Portal Madness is over and the NBA Draft has passed, which means high school recruiting season is heating up. With marquee events such as the Nike EYBL Peach Jam and the Adidas 3SSB Palmetto Road Championships around the corner, it’s time to turn our attention to the next generation of college basketball stars.
Below is a breakdown of some of the top prospects in the Class of 2027, including details about their games, insights from their coaches and updates on their recruitments. Stay tuned for a lot more coverage throughout July.
Beckham Black, 6-foot-3 point guard, AB Elite
Black, the younger brother of Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black, has steadily climbed the rankings over the past year and currently sits at No. 4 in the latest 247Sports Composite. An elite floor general with exceptional court vision, Black has been one of the biggest stars on the 2026 EYBL circuit. As the leader of a stacked AB Elite squad that sits at 9-2, he’s averaging 21.5 points, 6.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from three. He helped Team USA win gold at the FIBA U17 World Cup last week, earning All-Star Five honors with averages of 12.3 points, 8.3 assists and 3.0 steals.
“He might be the best point guard that I’ve ever coached,” AB Elite coach James Stafford, who has extensive experience at the Division I level, tells Hoops HQ. “His ability to make everybody around him better, his ability to lead, his ability to see the entire floor — he could go out and score 30 every night if he wanted to, but he understands the importance of keeping everybody involved and making sure that guys get opportunities.
“Biasedly, I think he’s the best player in the country,” Stafford adds. “And to be probably our most unselfish player — that’s just a unique combination that you don’t find in people.”
Black recently added Michigan, Duke and Kansas to a long list of high-major offers. He has yet to take any official visits and told Hoops HQ’s Krysten Peek that he is letting his mom handle most of those logistics. It’s worth noting that his brother played at Arkansas under Eric Musselman, who’s now coaching at USC and offered Beckham a scholarship in July 2024.
Marcus Spears Jr., 6-foot-9 forward, Drive Nation
Considered by many to be the best all-around player in the class (No. 3 in the 247Sports Composite), Spears comes from a family of elite athletes. His father, Marcus Spears Sr., played defensive end in the NFL, while his mother, Aiysha Smith Spears, spent two seasons in the WNBA with the Washington Mystics. Both starred at LSU before turning pro. The family now resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Spears Jr. is a smooth lefty forward with a versatile skill set. He finishes strong at the rim, makes plays out of the high post and spreads the floor with an increasingly reliable three-point shot. On the other end, he has the lateral quickness to stay in front of guards and the athleticism to protect the rim. As the centerpiece of Drive Nation on the EYBL circuit, he’s averaging 20.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals while shooting 59.3 percent from the field and 52.6 percent from deep.
According to Tristan Selmon, one of Drive Nation’s coaches, Spears’ top priority during the spring and summer has been improving his body. “If you look from the beginning of the season to where he is now, you can see a big development in his appearance,” Selmon tells Hoops HQ. “He’s really committed to that, which you can see in what he’s been doing. He’s a lot quicker. He looks way stronger when he’s attacking. A lot of the time the result of that is just being able to have a little bit more agility coming from the perimeter and attacking at that first level.” Opposing coaches have been struck by how much more assertive and decisive Spears looks this season compared to a year ago.
Spears is being heavily courted by most of the nation’s premier programs, including Kentucky, Texas, Michigan and his parents’ alma mater LSU. Kentucky may have an edge considering the program already secured a commitment from Spears’ cousin, five-star guard Ryan Hampton (more on him below).
Cayden Daughtry, 6-foot point guard, Florida Rebels
No one has shined brighter than Daughtry on this year’s EYBL circuit. The consensus five-star prospect from Fort Lauderdale has led the Rebels to a 10-1 start with averages of 23.7 points (first in EYBL), 6.6 assists (second), 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals while shooting 54.1 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from three. A shifty guard with superb handles and three-level scoring ability, Daughtry often does a solid impression of his favorite NBA player of all time: Allen Iverson. Despite his small stature, Daughtry is fearless attacking the basket and relies on an extensive layup package to finish among the trees. Since last summer, he has improved considerably as a facilitator and decision-maker out of the pick-and-roll.
