The Rivals150 for 2025 is set to refresh just before September gives way to October and internal conversations about big moves have begun at Rivals. The rankings are not set to release until next week but national recruiting analyst Rob Cassidy is already focused on the update. Today, he shares five pressing rankings questions he and his rankings contributors will need to answer before the new Rivals150 releases next Tuesday.
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WHO’S NO. 1?
The conversation around the top spot in the Rivals150 persits in earnest, as the weekend saw No. 1 ranked A.J. Dybantsa and No. 2 prospect Cameron Boozer face off when Boozers’ Pinecrest (Fla.) Christopher Columbus High met a Utah Prep team led by Dybantsa on Sunday. The headline coming out of the contest was Dybantsa’s 43 points, a healthy chunk of which came from the perimeter.
Dybantsa’s big night was matched by Boozer, however, as the uncommitted forward went off for 42 points and 15 rebounds in yet another head-to-head victory over the country’s top prospect. The 6-foot-9 Dybantsa’s versatility and upside are tantalizing and each outshines that of Boozer, but there’s still something to say about winning and that should be said about the Duke legacy prospect, who had come up on the right side of every meeting he's ever had with Dybantsa in both the high school ranks and the grassroots circuit.
The gap between the two mega-prospects remains thin as we head into this month's rankings refresh, and an animated internal conversation between Rivals rankings contributors will be waged before the new Rivals150 is released.
WHERE WILL MIAMI COMMIT MATTHEW ABLE DEBUT IN THE RANKINGS?
Matthew Able has been on the Rivals national radar for years. The forward first made an impression at the Double Trouble Academy Camp outside Atlanta in September of 2022. It’s been a bit of an up-and-down ride for Able since then, however, as his clear potential showed signs of giving way to elite production on and off for more than a year before the 6-foot-5 wing put together a hyper-impressive summer running with Austin Rivers Southeast Elite on the adidas circuit this summer. These days, the unranked Able looks the part of a top-50 prospect and could push his way toward the top 30 based on his reliable long-range shooting ability, defensive versatility and plus athleticism.
HOW HIGH SHOULD SHON ABAEV RISE?
Shon Abaev had a nice spring and summer on the grassroots circuit and was set to slide up from his current No. 46 slot based on that. The exclamation mark he put on his run with an MVP performance at the Under Armour Elite 24 event in Brooklyn last month changed the conversation for buzz about a slight bump to a possible assault on the top-25.
At the event, Abaev chained against high level competition, functioning in a story of point forward role and showing off a tight-handle and long-range shot making ability in addition to his knack for taking defenders off the bounce. After the event, most who witnessed his two-day dominance agreed that he looked every bit a top-30 prospect in the 2025 class. Where he’ll land inside that range is the only question left to answer.
HOW HIGH IS HIGH ENOUGH FOR CHRIS CENAC?
Chris Cenac is no stranger to big rankings bumps as the last refresh saw the Link Academy standout jump from No. 37 to No. 16 in the Rivals150 and that 21-spot move still seems to have not been enough, as the 6-foot-10 forward spent the summer not only outperforming many of the players ranked in front of him but also looking like the more-complete and reliable long-term prospect.
Cenac is one of the younger prospects in the class of 2025 and is already a plus rebounder in addition to his knack for knocking down catch-and-shoot 3-pointers and finishing around the basket with soft touch. His level of fluidity at his size is pretty rare for young forwards, and that, along with his physical tools, make him easy to project as a college star. The top certainly isn’t out of reach for Cenac, and the top five is in play.
WHAT OF EILI ELLIS?
One of the most productive prospects in high school basketball, Ellis is a bit of a polarizing figure in the scouting community because of his lack of length and the fact that his game is unlikely to translate to the highest levels of pro hoops. Meanwhile, he feels like a near lock to make a massive impact on the college level as his confidence, three-level scoring ability and motor make him impossible to ignore when he takes the floor.
Ellis had another productive summer running with multiple teams on multiple grassroots circuits and started to convert some doubters into believers in the process. Whatever anyone thinks about the 6-foot guard, there’s absolutely no denying his effectiveness and the fact that he has the tools to make an impact for South Carolina, to which he is committed. His current No. 97 ranking feels a bit too low for one of the more consistently productive members of the 2025 class, as Ellis is starting to dispel any doubt of his ability to be a four-year standout in the SEC
