The fall recruiting season is in full swing as the Class of 2026 takes shape. Many of the top players are still uncommitted, but official visits and early commitments are giving a sneak peek at where things stand.
Here’s an inside look at some of the top uncommitted prospects and how their recruitments are currently unfolding, with a predicted destination for each player. Keep in mind that many of these recruitments are still in their early stages, so those predictions are likely to change as events unfold.
Player rankings in the class are according to the 247Sports Composite.
Tyran Stokes (No. 1)
Stokes is inching closer to a college decision, and the race appears to be narrowing. After taking visits to all five of his finalists — Kentucky, Kansas, Oregon, USC and Louisville — sources indicate that Kentucky has emerged as the clear favorite. While Kansas was heavily involved throughout the process and Oregon made a strong push, USC and Louisville have faded from contention within the last month.
The 6-foot-7 forward, who grew up in Louisville, Ky. until the age of nine, has kept his recruitment largely under wraps, but momentum is building toward an announcement that could come sooner rather than later. One major development that may have shifted the recruitment is his recent signing with Nike, a move that likely hurt Kansas’ chances down the stretch (KU is an Adidas school) and gave Kentucky even more of an edge. While nothing is official yet, all signs point to Mark Pope and the Wildcats being in the driver’s seat for the country’s top prospect.
PREDICTION: Kentucky
Jordan Smith Jr. (No. 2)
Smith continues to trend toward Duke, a program that has long been viewed as the favorite in his recruitment. The Blue Devils have built a strong pipeline to powerhouse Paul VI (Va.), Smith’s high school, landing notable names like Jeremy Roach, Trevor Keels and, most recently, Darren Harris and Pat Ngongba. That longstanding connection has fueled speculation that Smith could be next in line.
While Duke remains in pole position, the springy 6-foot-2 guard from Fairfax has done his due diligence. He has taken a visit to Arkansas, while Georgetown has always presented a potential local threat. This weekend he made a stop at Kentucky, signaling that Pope still intends to make a late push. Even with those programs in the mix, momentum still points toward Durham. A decision is expected within the next month, and unless something changes, Duke looks poised to add another Paul VI product to its roster.
PREDICTION: Duke
Cam Williams (No. 4)
Williams still seems to be in the early stages of his recruitment, with plenty of key visits left on the calendar and no timeline for a decision just yet. So far, the 6-foot-11 forward out of Phoenix, Ariz. has taken trips to Purdue, SMU and Texas, with the Longhorns currently standing out the most among that trio. But the real shake-up could come as he begins his next round of visits, which includes bluebloods Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina, as well as local power Arizona. All four programs carry significant weight and have the power to change the trajectory of any recruitment.
Arizona in particular is a school to keep a close eye on. The Wildcats have been consistently mentioned as a serious contender for Williams and are making him a top priority, especially with the expectation that freshman Koa Peat could be one-and-done. Duke is another legitimate threat and could rise quickly depending on how the upcoming visit goes. Still, with so many heavy hitters involved and no school having separated from the pack just yet, this recruitment feels like one that could extend into the spring unless someone steps up and absolutely blows him away. This one is still in the early stages, so my prediction could very well change in the coming weeks and months.
PREDICTION: Arizona
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Caleb Holt (No. 5)
Holt’s recruitment remains one of the more open-ended among top prospects in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-5 guard from New Market, Ala. is being heavily pursued by a number of major programs, with Arizona, Kentucky, Arkansas, Providence, Ole Miss and Alabama currently the most active in his recruitment. While many top players are starting to narrow things, Holt’s process appears far from over, as he is seemingly in no rush to make a decision.
Alabama, Kentucky and Providence are three programs to keep a particularly close eye on, but Arizona may have made a move after hosting him for a visit this past week that reportedly went very well. Still, with more visits expected, there’s a long way to go here. One notable development: Holt recently canceled a scheduled visit to Auburn and it is unclear whether that visit will be rescheduled. As it stands, there’s no clear-cut leader, and this recruitment is shaping up to stretch deep into college basketball season.
