Adkins a week after Kinney. Adkins’ physical tools portend an incredibly high ceiling. Perry, meanwhile, is long and should give help at both ends of the floor.
Davion Adkins’ special moment announcing for Kansas on ESPN2. pic.twitter.com/dFJPhb8QTt
— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) October 7, 2025
Biancardi’s most mportant recruit: Kinney will provide stability and high-end scoring to Bill Self as the lead guard following Darryn Peterson’s departure for the NBA. Kinney plays the most important position on the floor with confidence and skill. He is the catalyst of this recruiting class and will keep Kansas winning.
No. 49 PG Anthony Brown Jr.
No. 90 SF Ethan Mgbako
No. 94 C Jackson Sheffield
Here’s some context on Vanderbilt’s 2026 class: The Commodores hadn’t landed a single recruit ranked in the SCNext 100 since the 2018 class, when they got three top-100 prospects. So, that’s zero top-100 recruits in the last seven classes. Yet, coach Mark Byington and Vandy currently sit as one of just three programs with three top-100 recruits already in the fold.
Brown Jr. is the highest-ranked of the group. The point guard had a terrific summer on the Nike EYBL circuit and is a high-usage scorer and distributor with plenty of playmaking chops. Mgbako is the younger brother of former five-star prospect and current Texas A&M forward Mackenzie Mgbako, and he’s beginning to expand his offensive game on a similar trajectory. Sheffield does most of his work around the rim, and is physically ready for the college game.
Biancardi’s most important recruit: When Vanderbilt enters conference play, Byington will need Brown Jr. to score against high level defenses. He already demonstrates the toughness required to succeed in the SEC, and is a cornerstone recruit for the Commodores.
No. 12 SF JaShawn Andrews
No. 31 SF Abdou Toure
A John Calipari recruiting class ranked in the top five shouldn’t surprise anyone. He finished with the No. 3 class for the 2025 cycle in his first full cycle at Arkansas after consistently competing near the top of the rankings at Kentucky and Memphis. Calipari was able to keep the best prospect in the state of Arkansas home for college, closing strong to beat out Missouri and LSU for Andrews’ commitment. The 12th-ranked recruit has tremendous physical tools and showed improvement on his perimeter shot over the spring and summer.
The Razorbacks moved into the top five in early October after edging out Providence for Toure, a Connecticut native who is a terrific athlete and finisher, and difficult to stop when he gets going to the rim. Arkansas is also heavily in the mix for a slew of five-star prospects, including Jordan Smith (No. 2), Caleb Holt (No. 6), Brandon McCoy (No. 7) and Arafan Diane (No. 21).
Biancardi’s most important recruit: Andrews’ commitment sends a message that Calipari is committed to keeping the best homegrown talent in a cardinal-and-white uniform. Andrews is not only highly productive as a super athletic talent, he’s also a strong driver of team culture.
No. 33 SF Tarris Bouie
No. 41 PF Chris Washington Jr.
Coach Nate Oats made his move in the 2026 class in the span of just a couple of days in early September, when both Bouie and Washington Jr. committed. Both visited Tuscaloosa on the same weekend and didn’t wait long to pick the Crimson Tide. Bouie is at his best in the open court, but can score at all three levels and showed more consistency on his 3-point shot at the Nike Peach Jam in July. He’s also likely to make an immediate impact as a defender.
Washington is the top-ranked player in the state of Tennessee, and considered one of the elite athletes in the class. He’s a two-way contributor who crashes the offensive glass. The Crimson Tide remain involved with a long list of uncommitted prospects — among them Ikenna Alozie (No. 27), Dylan Mingo (No. 9), Caleb Holt (No. 6), Jaxon Richardson (No. 11) and twin big men Adonis Ratliff (No. 86) and Darius Ratliff (No. 52).
Biancardi’s most important recruit: Bouie gives Oats a legitimate scoring threat on every possession, reminiscent of 2023 No. 2 draft pick Brandon Miller. Bouie aligns with the Tide’s recruiting philosophy and is an ideal fit for a system that exclusively relies on defense to generate transition opportunities, along with points behind arc and at the rim.
Australian all-rounder batter Glenn Maxwell pulled out of the auction of the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) 19th edition, terming it a “big call”, after “having many unforgettable seasons.”
Maxwell made the announcement on his Instagram account; however, he did not reveal the reason for opting not to play the IPL 2026.
“After many unforgettable seasons in the IPL, I’ve decided not to put my name in the auction this year. It’s a big call, and one I make with a lot of gratitude for everything this league has given me,” the 37-year-old wrote.
“The IPL has helped shape me as a cricketer and as a person. I’ve been lucky to play with world-class teammates, represent incredible franchises, and perform in front of fans whose passion is unmatched. “
Maxwell added, “The memories, the challenges, and the energy of India will stay with me forever. Thank you for all your support over the years. Hopefully see you soon.”
The explosive batter, who also bowls off-spin, has represented four franchises — Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Daredevils, and Punjab Kings in his IPL journey.
