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Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff Writer
With roster movement for the 2024-25 college basketball season finally settling down, coaches around the country are looking at the 2025, 2026 and 2027 classes. But before we fully close the book on this year’s senior class, let’s make one more update to the 2024 recruiting class rankings. There’s been plenty of movement since January, with a half-dozen top-25 prospects picking schools. Here were the biggest storylines:
Impact of coaching changes: Before April, Kentucky had the No. 2 recruiting class in the country and Arkansas had a pair of top-60 recruits to keep them in the top 25. Two months later, the Razorbacks find themselves at No. 9 and Kentucky is nowhere to be found. That’s the impact of John Calipari’s move from Lexington to Fayetteville. Three of Calipari’s Kentucky recruits followed him to Arkansas, while one stayed behind to play under Mark Pope. Both of Arkansas’ recruits followed Eric Musselman to USC.
Arizona State’s surge: Bobby Hurley and the Sun Devils came from out of nowhere to finish with the No. 6 recruiting class in the country. They were actually No. 15 back in January, but four of their five commitments at the time are no longer even in the fold. Hurley landed five-star Jayden Quaintance and then flipped Joson Sanon from Arizona. There’s a lot of talent on the roster in Tempe.
UConn’s reload: Dan Hurley has been the talk of the basketball world over the last week, but now we know he’s going to be competing for back-to-back-to-back national championships next season. The key to his roster retooling in the spring was top-10 prospect Liam McNeeley, who had decommitted from Indiana in March. McNeeley is an elite shot-maker who will play a key role in the Huskies’ offense immediately.
Is there anyone left?: While the 2024 class looked just about finished toward the end of May, two notable players went back on the board. Kanon Catchings (No. 35) received his release from Purdue, while Arizona State pledge Sammie Yeanay (No. 90) reopened his recruitment.
1. Duke Blue Devils
Top recruit: Cooper Flagg (No. 1)
Duke had a sizable lead in the race for the No. 1 class in the country for most of the last several months, with three five-star commits and six players inside the top 30. It starts with Flagg, the best player in high school basketball and the heavy favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. On his own, Flagg would be enough to give Duke a shot at the top class. But when he committed, coach Jon Scheyer already had commitments from Isaiah Evans (No. 14), Kon Knueppel (No. 18) and Darren Harris (No. 29). And then Duke added another five-star in Pat Ngongba (No. 15), one of the few top-tier bigs in the class. The final piece of the puzzle was Khaman Maluach, a 7-foot-2 center from the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal. He’s a projected top-five pick.
2. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Top recruit: Airious “Ace” Bailey (No. 2)
Rutgers completed its dream duo in early December, landing No. 4 prospect Dylan Harper while beating out the likes of Duke, Indiana, Kansas and Auburn for the in-state guard. Harper teams with Bailey (No. 2) to form arguably the most dynamic tandem entering college next season. A 6-foot-8 wing from Georgia, Bailey has incredible physical tools and can make an impact on the offensive end with his ability to get to the rim, shoot from the perimeter and distribute. The Scarlet Knights also have four-star frontcourt players Lathan Sommerville and power forward Dylan Grant and three-star forward Bryce Dortch.
Top recruit: Derrion Reed (No. 11)
Nate Oats has done an incredible job building up Alabama over the past few years through a combination of high school prospects and the transfer portal, and he landed his fourth five-star recruit in the past four recruiting classes when Reid picked the Crimson Tide over Georgia. Reid is versatile and productive and continues to expand his offensive game. He joined a group that already had a pair of ESPN 100 prospects in Aiden Sherrell (No. 21), a highly intriguing 6-10 center because of his mobility and skill for his position, and Naasir Cunningham (No. 62), who was once ranked as high as No. 1 in his class and still possesses a very high ceiling. The Tide jumped in the rankings when high-level four-star point guard Labaron Philon (No. 30) decommitted from Kansas and picked Alabama.
4. Baylor Bears
Top recruit: V.J. Edgecombe (No. 3)
Drew made the biggest recruiting splash of the winter by beating out Duke and Kentucky for top-five prospect Edgecombe, who was the highest-ranked uncommitted senior in the country at the time. Edgecombe was the Bears’ highest-ranked commitment since Isaiah Austin in the 2012 class, and he’s a player who will step in immediately for projected lottery pick Ja’Kobe Walter as a high-level scorer. Drew was already bringing in two other high-level perimeter prospects in Robert Wright III (No. 23) — a true point guard who will push for minutes right away — and Jason Asemota (No. 48).
Top recruit: Ian Jackson (No. 7)
This class could have given Duke a run for its money at No. 1 had Elliot Cadeau stuck in 2024, but the elite passing point guard reclassified up a year (and started 31 games as a freshman), so Carolina will have to settle for the top five. The Tar Heels are still bringing in two five-star wings in Jackson and Drake Powell (No. 13), as well as four-star power forward James Brown (No. 66). Jackson has seen some fluctuation in his ranking over the course of his high school career, but he can score points in a hurry and has regained his status as a borderline top-five prospect. Powell is a terrific athlete who contributes at both ends of the floor.
