Published Jan 19, 2023
Rivals Rankings Week: Cameron Boozer remains atop the 2025 rankings
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Rob Cassidy  •  Rivals Network Hoops Hub
Basketball Recruiting Director
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Rivals.com’s rankings for the 2025 class have doubled in size and now include 80 of the top sophomores from across the country. The second iteration of the list features a slew of new names and some drastic movement by familiar faces.

The king stays king, however, as Cameron Boozer retained his stranglehold on the top spot. Below, national analyst Rob Cassidy examines a handful of important storylines that emerged in this update.

2023 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Point guards | Shooting guards | Small forwards | Power forwards | Centers

2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team

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RIVALS RANKING WEEK

Monday: Top 10 Countdown for 2023

Tuesday: New Rivals150 released | Top storylines in new Rivals150

Wednesday: New position rankings for 2023

Thursday: New 2025 rankings released

Friday: Rankings Roundtable

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THE RACE FOR THE TOP SPOT TIGHTENS 

There wasn’t any movement at the top of the rankings in its second interaction. That said, the gap separating No. 1 Cameron Boozer and No. 2 Cooper Flagg probably isn’t as large as it once was. The more physically developed Boozer is the more consistent producer at this early juncture and has asserted himself in big matchups on huge stages almost every chance he gets. He appears more polished and confident on the floor and he’s the better finisher in and around the paint.

Flagg’s upside and versatility, however, continue to suggest he has the juice to surpass Boozer at some point should his development from a strength and physicality standpoint continue. Flagg handles the ball a bit better than his competition and seems to have a more wide-ranging perimeter game.

Boozer’s production, defense, basketball IQ and ability to create shots in the lane, however, simply can not be ignored. The two mega-prospects have separated themselves from the pack, and it seems as though the battle for the top spot will include both for the long haul.

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CALEB WILSON MAKES SPLASH IN HIS RANKINGS DEBUT 

Caleb Wilson is the highest-ranked debuting prospect in the Rivals150 and checks in at the No. 8 spot after being unranked in the initial top 40. Wilson, who plays his high school ball at Atlanta’s Holy Innocents Episcopal School, is incredibly skilled for his young age and also backs high-level athleticism. The combination is rare in a sophomore and provides the sort of versatility and long-term potential that constitutes a top-10 ranking. He still needs to become a more consistent shooter from the outside, but that should come along with time.

Wilson already holds offers from programs such as Alabama, Indiana, Cincinnati and Missouri.

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TYLER JACKSON MAKES MASSIVE JUMP

Tyler Jackson was ranked No. 37 in the original top 40. And while we were higher on him than the industry average even at that time, his play this season has proven he was still significantly undervalued.

The Baltimore-based guard is an electric scoring threat and his 19-spot jump up to No. 18 is the result of a sophomore season that has seen him develop as both a long-range shooter and a passer. Ideally, Jackson will add a bit of length and muscle, but there’s no denying his skill, athleticism and basketball IQ. He is capable of creating his own shot from anywhere on the floor and keeps defenders honest with his quickness and ability to get to the rack.

Jackson holds offers from a number of major programs. Oregon, Maryland, Kansas and Seton Hall are heavily involved, while North Carolina is among the programs that have made preliminary contact.

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CANADIAN IMPORT MAKES NOISE

A prospect to watch in the year ahead, Canadian-born wing Will Riley arrived in the United States this season and is playing his sophomore year at the Phelps School in Pennsylvania. The 6-foot-7 star is a little raw and features a bit of an unconventional, herky-jerky offensive game, but his effectiveness and versatility are clear to anyone that watches him.

For now, Riley is a scorer first and does it at all three levels, but the peripheral parts of his game also seem to be falling into place. His length and agility will allow him to defend nearly any position on the floor as his effort level improves on that end. He handles the ball well for a player of his size and young age and creates his own shot as well as any prospect in the class. Riley currently holds offers from Kansas State and NJIT, but Notre Dame is also involved. His early top-25 ranking is a bet on his long-term upside, which is sky high.