“What stands out to me is his confidence,” says Gary Clemons, who coached Daughtry during the 2025 EYBL season. “Every time he steps on the court, he feels like just because of him, he can win a game. He can make his teammates better. He can score for himself. To be honest, he’s the best guard I’ve ever coached. It was fun having him, because you didn’t have to run too many plays for him. He’s one of those guys who you kind of just give him the ball because he’s not going to make the wrong decision.”
With a mountain of offers to sift through, Daughtry plans to narrow his list following Peach Jam. He already scheduled a visit to Iowa for the weekend of Sept. 12, coinciding with the football team’s rivalry game against Iowa State. He told Hoops HQ’s Krysten Peek that he also wants to visit Michigan, Miami, UConn and a few more schools in the near future.
CJ Rosser, 6-foot-10 forward, Team United
The No. 1 player in the Class of 2027 (per the 247Sports Composite), Rosser is a highly skilled big man with a rare mix of size and mobility. He excels as a rim protector and has the ability to switch onto guards in pick-and-roll actions. Offensively, Rosser is comfortable handling the ball, displays great touch around the basket and continues to develop as a shooter. As his Team United coach Kasenda Young tells Hoops HQ, Rosser “plays and has an IQ like a 1990’s two-guard. He can really read screens. He really knows how to read defenses in an off-ball capacity, almost like Rip Hamilton or somebody like that used to do.”
While he’s struggled to find his range throughout the AAU season (15.5 percent from three), Rosser is still averaging 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.5 steals. His two-way upside makes him perhaps the most intriguing NBA prospect in the high school ranks, with early 2028 draft boards placing him at or near the top. “Of course, a lot of what determines success in the NBA are those intangibles beyond just your skill, because everybody can play and has immense potential,” Young says. “I think it’s his intrinsics — his competitiveness, his desire to be a top guy, his desire to be a great basketball player — that separate him.”
A native of Rocky Mount, N.C., Rosser has taken unofficial visits to UNC, Florida State, Louisville and Kentucky. He is also being pursued hard by NC State, Arkansas and Alabama. He plans to start cutting down his list in August, after the EYBL season. Young believes that a “family environment” is especially important to Rosser.
King Gibson, 6-foot-5 guard, Team United
While Rosser mans the interior for Team United, Gibson runs the show on the perimeter. The two-way combo guard from Burlington, N.C., is a consensus top-10 prospect in the 2027 class. An explosive athlete who has improved significantly as a ball-handler and outside shooter, Gibson is averaging 17.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 48.0 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from behind the arc through three EYBL sessions.
Gibson’s superpower, according to his coach Kasenda Young, is his motor. “You’re never going to find a game where you can question his effort level,” Young tells Hoops HQ. “He’s just relentless. No matter what the score is, he’s so consistent. You know what you’re going to get from King every single time out, no matter where he’s playing and who he’s playing with.”
Young likens his superstar guard to two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander because of Gibson’s ability to rack up paint touches, draw fouls and knock down threes. Gibson is particularly effective when going downhill to his right. The 18-year-old received another batch of power-five offers in May, including Arkansas, Kentucky, Syracuse, UConn and Auburn. He took an unofficial visit to Michigan in March for the Wolverines’ rivalry game against Michigan State.
10 Under-the-Radar Recruits to Watch This Summer
A closer look at 10 hidden gems in the Class of 2027 as college basketball recruiting season begins to heat up
Paul Osaruyi, 6-foot-9 forward, Arizona Unity
A five-star out of CIA Bella Vista Prep in Arizona, Osaruyi has all the physical tools to thrive at the college level. At 6-foot-9, 220 pounds with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, he outmuscles smaller defenders down low, beats slower big men off the dribble and can step out for mid-range jumpers. “This is modern day Amar’e Stoudemire,” Adeel Sahibzada, Osaruyi’s AAU and high school coach, tells Hoops HQ. “He’s a lob threat. He’s a great pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop guy. He can attack close outs. He’s extremely explosive and powerful, combined with his versatility.”
