August is a vital month in recruiting, as major national prospects are setting official visits and narrowing their lists of options with their eyes pointed toward fall decisions. As that takes place the picture of many programs' recruiting boards is starting to clear. So too then are the must-get prospects for a number of coaching staffs.
RUMOR MILL: Latest buzz on three top prospects
*****
2025 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2026 Rankings: Rivals150
Transfer Portal: Full coverage | Player ranking | Transfer tracker | Player search
*****
Must get for: Indiana
A cocktail of factors have combined to make everything Indiana does this year feel massively important. The fact that the Hoosiers missed the NCAA tournament a year ago and limped to the recruiting finish while doing so has a lot of people in and around Bloomington on edge these days.
Losing Malachi Moreno to Kentucky last week was probably annoying, but that disappointment will pale in comparison to what happens if the Hoosiers watch one of the top-ranked prospects in their own state walk away to Notre Dame, Purdue, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri or Michigan State. The year ahead will either see Mike Woodson restore some of the good will he lost last season or place him squarely on the hot seat.
What happens with Haralson won’t determine that, but it will play a role in shaping public perception as the season plays out.
*****
Must get for: Villanova
The post-Jay Wright era of Villanova hoops has gotten off to a less-than-ideal start, as the proud program has failed to make the NCAA tournament in its first two seasons under Kyle Neptune. The Villanova faithful desperately need good news, and Allen’s recruitment should be layup on that front. His father, Malik Allen, played four years with the program before landing in the NBA as an undrafted free agent.
The Wildcats are in possession of Allen’s final visit, a scheduled Sept. 21 trip that Neptune hopes seals the deal. Allen is also considering Georgia, Notre Dame and Tennessee. If he decides to go elsewhere, it will certainly seem like a harbinger of sorts, as losing the faith of legacy prospects isn’t exactly a positive indicator for the future.
There will rightfully be some loud grumbles from the fanbase should Allen choose to blaze his own path instead of following his dad’s footsteps.
*****
Must get for: Arizona
Arizona started to feel like the leader for Peat a few weeks back, and the Wildcats are in possession of the five-star’s last scheduled official visit (Oct. 4) as things stand. The program would badly like to kick off its Big 12 era by keeping an in-state star with blueblood options home for college, and that seems like an extremely attainable goal at this juncture. Arizona has hosted Peat for numerous unofficial visits already and feels good about where it stands with its top 2025 target.
Still, programs such as Baylor, Arkansas and Duke are laying in the weeds and should be seen as threats.
*****
Must get for: Kansas
Kansas will likely be fine with or without the hyper-talented Peterson, but the Jayhawks would absolutely love to have him. His importance to this class is galvanized by the fact that KU has taken a step back with other elite guards it was once heavily pursuing in the interest of letting Peterson know he’s the staff’s top priority.
Things on that front seem to be going well, however, as the Jayhawks are considered the leader to land the five-star’s pledge. The resources and time Bill Self and company have sunk into their pursuit of the Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep star may force them to scramble for backup options If things take an unforeseen downward turn at the 11th hour, however.
*****
Must get for: UNLV
Legitimate chances to land top-50 prospects have not come around often for UNLV in recent years. Because of that, it feels like the Rebels need to strike when the opportunity is there, and landing the Las Vegas-based Staton feels like a legitimate possibility for the in-state program.
Staton has been on record multiple times saying how close he feels to head coach Kevin Kruger and his staff, and says he is most comfortable with the hometown team. Arizona was once seen as a threat to snag Staton’s commitment but pulled back in recent weeks, leaving BYU and Michigan as the main obstacles in UNLV’s road to keeping the four-star center home.
