I've Got Five On It: Five programs to watch in the 2025 cycle
The Early Signing Period for the 2024 cycle is almost here, and a healthy chunk of the major prospects in the class will be off the board by the time it closes in mid-November. With that in mind, I've Got Five On It turns its attention to the 2025 cycle with a look at five programs recruiting director Rob Cassidy is monitoring closely for five very different reasons.
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MORE: Duke's Jon Scheyer has been on a roll with five-star recruits
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1. MISSOURI TIGERS
WHY THEY ARE INTRIGUING: Because of the Tigers’ current momentum.
Dennis Gates has Mizzou recruiting at a level it has not seen in recent years, and the 2024 class sure feels like it could be a springboard of sorts to a big 2025. If Gates and company are to keep up the momentum they built this calendar year, they’ll need to once again produce on the floor and be ready for high-level recruiting warfare as they pursue such targets as Aaron Rowe, B.J. Davis-Ray, Jerry Easter and others.
Missouri currently has the No. 2 class in 2024, and recruiting success has a tendency to compound as long as on-court success follows.
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2. DUKE BLUE DEVILS
WHY THEY ARE INTRIGUING: Because of Jon Scheyer’s five-star factory.
Scheyer has coached just one season in Durham, but he has somehow already amassed 10 five-star commits since taking the reins of the program. He currently holds the No. 1 2024 class in the country, so it’s natural to want to see what the 36-year-old does for an encore in 2025.
Obviously, the recruitment of Cameron and Cayden Boozer is the top storyline to watch as the twin sons of former Duke great Carlos Boozer rank No. 2 and No. 31, respectively. That said, the Blue Devils are also involved with five-stars Meleek Thomas and Caleb Wilson.
Duke has yet to offer No. 1 overall junior AJ Dybantsa a scholarship, but ruling Scheyer out of that situation so early would be a misstep.
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3. USC TROJANS
WHY THEY ARE INTRIGUING: Because the stars are aligning in Los Angeles.
USC will obviously expand its reach across the country, but the 2025 class feels especially loaded out West. Aside from West Coast natives Koa Peat, Tounde Yessoufou and Brayden Burries, there’s also the fact that No. 1 overall prospect AJ Dybantsa is attending high school in California at Napa’s Prolific Prep.
Add in the fact that Bryce James will almost definitely be linked to the program with his brother, the much-publicized Bronny James, signed, and you have the recipe for an hyper-interesting 2025 cycle in L.A.
There will be a lot of eyes on head coach Andrew Enfield's Trojans this year because of the presence of both Bronny James and No. 1 prospect Isaiah Collier. If USC develops both prospects while winning games at a satisfactory clip, look for the recruiting momentum to snowball quickly.
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4. INDIANA HOOSIERS
WHY THEY ARE INTRIGUING: Because the Hoosiers are swimming with sharks on the trail.
The "But-can-he-recruit?" questions that surrounded Mike Woodson’s hiring a few years have died a quick death, as the third-year Indiana head coach has landed at least one five-star prospect in two straight classes. He’s also developed Jalen Hood-Schifino, not thought to be a one-and-done prospect in high school, into a lottery pick in just one season.
Woodson is no longer selling a dream. He is selling development and momentum, both of which are powerful tools on the trail. It will surprise nobody if the Hoosiers go fishing in deep recruiting waters once again in 2025. They have already made overtures to high-level players such as Meleek Thomas, Darius Acuff Jr., Joson Sanon, Jalen Haralson and others.
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5. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
WHY THEY ARE INTRIGUING: Because the Wolverines need to bounce back.
Michigan’s top-ranked 2021 class seems like eons ago, as the recruiting landscape in Ann Arbor has changed drastically in just a couple of years. Juwan Howard’s staff has not signed a five-star since its No. 1 class arrived on campus, and Michigan is coming off a season that saw it miss the NCAA Tournament.
The coming calendar year has a chance to be much better for Howard and company, as improvement on the floor could yield a high-level recruiting class, headlined by top target Darius Acuff Jr., who has already taken an official visit to Ann Arbor.
Names such as Dante Allen, Koa Peat, Meleek Thomas and Malachi Moreno are also among those worth monitoring down the road.