Osaruyi’s AAU numbers don’t jump off the page — 7.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game — but he has been playing virtually nonstop since his high school season began. He helped lead Bella Vista Prep to its first Chipotle Nationals championship in April, then competed in the Nike Hoop Summit before joining Arizona Unity for the EYBL circuit.
While he’s waiting until after the AAU season to dive into his recruitment, Osaruyi has already set official visits to Arkansas and North Carolina for August. He is also being courted by West Virginia, Houston, Oregon, Kentucky, Indiana and more power-fives. Three of his former Bella Vista Prep teammates — guard Miles Sadler, center Aliou Dioum and center Amadou Seini — are suiting up for the Mountaineers next year.
“Paul is a great addition to a school that has a really good point guard who can navigate the pick-and-roll well,” Sahibzada says. “I also think that a fast-paced system where a team plays more possessions in a game. Those would be some of the environments where I think he would really thrive.”
Demarcus Henry, 6-foot-7 forward, Vegas Elite
The potential is obvious with Henry, a lefty forward who epitomizes versatility with his combination of length, athleticism and guard skills. He impacts winning in a variety of ways, effortlessly stuffing the stat sheet. As a junior at AZ Compass Prep, the 17-year-old posted 12.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game to help lead his squad to a 25-3 record. He has made a leap during the AAU season, averaging 19.0 points, 9.7 rebounds (second in the EYBL), 2.7 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.4 blocks for Vegas Elite. Although his outside shot has been inconsistent, Henry still manages to score efficiently and always contributes on the defensive end.
Henry’s recruitment picked up steam following a stellar performance at EYBL Session II in mid-May. He added offers from North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky, Arkansas, UConn and more high-majors. Asked by Hoops HQ’s Krysten Peek about the most important factors weighing into his decision, Henry said, “a program that’ll push me to be better and help me reach my ultimate goal, which is the NBA. And a school that will hold me accountable, doesn’t let me be comfortable and keeps pushing me to be better and helps me grow and learn. That’s really the most important thing. Also a family culture.”
Henry has two older siblings who play sports at Ohio State. His brother, Chris, recently joined the football team, while his sister, Seini, is entering her sophomore season on the women’s basketball squad. Demarcus received an offer from the Buckeyes in May 2025.
Adan Diggs, 6-foot-4 guard, Vegas Elite
A native of Phoenix who stars for Millenium High School, Diggs reclassified from 2028 to 2027 and remained a consensus top-five prospect. With crafty handles, advanced footwork and a smooth jumper, the 17-year-old is a special offensive talent capable of taking over games. He also utilizes his athleticism to make plays on defense and contribute on the glass.
Playing alongside Henry on the EYBL circuit, Diggs is averaging 19.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.7 steals for Vegas Elite. “He’s a three-level scorer and a selfless passer. He can really do it all on offense,” Henry told Hoops HQ’s Krysten Peek about Diggs. “He’s just an all-around offensive threat. He can sit on defense as well. He’s the best guard in the country.”
Of course, Diggs’ recruitment has intensified since he classed up. He can now communicate with coaches directly and has begun to explore potential visits (he took unofficials to USC and UCLA last November). Among his many suitors are Arizona (where his former high school teammate Cameron Holmes plays), BYU, Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina and Texas.
Lewis Uvwo, 6-foot-11 center, Nightrydas
About five months ago, Uvwo was an obscure prospect who had just moved from his home country of Nigeria to the United States. Amid a sensational AAU season with Nightrydas, he has shot up the rankings from 154 to 23, establishing himself as one of the top centers in the 2027 class.
Before landing at Prolific Prep this winter, Uvwo spent a year at NBA Academy Africa in Senegal, an elite training center for the best high school players on the African continent. At 6-foot-11 with a remarkable 7-foot-7 wingspan, the 18-year-old has earned a reputation as the best rim protector on the EYBL circuit. His offensive game still needs polishing, but he is already an elite lob threat who runs the floor well. According to Nightrydas coach David McDaniel III, Uvwo has made significant strides as a rebounder as well. The big man is currently averaging 10.4 points, 8.6 boards and 5.3 blocks through 11 outings.
