Duke-bound mega-prospect Cooper Flagg looked like a veteran pro playing against NBA competition at a USA Basketball scrimmage this week, as the 17-year-old forward took over the game for long stretches and looked comfortable showcasing his entire bag of skill against the best the NBA has to offer. Flagg’s eye-popping performance reminded everyone that the Maine-born star is the closest thing to a sure thing that exists in the prospect ranks.
The situation inspired Rob Cassidy to sift through three classes of high school talent that are yet to play a single college game (2024, 2025 and 2026) and rank the five best bets to be one-and-done in the college ranks before landing in the NBA Draft Lottery.
Related: Ranking the contenders for four-star Kayden Mingo
*****
2025 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2026 Rankings: Rivals150
Transfer Portal: Full coverage | Player ranking | Transfer tracker | Player search
*****
1. COOPER FLAGG
The No. 1 prospect in the 2024 Rivals150, Flagg made waves in pro circles early this week when video of him torching the United States' loaded Olympic Team hit the internet and there were no shortage of buzzworthy moments or clips.
The Duke-bound forward dunked on Miami Heat All-Star Bam Adebayo, drained a 3-pointer over Lakers’ 7-footer Anthony Davis and created a number of other highlights at the expense of household NBA names.
Flagg has long looked like a sure thing. There's a reason he’s the top overall prospect in the class, after all, but his recent outing against pro competition seems to have taken the hype to the next level. Flagg is the early front-runner to go No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft and is a near-lock to hear his name called in the top five barring serious injury or some other force outside of his control.
*****
2. CAMERON BOOZER
Sure, Boozer is ranked behind higher-upside play A.J. Dybantsa as the No. 2 prospect in the 2025 Rivals150, but Boozer feels more polished, productive and consistent than the top-ranked Dybantsa at this moment.
Dybantsa possesses a loftier ceiling, but it seems clear that Boozer has the higher floor, and that’s vital when trying to project surefire one-and-dones. Both are likely lottery picks in 2026, sure, but the physically developed Boozer feels a bit more like a lock based on his skill set and consistency for the time being.
*****
3. V.J. EDGECOMBE
Like Flagg, Edgecombe has turned heads playing against pros recently and his offensive skill set continues to evolve to match his otherworldly athleticism. He’s as promising as two-way prospects come. His defense and athleticism have become his calling cards, but Edgecombe is a much better long-range shooter than he sometimes gets credit for due to the fact that his athleticism and ability to take defenders off the dribble are so buzzed about.
Stranger things have happened, sure, but Edgecome feels like an overwhelming safe bet to play just one year at Baylor, for which he will suit up this season, before landing in the 2025 draft lottery.
*****
4. A.J. DYBANTSA
Dybantsa’s long-term upside is only matched on this list by that of Flagg. The No. 1 prospect in the 2025 Rivals150, Dybantsa will look to take another large stride toward reaching his ceiling as a senior at Utah Prep, to which the five-star wing transferred this offseason. Utah Prep has only recently become a major destination for top-end talent, so Dybantsa’s development over the next six months will be under a high-powered microscope.
Dybantsa has long looked dominant and impeccably versatile for games at a time, but is still prone to letting mistakes – in both shot selection and ball security – compound on occasion. The upcoming season will be about turning in consistently dominant performances, and it’s clear that the 6-foot-9 senior has that in him. He’s a near lock for the 2026 lottery even as things stand.
*****
5. IKENNA ALOZIE
The least-known name on this list, Alozie reminds a bit of a young Edgecombe, as the two five-star prospects share an exceedingly rare level of athleticism and two-way potential.
Alozie is a better long-range shooter than Edgecombe was at this stage in his career but needs to develop more as an at-the-rim finisher and disciplined defender if he hopes to match the talented Edgecombe on those fronts.
Obviously, Alozie is a true combo guard and a couple inches shorter than the 6-foot-5 Edgecombe, who plays on the wing, but the similarities in style are obvious.
A 2026 prospect, the uncommitted Alozie is in the midst of a massive summer and feels like he could be a reclassification candidate down the road. Both his upside and his floor are encouraging at this early juncture, as he possesses NBA traits in spades.
