Rivals.com's initial rankings for the class of 2025 have been released, and the list includes 40 prospects with high-major college futures. Checking in at No. 1 is the son of an ACC legend, but the race for the top spot features multiple legitimate contenders that will likely spend the next handful of years jostling for position.
Below, our Rob Cassidy explores a few of the most notable names on the list and what the future may hold for each.
NEW: Class of 2025 top 40
*****
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Monday: Top 10 Countdown
Tuesday: 2023 Rivals150 released
Wednesday: 2023 position rankings released
Thursday: Initial 2025 ranking released
Friday: Rivals Roundtable | Rankings Podcast
*****
TOP DOG: Cameron Boozer
Topping the initial 2025 rankings is Cameron Boozer, a Miami-based NBA legacy and the son of former Duke star Carlos Boozer. The decision to go with Boozer in the top spot wasn’t an easy one by any stretch, as the class of 2025 has a litany of prospects for which one could make a case. In fact, the class seems as deep at the top as any in recent memory.
Boozer didn’t default into the No. 1 spot, however. Instead, he seized it. The 6-foot-9 forward shined as a freshman and put an exclamation point on his first major Grassroots summer by outplaying No. 2 overall prospect and fellow star-in-the-making Cooper Flagg. Boozer proved to be more developed and polished during a head-to-head matchup at this year’s Nike EYBL Peach Jam. Boozer will have a battle on his hands if he hopes to hold on to the top spot long term, but he blends upside and production in a way that nobody else in the class does at this juncture.
Boozer along with his twin brother Cayden Booze, a guard that checks in at No. 24 in the initial rankings, are obviously seen as Duke leans but have taken an unofficial visit to Florida State and will likely consider other options before making a decision down the road. The pro route doesn’t see like a viable option, as sources indicate the twins’ father would like them to attend college
*****
ON HIS HEELS: Cooper Flagg
Flagg’s upside is probably even greater than that of Boozer, and the Maine-based standout showed it during this summer U17 World Cup, where he was one of the most effective and complete prospects on a loaded United States team that captured a gold medal.
Standing all of 6-foot-8, Flagg handles the ball incredibly well and moves as fluidly as any player of his size. His versatility is unrivaled and his jumper from distance seems to be getting more consistent. Flagg is a force on the glass and in the post, where his arsenal of moves is longer and more polished than you’d expect from such a young prospect.
Flagg, who will play his sophomore season at Florida’s Montverde Academy, holds a number of early offers, including one from Duke, which he has publicly called his “dream school.”
There’s still obviously a long way to go in the chase to land Flagg’s commitment. New programs will become involved and there's no telling where he’ll land, but the Blue Devils should feel good about where they stand in the early going.
*****
TOP POINT GUARD: Mikel Brown Jr.
The top-ranked point guard in the 2025 class, Brown hails from Central Florida and plays his high school ball at Kansas’ Sunrise Academy. The 5-foot-10 prospect isn’t going to blow anyone away with length, but what he lacks in size and defensive versatility he makes up for with skill, speed and poise.
Brown could stand to grow a few inches, sure, but he also has the frame to add significant size in the year ahead and is only starting to scratch the surface of the do-it-all floor general he could become. Brown boasts incredibly tight handles and a creative mind when it comes to threading passes that sometimes look impossible.
Add on the fact that his jumper looks smooth and consistent, and you have a player that would find himself in conversation for the class’ top spot if he possessed better length.
A lot of Brown’s future hinges on his physical development, but he already holds offers from programs such as Kansas, Auburn, Baylor, Texas, Texas Tech, Maryland and others.