PREDICTION: Alabama
Dylan Mingo (No. 6)
Mingo has been active on the visit trail this fall with several major programs in the mix for the five-star guard. UConn, Miami, Alabama and Washington were among the first to host him, while Baylor got him on campus this past weekend and is quietly becoming a school to watch. His former Long Island Lutheran teammate, VJ Edgecombe, took a similar route, committing to Baylor before becoming a one-and-done and now playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 6-foot-5 guard from Glen Head, N.Y. also visited Penn State, where his brother is currently a freshman, but the Nittany Lions aren’t expected to be a serious contender in the end. According to a source, Mingo still plans to visit NC State, Oklahoma and North Carolina in the coming weeks, keeping several high-major programs firmly in the mix. A commitment is now likely expected sometime in December, but there’s still plenty to unfold before Mingo makes anything official.
PREDICTION: UConn
Anthony Thompson (No. 7)
Thompson trimmed his list to six schools this week, with Ohio State, Indiana, Kentucky, Texas, Michigan and North Carolina still involved. The 6-foot-8 forward from Lebanon, Ohio has wrapped up all of his visits and is set to announce his college decision on Oct. 21.
As his recruitment enters the final stretch, Ohio State and Indiana have emerged as the two programs most frequently mentioned. Sources indicate that Ohio State made the strongest offer early on, but Indiana has since upped its offer and turned this into a true head-to-head battle between Big Ten rivals. With both schools pushing hard down the stretch, this one could go either way as decision day approaches.
PREDICTION: Indiana
Christian Collins (No. 8)
Collins continues to take a steady approach to his process, with Kentucky, UCLA, USC, Oregon and Tennessee emerging as the main programs in pursuit. The 6-foot-8 forward from Bellflower, Calif. has already taken official visits to Kentucky, USC and Oregon, with UCLA having hosted him this weekend and Tennessee scheduled for the end of the month to wrap up his visits. Each of the five programs has made Collins a priority, but USC continues to generate the most traction and remains the program most closely tied to his recruitment.
The belief throughout much of Collins’ recruitment has been that USC holds the upper hand, and that still appears to be the case. While Kentucky and UCLA could potentially pose a threat down the line, USC remains the school most consistently mentioned as his likely destination. Collins doesn’t appear close to a decision just yet and could trim his list further before committing, but for now, the Trojans are the team to beat.
PREDICTION: USC
Baba Oladotun (No. 10)
Oladotun’s recruitment has been one of the more intriguing storylines in recent months. After reclassifying up to 2026 over the summer from his original 2027 class, where he was considered the No. 1 overall prospect, Oladotun has started to settle into the new recruiting cycle. The 6-foot-10 small forward and Silver Spring, Md. native has already taken visits to Virginia Tech, Maryland and Georgetown, with the latter two emerging as early favorites. Georgetown and Maryland both offer proximity to home, while Virginia Tech presents a family tie, as Oladotun’s father played there during his college career.
Looking ahead, Oladotun has a visit to Kentucky scheduled in the coming weeks and is also considering trips to Arkansas, Villanova, Tennessee and potentially a few others. While several programs remain active, Georgetown and Maryland have generated the most consistent buzz to this point. Maryland head coach Buzz Williams has been a consistent presence at Oladotun’s high school, while Georgetown’s Ed Cooley made a strong impression on Baba’s official visit. There is no set timeline for a commitment, and this recruitment could extend into the high school season as Oladotun and his family continue to evaluate their options.
PREDICTION: Maryland
Brandon McCoy (No. 10)
One of the most sought-after guards in the Class of 2026, the 6-foot-5 guard out of Bellflower, Calif. continues to draw heavy attention from some of the nation’s top programs. Arkansas has been a steady presence after hosting him on a visit in September, while Michigan has started to gain real traction after Dusty May and his staff were in to see him at Border League last weekend before hosting him on a visit this weekend. Alabama and Miami have both hosted McCoy, and Oregon and USC are among the programs expected to get visits in the coming weeks or months. Duke hosted him for his first official visit last year, but there hasn’t been much noise on that front since. McCoy also recently signed with Nike, a development that could add another layer of intrigue to an already competitive recruitment.
At this stage, there’s no rush toward a decision, and all signs point to McCoy taking his time before announcing, likely sometime in the winter or early spring. Michigan has quietly become one of the schools to watch, while Arkansas continues to remain firmly in the mix. With more visits still ahead and plenty of programs pushing, this recruitment is far from settled and could evolve quickly in the months to come.
PREDICTION: Michigan