Maxwell’s announcement came days after Faf du Plessis, the former South African captain, and Moeen Ali, the ex-England cricketer, opted Pakistan Super League over the Indian Premier League.
Sharing his excitement to feature in the PSL, Ali posted, “I’m really excited to be joining PSL in its New Era. The league has earned a reputation for top-level T20 cricket, with high-quality competition and world-class talent across every team.”
Du Plessi, on the other hand, said that this time he chose to take on a new challenge and will be playing in the upcoming PSL season.
“It’s an exciting step for me — a chance to experience something new, to grow as a player, and to embrace a league filled with incredible talent and energy.”
There has been understandable consternation from those who are either of an Barcelona persuasion or who simply like and respect Hansi Flick when they saw the state of the German coach on Saturday. The Spanish champions had beaten Alavés 3-1 at home to go clear at the top of LaLiga despite the visitors taking the lead after 44 seconds.
Flick was back on the touchline of the club’s beloved Camp Nou for only the second time since its reopening, following a long period of extensive renovations. And yet the Barça boss looked like a man who’d won the lottery jackpot, but lost the ticket: slumped in his seat long after the final whistle, looking like there were tears in his eyes, wearing a blank thousand-yard stare, with a metaphorical black cloud over his head. One of his players, Raphinha, was standing over him protectively, looking to all the world as if he were counselling his boss. And this after a victory.
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Barcelona said that their coach was frustrated at not being able to communicate with the fourth official, but nobody believed the party line. Many who follow the club interpreted his demeanor as due to the repeated lackadaisical flaws he sees in a team he keeps promising will improve, but instead keeps on churning up the same errors and, frankly, the same air of complacency where they are supposed to be breathing fire and brimming with intensity. Not to ignore his disappointment at two of his assistants, Markus Sorg and José Ramon De La Fuente, incurring red cards. But there’s another potential explanation.
Flick had watched his team struggle to contain a nomadic striker named Lucas Boyé, and his heart sunk in the knowledge that the genuine article, a guy who makes Boyé look like a docile lightweight, is coming to town.
That man is Atlético Madrid striker Alexander Sørloth. He’s a dead ringer for Alan Ritchson, who plays Jack Reacher in the TV series, and some of his solutions to scoring and winning are Reacher-esque in that nobody who stands in his path comes away without bruises — at least to their ego.
The big center forward is, along with Erling Haaland, part of the reason that Norway are going to the FIFA World Cup for the first time this century. He’s also one of the many reasons why, for the umpteenth time in recent years, even the cynics might be tempted to tip Atlético Madrid as potential title winners.
Atlético coach Diego Simeone and his Colchoneros are at Camp Nou on Tuesday, somewhere they’ve still not won for almost 20 years (last December’s away win was at the Olympic Stadium). Whether Sørloth starts or attempts to do damage off the bench, there’s no escaping the fact that when he sees Blaugrana shirts he gets the whiff of mustard in his nostrils and prepares to dish out pain.
He’s won against Barça in Barcelona for Real Sociedad in 2023 when La Real beat Barça away for the first time in 32 years; for Villarreal in January last year, netting the decisive goal in a wild 5-3 game that effectively marked the end for Flick’s predecessor, Xavi Hernández; and he scored the winner against Flick’s team almost exactly a year ago as Atleti won 2-1 in Catalonia for the first time since 2006. Back then, Fernando Torres was the big, menacing blond fella up front. It’s a role Sørloth has adopted with gleeful menace.
Might that be why Flick was looking so morose despite winning on Saturday? A flight of fancy, maybe, but look at the stats.
The 6-foot-5 forward has faced Barça nine times, scoring six and producing three assists — his best record against any of the 238 club and international opponents he’s faced in his 14-year career. And the vast majority of those Reacher-style, hard-impact moments against Spain’s reigning champions have come away from home: either at Camp Nou or Montjuic.
Simeone doesn’t always pair Sørloth with Julián Álvarez when selecting his ‘best’ Atleti XI. And there was a stage last season when the two strikers didn’t quite seem on the same wavelength. But the coach would be utterly mad not to do so here.
Last season Sørloth outstripped the much more expensive, better-paid and, admittedly, World Cup-winning Alvarez. The Norwegian notched 24 goals and two assists in 2,145 competitive minutes for Atleti in LaLiga, the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey: a goal contribution every 82.5 minutes. This season? Four goals, but in just seven starts out of a possible 19. It’s a records that positively screams “nemesis.”
In case you’re wondering what caused him to become this Barça-kryptonite it’s partly because, as a kid, he was a huge fan of Didier Drogba — the former Chelsea striker who twice scored the winner against Barça and twice eliminated them from the Champions League.
“I was a Chelsea fan growing up, so he was by far my favorite striker,” Sørloth told FIFA earlier this year. “I liked the physicality of his play. Players could kick 50-meter long balls to him, with snow on them, and he would still get it down and be dangerous.”