Top recruit: Jayden Quaintance (No. 16)
Bobby Hurley will be entering a crucial season for his future in Tempe, as he’s now been to the NCAA tournament just once since 2019. But he’s loaded up his roster with the aim of going dancing again. The Sun Devils’ group has changed dramatically over the last couple months, with former Kentucky commit Jayden Quaintance (No. 16) and former Arizona commit Joson Sanon (No. 22) now headed to Arizona State. The Sun Devils arrived late to the Quaintance party, but were able to get his signature, while Sanon stunningly flipped from Arizona to Arizona State in one fell swoop. Those two join ESPN 100 wing Amier Ali (No. 51). and three-star guard Bo Aldridge.
Top recruit: Johnuel Fland (No. 15)
John Calipari’s first recruiting class in Fayetteville features exactly half of the six-man group he was expected to take to Kentucky. McDonald’s All-Americans Johnuel Fland (No. 15) and Karter Knox (No. 26) should push for starter minutes right off the bat, while Billy Richmond (No. 38) is a powerful left-handed wing who excels in transition. Fland is an explosive combo guard with plenty of speed who loves to get to the rim off the bounce and Knox has established himself as one of the most productive scorers in the class since early in his high school career.
Top recruit: Liam McNeeley (No. 9)
Dan Hurley had a top-20 class coming out of the winter with a pair of ESPN 100 prospects in the fold in Ahmad Nowell (No. 34) and Isaiah Abraham (No. 58). But the Huskies came out of their second straight national championship looking to make a splash on the recruiting trail and they landed one of the elite shot-makers in the class in McNeeley. The former Indiana commit can score in a variety of ways and will form a terrific shooting duo with Alex Karaban. Don’t be surprised if Nowell pushes for extended minutes early, while Abraham has been steadily rising up the rankings.
Top recruit: Jalil Bethea (No. 10)
The momentum from Miami’s 2023 Final Four run carried over to the 2024 recruiting trail with the Hurricanes landing Bethea — the program’s highest-ranked recruit in nearly 40 years. Bethea was coming off a breakout summer in which he cemented himself as one of the best backcourt players in the country. He can score at all three levels and will be able to get points immediately in Coral Gables. Next to him in Miami’s future backcourt is Austin Swartz (No. 47), another high-level scorer who can shoot it from 3. Four-star Isaiah Johnson-Arigu is the third member of the group, while three-star guard Divine Ugochukwu was a late addition.
Top recruit: Curtis Givens (No. 39)
Matt McMahon’s program quietly had one of the better springs on the recruiting trail, landing signatures from top-50 guard Vyctorius Miller, who had decommitted from Oregon days earlier, and junior college big man Noah Boyde, who was originally committed to Baylor. Miller and Boyde join a group that already included a pair of ESPN 100 prospects: Givens (No. 39) and Robert Miller (No. 86). Givens comes to Baton Rouge from Montverde Academy (Florida), where he was part of the team that went undefeated and won a national championship. Vyctorius Miller is one to watch; he can really score.
Top recruit: Jase Richardson (No. 24)
Tom Izzo and Michigan State have landed back-to-back top-15 recruiting classes. The Spartans finished at No. 4 in the 2023 cycle, led by big man Xavier Booker. This time around, they don’t have a top-20 prospect in the group, but there are three ESPN 100 talents in the Spartans’ class. Guards Richardson and Kur Teng (No. 52) lead the way. Richardson, the son of former NBA veteran Jason, is an adept playmaker who creates his own shot and takes care of the ball. Teng is a perfect Izzo player, demonstrating toughness and scoring ability. The third member of the class is Ohio native Jesse McCullough (No. 99), a 6-9 center.
Top recruit: Annor Boateng (No. 31)
Missouri was involved in some high-level recruiting battles this cycle, winning some and losing some — and still landed a very strong five-man class early in the process. Boateng is the top name in the group. Dennis Gates was able to get him out of the state of Arkansas, and Boateng will be a perfect fit for Gates’ system at both ends of the floor. The same goes for Florida native Marcus Allen (No. 71), a tough, versatile, two-way player who plays with energy. Four-star center Peyton Marshall, a former Auburn commit, brings plenty of size on the interior, while 7-2 Trent Burns has a noteworthy ceiling. Point guard T.O. Barrett will provide depth as well.
Top recruit: Asa Newell (No. 12)
Newell’s commitment to Georgia was a major statement by Mike White, as he became just the second five-star prospect to commit to the Bulldogs since the ESPN recruiting database began in 2007. He chose Georgia over a final group that also included Gonzaga, Alabama and Texas; the left-handed forward was one of the big 2024 breakouts over the latter half of his high school career. The Bulldogs saw their class ranking rise in the spring when former Kentucky commit Somto Cyril (No. 49) picked them. Cyril will make an early impact defensively and on the glass. Four-star guard Jordyn Kee rounds out the trio.
