Rivals Rankings Week: Biggest storylines from updated Rivals150 rankings
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The Rivals150 for the class of 2025 has received its facelift. The name at the top of the list remains familiar, as five-star wing A.J. Dybantsa narrowly defended his turf, but there were other significant moves abound in the update.
Below, Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy discusses some of the more high-profile shifts and storylines that defined the rankings refresh
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Monday: Five-Star Countdown
Tuesday: Full 2025 Rivals150 released | Top storylines
Wednesday: New 2025 position rankings released
Thursday: Team rankings spotlight
Friday: Rankings Roundtable
THE BATTLE FOR THE TOP SPOT TIGHTENS
Truth be told, I was extremely tempted to rank Cameron Boozer No. 1 in this update based on his remarkable consistency, winning pedigree and his ability to stuff box scores day in and day out for years. He even sat on the No. 1 line on our internal spreadsheet for a bit. The fact that he seems to win at every level, including in multiple head-to-head showdowns with current No. 1 A.J. Dybantsa, pushed me to the verge of making a change at the top.
Ultimately, other Rivals rankings contributors talked me out of it during our meetings, but it’s a situation we'll be monitoring during the high school season.
That’s all to say, we here at Rivals don’t view Dybantsa’s lead as insurmountable. Yes, part of our jobs is projecting through the NBA Draft, and Dybantsa’s body type, fluidity, perimeter skills and versatility give him a higher upside than that of the slightly more limited Boozer.
Still, there's something to be said about Boozer’s high floor and near-zero bust factor. You could make a strong case for either mega-prospect as the No. 1 player in the country, and it’s becoming bizarre that so few are willing to make the one for Boozer.
HELLO, MATTHEW ABEL
I was one of the first national voices to write about Abel back in 2022 and was impressed by his long-term potential at that time. The 6-foot-5 Miami commit experienced some peaks and valleys in the year or so that followed and couldn’t quite find consistent footing from a development standpoint … until this summer.
The long, smooth guard took massive steps forward this year playing with Austin Rivers SE Elite on the adidas circuit and looked like the kind of player most thought he could one day become for most of the grassroots season.
Today, Abel was rewarded with a Rivals150 debut at No. 25. The massive jump was the product of turning potential into production and developing a reliable jumper from deep. He also showed some shot-creation prowess and an improved handle.
NATE AMENT VAULTS INTO TOP FIVE
Speaking of prospects that turned sky-high potential into consistent production, few have done such a thing at a higher level than Nate Ament. The long, skilled combo forward has an all-around game that includes long-range shooting, shot blocking, defensive versatility and the ability to take defenders off the bounce.
Ament was No. 10 prior to today’s update but now checks in at No. 4. He is considering programs such as Duke, Virginia, Kansas, Kentucky and others
CHRIS CENAC CONTINUES HIS CLIMB
Chris Cenac jumped from outside the top 100 into the top 20 earlier this year and his play for YGC36 on the upstart Puma PRO16/NXT League in addition to other high-profile settings proved that climb wasn't nearly large enough. These days, Cenac sits on the No. 6 line thanks to his development trajectory and the fact that his physical tools and recent play have placed him directly in the one-and-done discussion.
The uncommitted Cenac is all of 6-foot-10 and is still a reliable long-range shooter, He’s also a reliable rebounder that manages to impact games even on the rare occasions when he isn’t scoring in bunches.
He needs to add more muscle in the year ahead, but the projections on that front are encouraging due to the fact that he’s one of the younger prospects in the 2025 class.
Cenac is considering programs such as Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee, LSU, Michigan State and Texas.
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2027 Rankings: Top 60
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