All articles tagged with #college basketball recruiting
After the July live periods, Rivals analyst Jamie Shaw breaks down the current recruiting boards and predicts where top uncommitted 2027 players—CJ Rosser, Adan Diggs, Beckham Black, and Demarcus Henry—would commit if they decided today.
Marcus Spears Jr., the No. 1 prospect in the 2027 class, will reclassify to 2026 and enroll at Texas this season, boosting the Longhorns to No. 5 in CBS Sports’ early Top 25 And 1 rankings. The piece notes Spears’ choice over Arizona, LSU and Kentucky, his two-year college plan before the NBA, and mentions UCLA adding Nikola Kusturica as part of broader ranking adjustments with other programs returning key players and bringing in transfers.
Five-star forward Marcus Spears Jr. reclassifies to the 2026 class and commits to Texas, accelerating his college debut and potentially altering UNC’s 2027 plans as the Longhorns add a top-10 prospect to a rising roster.
UCLA secured Serbia’s Nikola Kusturica for the 2026-27 season with a multiyear NIL agreement, positioning him as a top prospect for the 2028 NBA Draft; the 4-star, 17-year-old wing starred for FC Barcelona and Serbia (notably 37 points in the FIBA U17 World Cup final) and was viewed as UCLA’s top target over Michigan before Dusty May’s Mavericks hire shifted the recruitment, joining a Bruins class that aims to return to title contention.
Five-star, 7-foot center Obinna Ekezie Jr. commits to Louisville and will reclassify to 2026, choosing the Cardinals over Arkansas, BYU, Kentucky and Maryland. He joins a loaded class including Flory Bidunga and multiple transfers, says the move will accelerate development and give Louisville a championship-ready core as he eyes immediate impact at the 4/5.
Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 class, committed to Kansas over Kentucky and Oregon, giving the Jayhawks their fifth pledge in the cycle. The 6-foot-7 small forward from Rainier Beach (WA) is a Louisville native who joins fellow 2026 commits Tay Kinney, Davion Adkins, Trent Perry and Luke Barnett. Stokes cited coach Bill Self’s early trust as a key reason for choosing Kansas, while scouting notes highlight his elite size, explosiveness and potential as a multi-level scorer as he continues to develop into a primary alpha player.
Kansas landed Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 prospect in the 2026 class per 247Sports, choosing Kansas over Kentucky and Oregon. The commitment caps Kansas's haul as the top-ranked 2026 class and gives Bill Self a premier talent for the 2026-27 season. Stokes is a 6'7, 230-pound forward with a 7' wingspan, known for downhill burst and guard-like creation, potentially eyeing the 2027 NBA top-pick. Self returned for at least one more season and Kansas added Stokes alongside Kinney, Adkins, Perry and Barnett to boost its ceiling, while Kentucky is rebuilding via the transfer portal with only one high school commit for 2026.
Miikka Muurinen, a 6-foot-10 Finnish forward and top international talent in the 2026 class (No. 15 Rivals), has committed to Arkansas after narrowing a field of about 25 offers. The 19-year-old joins a loaded Razorbacks class alongside Jordan Smith Jr., JJ Andrews and Abdou Toure, after stints with Partizan Belgrade in the EuroLeague and earlier high-school stops at Sunrise Christian (KS) and AZ Compass Prep (AZ). He played limited minutes last season (2.4 points, 1.6 rebounds in 7.6 minutes) before leaving Partizan in February.
Five-star point guard Dylan Mingo, Rivals’ No. 1 at his position and No. 2 overall in the 2026 class, decommitted from North Carolina and will reopen his recruitment after UNC’s coaching change from Hubert Davis to Michael Malone. The Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) standout missed most of his senior season due to injury but previously excelled on the Nike EYBL (19.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.6 apg, 2.3 spg) and won NBPA Top-100 Camp MVP. UNC’s 2026 class now has only two high school commits (Maximo Adams and Malloy Smith). Malone also landed transfer guard Neoklis Avdalas from Virginia Tech. Mingo’s decommitment reshapes the recruitment landscape as programs pursue one of the top guards in the cycle.
Tyran Stokes posted 15 points on 6-11 shooting with 2 rebounds and 2 steals in 25 minutes for the USA, fouling out on a late, questionable charge with 56 seconds left as World forced overtime. The USA pulled away in the extra period to win 102-100, keeping Stokes in the Kentucky visit conversation after Kansas had previously been favored.
BYU landed 5-star wing Bruce Branch, who announced on ESPN's NBA Today that he is committing to BYU and reclassifying to the 2026 class (from 2027). Branch stands 6-foot-7 and plays for Prolific Prep Florida (formerly Perry HS, AZ); he is ranked #6 in the 2026 cycle by 247Sports. A scout compared him to Mikal Bridges for shot-making, length and defense. BYU pursued Branch for months, hosting an official visit on Jan 26; the commitment highlights Kevin Young's recruiting reach and booster support. Branch is a knockdown shooter and high-end scoring wing who could be a 2027 lottery pick if he declares early, and he should help BYU replace departing players while contending for Big 12 Freshman of the Year next season. This marks BYU's third straight year landing a 5-star recruit (Demin and AJ Dybantsa previously).