I've Got Five On It: Storylines from the first live period
The first grassroots live period of 2024 is officially in the books, and college coaches have returned home after making their way around the country to check in on high school prospects coast to coast.
Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy tracked the fast-paced recruiting movement over the weekend and dives into some of the more intriguing live period developments below.
More: Top prospects still available in hoops transfer portal
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NORTH CAROLINA OFFERS BRAYLON MULLINS
North Carolina doled out a handful of offers over the weekend, but none are more intriguing than the one it dished to four-star guard Braylon Mullins, an Indiana-based star and high-priority Hoosiers' target.
Mullins has turned plenty of heads in the weeks leading into the live period and is a sure bet to move up the rankings in the next update. Now, it seems Mike Woodson will find himself in a familiar spot, battling with a heavy-hitting blueblood for a national recruit. Woodson hasn’t had a ton of success winning such battles thus far in his Indiana tenure, so there will likely be enormous pressure to keep Mullins, who lives less than 80 miles away from Indiana’s campus, in state.
Mullins also lists offers from programs such as Purdue, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa and others.
RYDER FROST ANNOUNCES HIMSELF
Currently unranked in the class of 2025, New Hampshire-based wing Ryder Frost had a monster live period and announced himself to scouts and college coaches alike while running with the Middlesex Magic on the Under Armour circuit. The 6-foot-6 Frost flew under the radar until this weekend and held mostly mid-major offers until he broke out in Cincinnati, blowing college coaches away with his length, rebounding prowess and long-range shooting.
The versatile Frost has the skill set to be a top-100 prospect down the road and now lists offers from programs such as Syracuse, NC State, Wake Forest, Minnesota, Georgia Tech and Nebraska.
Frost is shooting 45 percent from long-range through seven games on the UA circuit and averaging 26 points per game. He’s likely to collect additional offers as time passes, but for now he seems particularly interested in visiting Syracuse, which is roughly a five-hour car ride away from his New Hampshire home.
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ARKANSAS, CALIPARI PRIORITIZING MALEEK THOMAS
Arkansas head coach John Calipari has long been celebrated for his prowess on the recruiting trail, and he was back at it again over the weekend, logging long flights and early mornings in pursuit of talent. One of the most telling moves he made, however, was the late-Friday flight he hopped from an adidas event in Central Texas to Indianapolis in order to be present for five-star guard’s Maleek Thomas’ 8 a.m. Nike EYBL game on Saturday.
Thomas went on record saying he intends to take an official visit to Arkansas in the near future, and it seems as though the Razorbacks staff is setting up for an attempt to seal the deal on the aforementioned trip. Calipari and company will have to hold off programs such as UConn, Baylor, Pitt and Auburn, all of whom were also keeping a close eye on Thomas over the weekend, in order to do so.
Expect Arkansas to be a player until the very end of Thomas’ recruitment, as the Razorbacks seem like a good bet to make the cut on any future list trimmings.
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POPE, KENTUCKY FIGHTING HARD TO KEEP JASPER JOHNSON HOME
Kentucky head coach Mark Pope has made massive strides in the recruitment of Lexington-based five-star Jasper Johnson since the veteran head coach took the reins of the UK program on April 12. Johnson has been rumored to be mulling a reclassification to 2024, so there may be a ticking clock on Pope’s pursuit of the in-state point guard if that remains in the plans.
Whatever the case, Pope is working as though he’s under the gun when it comes to Johnson, whom he contacted immediately after taking the Kentucky job and found quickly during last weekend’s live period on Friday. UK was represented in some fashion at most of Johnson’s EYBL games in Indy, and assistant Alvin Brooks III watched the talented point guard go off for 26 points, six rebounds and four assists during a Sunday afternoon contest.
Illinois, North Carolina, Auburn, Missouri and others are also involved with Johnson, who remains in the 2025 class for the time being. Where Johnson lands may ultimately dictate what he does on the reclassification front.
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DUKE IN EARLY FOR TOP SOPHOMORE BRANDON MCCOY
Duke isn’t exactly known for tossing out early offers, so the fact that the Blue Devils are yet to make things official with anyone in the class of 2026 should shock nobody. Still, head coach Jon Scheyer and company are definitely keeping a close eye on five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr., the No. 1 prospect in the Rivals150 for 2026. Both Scheyer and top assistant Jai Lucas were up bright and early in Indianapolis. And while McCoy didn’t turn in one of his best outings from a production standpoint, Sunday wasn’t the first time the Blue Devils staff has watched the dynamic guard.
It seems like a foregone conclusion that Duke will eventually extend an offer to McCoy, who is playing up an age group for Arizona Unity at the 17U level and will have more opportunities to impress college coaches this summer. McCoy’s grassroots teammate Cameron Holmes is also on Duke’s radar and reminded the staff why that is when he went off for 26 points with Scheyer and Lucas sitting just a few feet away.