It’s also because young Sørloth was a national champion at ice hockey and handball — he reckons that taught him toughness, flexibility and competitive ‘smarts’. About his own warrior status, he added: “I like the physical battles and the fight with the defenders. I actually prefer to play against the big ones. If I play against small ones, I get more free kicks against me!”
Tuesday’s game could well be pivotal in this season’s title race. Last season the four Barça-Atleti matches gifted us 18 goals, Barça trailed in three of those games but only lost once and. With Real Madrid stuttering, most recently in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Girona, whoever wins at Camp Nou this is guaranteed to end the night top of LaLiga.
But when you watch, keep an eye on poor old Flick. He’ll be a bit more solitary in his Barça dugout given that those two staff members, No. 2 Sorg and goalkeeping coach De La Fuente, will be banned after being sent off against Alavés. And, although his team have an identical points haul (34) after 14 matches as at the same stage last season’s title-winning campaign, he’s hugely underwhelmed with them, even admitting: “We don’t have the control and intensity we had last season”
That will be music to the ears of Atleti’s hulking great Jack Reacher lookalike. Look out Barça: here comes Sørloth.
After wrapping up its inaugural season, the Athletes Unlimited Softball League is expanding from its original four teams to six. That expansion kicks off on Dec. 1, with an expansion draft for players already in the AUSL, followed by an allocation draft for new players.
The two new expansion teams — Cascade and Oklahoma City Spark — will pick from a pool of unprotected players from the other four teams. Each team will select five players to start. After that, there may be up to three additional rounds, and original teams can add a player to their protected lists before each round. Any unselected players will go back to their original teams.
The allocation draft will follow and will feature all six teams selecting players not currently on an AUSL roster.
The draft will be broadcast on ESPNU (7 p.m. ET) and on the AUSL streaming hub. Check out the picks and some highlights below.
Expansion draft picks
No. 1: Spark — Utility Maya Brady
the moment Maya Brady became the first EVER draft pick of the Oklahoma City Spark in AUSL history! 💙#BeTheSpark pic.twitter.com/WT89vK28xX
— Oklahoma City Spark | AUSL (@ausl_spark) December 2, 2025
No. 2: Cascade — Pitcher Sam Landry
Let’s make some history ✨ pic.twitter.com/ycVUaHBtRX
— Cascade | AUSL (@AUSL_Cascade) December 2, 2025
No. 3: Cascade — Pitcher Carley Hoover
No. 4: Spark — Utility Sydney McKinney
No. 5: Spark — Sydney Romero
No. 6: Cascade — OF Sierra Sacco
No. 7: Cascade — P Payton Gottshall
No. 8: Spark — 3B Jessi Warren
No. 9: Spark — P Alana Vawter
No. 10: Cascade — OF Korbe Otis
No. 11: Cascade — INF Tori Vidales
No. 12: Spark — Utility Bubba Nickles-Camarena
No. 13: Spark — INF Delanie Wisz
Allocation draft picks
Round 1
No. 1: Cascade — P Kelly Maxwell
No. 2: Spark — C Kinzie Hansen
No. 3: Talons — OF Jayda Coleman
No. 4: Bandits — P Kat Sandercock
No. 5: Blaze — INF Alyssa Brito
No. 6: Volts — P Ally Carda
Round 2
No. 7: Spark — P Maddie Penta
No. 8: Cascade — C Mia Davidson
No. 9: Talons — OF Jadelyn Allchin
No. 10: Bandits — INF Jocelyn Alo
IT’S HAPPENINGGGGGG 🤩
Jocelyn Alo is a Bandit 🤠 pic.twitter.com/z6jD7ZORQJ
— Bandits | Athletes Unlimited Softball League (@AUSL_Bandits) December 2, 2025
No. 11: Blaze — INF Jenna Laird
No. 12: Volts — P Alyssa Denham
Round 3
No. 13. Cascade — INF Sis Bates
No. 14. Spark — P Jailyn Ford
No. 15. Talons — INF Rachel Becker
No. 16. Bandits — OF Jessica Clements
No. 17. Blaze — P Jala Wright
No. 18. Volts — OF Rylie Boone
Round 4
No. 19. Spark — INF Billie Andrews
No. 20. Cascade — INF Paige Sinicki
No. 21. Talons — INF Maddie Moore
No. 22. Bandits — INF Sami Williams
No. 23. Blaze — Utility Valerie Cagle
No. 24. Volts — P Aliyah Binford
Round 5
No. 25. Cascade — Utility Ali Newland
No. 26. Spark — INF Sydney Sherrill
No. 27. Talons — OF Aliyah Andrews
No. 28. Bandits — P Emiley Kennedy
No. 29. Blaze — Pass
Round 6
No. 30. Spark — C Haley Lee
No. 31. Cascade — OF Kendra Falby
No. 32. Talons — Pass
No. 33. Bandits — Pass
Round 7
No. 34. Spark — Pass
No. 35. Cascade — Pass
Teams will fill their remaining roster spots at the AUSL College Draft this spring.
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