“His energy is the number one thing that stands out,” McDaniel tells Hoops HQ. “And you can jumble that up with his charisma. The way he plays the game, it’s pressure free, like he’s just out there enjoying the process. He’s able to be himself, and I think good things happen when you just have that flow about yourself and your game. That’s what really separates him.”
Uvwo received his first offer (BYU) while still at NBA Academy Africa. He has piled up a whole lot more in the past two months, including Baylor, LSU, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, Kansas, Florida and Duke. “Being in an environment that definitely focuses on development — I think that’s key (for him),” McDaniel says. “Because I feel like there’s a lot of room for improvement for him to get to that ultimate next level. I know his end game is that he wants to be a pro.”
Ryan Hampton, 6-foot-6 wing, Nightrydas (Committed to Kentucky)
Hampton committed to the Wildcats in June, becoming one of the first five-stars off the board. He is Mark Pope’s highest-ranked recruit (No. 12 in the 247Sports Composite) since taking over at Kentucky. A dynamic wing who can fill it up offensively, Hampton is the younger brother of former NBA guard RJ Hampton, who played for the Nuggets, Magic, Pistons and Heat before signing a deal with Changsha Yongsheng of China’s National Basketball League in 2025.
After opening the EYBL season with LivOn, Hampton joined Nightrydas ahead of Session III in May and helped the program go 4-0. Coach David McDaniel III was very impressed with how well Hampton handled the transition, which bodes well for his move to Kentucky next year. Hampton has sometimes been labeled selfish because of his high shot volume, but McDaniel says that perception is misguided. “I feel like he was just in an environment where he had to be that guy and had to take a bunch of shots to keep his team in the game and have opportunities,” McDaniel tells Hoops HQ. “But he’s such an unselfish kid. He’s just about winning. He came over and the first conversation that we had with him, there was no ego involved. It was just, ‘How do I help this team maximize its potential?’”
Across four outings, Hampton averaged 21.0 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 37.5 percent from three. His professional approach and work ethic also stood out to the Nightrydas staff. “He was very coachable,” McDaniel adds. “Responded very well. He just brought a different layer to our team dynamic, in terms of just being a pro.”
Malachi Jordan, 6-foot-7 forward, Oakland Soldiers
The latest star to suit up for the Oakland Soldiers — the former program of No. 1 prospects Tyran Stokes and AJ Dybantsa — Jordan is one of the best athletes in the 2027 class. The do-it-all wing is big, strong, agile and bouncy. He is a lockdown perimeter defender who presents a lot of matchup problems on the other end, especially when his outside shot is falling. Through two EYBL sessions, the 17-year-old is averaging 18.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.7 steals.
“He’s a superstar athlete,” Oakland Soldiers assistant coach Cameron Quick tells Hoops HQ. “He’s learning how to play better in space. He’s really unselfish, wants to see other players score and do well. And he can defend one through five. I think in today’s era of basketball, having a guy who can do that — who can switch out and guard a point guard or guard a big and rebound, then push the ball himself. That’s special. You combine all that in one player, you get a Malachi Jordan.”
Quick sees Jordan thriving at a college that prioritizes defense, plays a physical brand of basketball and allows him to operate in space. A Nashville native, Jordan has already scheduled official visits to Tennessee (Sept. 25) and Alabama (Oct. 9). He is also hearing a lot from Kansas, Baylor and Arkansas. When he played for Team USA at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in June, Jordan was coached by Alabama’s Nate Oats.
Davion Thompson, 6-foot-2 point guard, Meanstreets (Committed to Arkansas)
The next in a long line of gifted guards to suit up for John Calipari, Thompson committed to Arkansas in mid-June, picking the Razorbacks over Baylor, Michigan and Vanderbilt. Calipari helped seal the deal by flying to Mexico to watch Thompson represent Team USA in the FIBA U18 AmeriCup, where the 17-year-old averaged 9.8 points and 3.2 assists while shooting 37.5 percent from three. Like Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas’ star point guard in 2025-26, the lefty Thompson brings both elite scoring and playmaking. He checks nearly every box for a floor general, excelling as a perimeter shooter, pick-and-roll ball-handler and facilitator.