Top recruit: Tre Johnson (No. 5)
The Longhorns had perhaps the biggest win of the early signing period by beating out Baylor for Johnson, an elite guard and top-five recruit. Johnson is a big-time scorer and one of the most gifted offensive players in the class. Texas’ group did take a hit when top-40 wing Cameron Scott decommitted from the Longhorns and went to South Carolina. But Johnson isn’t going to Austin by himself. ESPN 100 forward Nic Codie (No. 76) and three-star Jamie Vinson are also joining the program; Codie has impressive physical tools and is productive in transition and around the rim.
Top recruit: Flory Bidunga (No. 17)
Bill Self had a top-10 class coming out of the winter, but highly-ranked four-star point guard Labaron Philon reopened his recruitment and committed to Alabama. The Jayhawks are still bringing in a pair of top-35 prospects in Flory Bidunga (No. 17) and Rakease Passmore (No. 32). Bidunga was a key pickup; he can finish around the rim, rebound at both ends and make an impact as a shot-blocker on the interior. It’s his motor that will determine his ceiling at the next level. Kansas made up a lot of ground late in Passmore’s recruitment to land his pledge. He’s an explosive wing who excels in transition.
16. Georgetown Hoyas: Ed Cooley’s first full recruiting class in the nation’s capital is a good one. The Hoyas already have former ESPN 100 prospect Drew McKenna in the fold for next season after he enrolled in the middle of last season. Aside from McKenna, there’s 6-9 center Thomas Sorber (No. 53) and 6-6 wing Kayvaun Mulready (No. 79), both ESPN 100 prospects. Four-star Washington, D.C., product Caleb Williams rounds out the quartet.
17. Arizona Wildcats: The Wildcats’ class underwent massive changes on the day of the NBA draft withdrawal deadline, with a pair of top-50 guards — Joson Sanon and Jamari Phillips — decommitting from the program. As a result, what would have been a surefire top-10 class took a hit in the rankings. But Carter Bryant (No. 19) and Emmanuel Stephen (No. 93) are still in the fold. Bryant has really started to put things together over the past few months with length, shooting ability and feel as his strengths.
18. Creighton Bluejays: Creighton is bringing back three starters and had success in the portal, but this class will help Greg McDermott build for the future — with Jackson McAndrew the one to watch. He’s a terrific perimeter shooter and will create matchup problems due to his 6-foot-9 size. Guards Larry Johnson (No. 75) and Ty Davis are also headed to Omaha.
19. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: This group should help improve the talent level in South Bend moving forward. There are two ESPN 100 prospects in Nasir Mohammed (No. 57) and Cole Certa (No. 89), as well as four-star forward Garrett Sundra.
20. TCU Horned Frogs: Two ESPN 100 prospects are headed to the Horned Frogs in Micah Robinson (No. 65) and David Punch (No. 100), while three-star center Malick Diallo is an intriguing addition. Three-star guard Ashton Simmons rounds it out.
21. Purdue Boilermakers: Matt Painter is bringing in a five-man class that took a hit in the rankings when No. 35-ranked prospect Kanon Catchings requested a release from his letter of intent. There’s still enough in the group to make an impact, led by ESPN 100 guard Gicarri Harris and 7-foot-3 center Daniel Jacobsen. Harris can play either guard position and can really shoot it from the perimeter, while Jacobsen has turned heads with his performances for the USA Basketball U18 National Team. Raleigh Burgess, C.J. Cox and Jack Benter round it out.
22. Syracuse Orange: Few players have risen more over the past 12-18 months than Donovan Freeman (No. 6), who is now considered one of the truly elite frontcourt players in the class. Freeman is a terrific athlete who can score in a variety of ways and contributes defensively, too. Red Autry also landed four-star guard Elijah Moore.
23. Maryland Terrapins: Kevin Willard landed the No. 1 center in the 2024 class after beating out Indiana, Houston and Kansas back in February for Baltimore native Derik Queen (No. 8). It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Terps’ offense revolve around Queen early as a freshman. Four-star guard Malachi Palmer is the second player in Maryland’s group.
24. UCLA Bruins: The Bruins will be transfer-heavy next season, but flipping McDonald’s All American point guard Trent Perry (No. 27) after he decommitted from USC was a huge coup. He’ll help Mick Cronin immediately. ESPN 100 Eric Freeny (No. 97) is also headed to Westwood.
25. Auburn Tigers: Bruce Pearl landed a top-35 prospect for the fifth straight year in Tahaad Pettiford (No. 33), while dynamic wing Jahki Howard (No. 60) joined during the early signing period.