As the leader of MeanStreets on the EYBL circuit, Thompson is averaging 21.7 points (second in the league), 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists (against just 1.4 turnovers). He is shooting a staggering 51.9 percent from behind the arc on 7.7 attempts per game.
Speculation has mounted that Thompson will reclassify and join the Razorbacks’ stacked 2026 recruiting class, which includes five-star guards Jordan Smith Jr. and JJ Andrews. Without Thompson, Arkansas already projects as one of the top teams in the SEC, currently ranked No. 17 in Hoops HQ’s Never-Too-Early Top 25.
Ahmed Nur, 6-foot-9 forward, Power Five
There has been tremendous buzz about Nur since the sharpshooting forward from Minnesota won MVP of the prestigious NBPA Top 100 Camp earlier this summer. In front of hundreds of college coaches, the four-star prospect — nicknamed “Slim” — averaged 14.8 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 64 percent from the field and 58 percent from three. He has also made a splash on the Adidas 3SSB circuit as a member of the Milwaukee-based program Power Five.
“He’s a positional matchup nightmare,” Power Five coach Chuck Smith tells Hoops HQ about Nur. “When power forwards try to guard him, they’re too slow. They’ll try to put a five-man on him, that won’t work. They’ll try to put a smaller, scrappier guy underneath him to try to disrupt him, but Slim has the mindset and the emotional maturity to know not to fight and play around with those smaller guards — he just takes those guys to the block and shoots over them. So positionally it’s just hard to match up with him because he can hit you from so many different angles.”
Smith believes that Nur “has the potential to be a top-five or top-10 player in his class.” Right now, the 17-year-old sits at No. 38 in the 247Sports Composite. He will be transferring from Hopkins High School to Bella Vista Prep for his senior campaign. In the last month alone, Nur has picked up more than 20 power-five offers, including Purdue, Minnesota, Kansas, BYU, Texas, Indiana and Alabama. He took an official visit to Purdue and an unofficial to Minnesota in June.
Nasir Anderson, 6-foot-4 point guard, Atlanta Celtics
A consensus top-10 prospect out of powerhouse Prolific Prep, Anderson could easily be a star on the football field with his blend of speed, explosiveness, force and physicality. When he gets downhill, the 16-year-old is incredibly difficult to stop. He has shown an ability to either rise above, power through or maneuver around big men at the rim. He can also be a pest defensively, hounding opposing guards to force turnovers.
Anderson has drawn comparisons to another former prize recruit from Georgia: four-time NBA All-Star Anthony Edwards. Playing for the Atlanta Celtics on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, Anderson is averaging 18.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.3 steals while shooting 51.3 percent from the field. This past high school season, he was teammates with Class of 2026 five-stars Caleb Holt (Arizona) and Bruce Branch III (BYU).
The offers have continued to pour in for Anderson, who recently added LSU, Providence and UCLA to his long list. He has heard a lot from Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana. “I’m just looking for a school that’s going to show interest in my point guard position and ultimately just get me ready for the next level, because the goal is to go one-and-done,” Anderson told Hoops HQ’s Krysten Peek. “So I’m looking for a great development year in my year at that school and just for it to feel like a home.”
Reese Alston, 6-foot-2 point guard, Cooz Elite
The son of former NBA player Rafer “Skip 2 My Lou” Alston, Reese shined at the NBPA Top 100 Camp in June and has been lighting up the PUMA NXTPro Circuit all spring. Similar to his father, “Lil Skip” is a lightning quick, shifty lead guard with tremendous handles. He has great scoring instincts and is tough to keep out of the paint, where he thrives as both a finisher and facilitator. As a junior at Houston Second Baptist High School, he averaged 22.2 points, 5.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.7 steals, leading the program to its second consecutive TAPPS Class 5A title.
Alston is weighing offers from dozens of high-majors. He has already taken official visits to Louisville, Purdue, Wichita State and SMU, as well as an unofficial to Kentucky. It’s clear that Louisville coach Pat Kelsey has made Alston a priority, as the Cardinals paid an in-home visit to the five-star recruit in April. Among the schools that have entered the race in the past month are Villanova, Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Ole Miss.
Meet your guide
