Rivals Rankings Week: Previewing the 2025 and 2026 updates

Rivals.com’s 2025 and 2026 rankings are set to get facelifts next week, as high schools everywhere put bows on their seasons and prospects prepare for the grassroots circuit. The 2025 Rivals150 will get its refresh next Tuesday, while the 2026 class will take its turn on Thursday. Today, however, we take a peek ahead at some of the larger questions that will be answered when the update takes hold.

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Sunday: Previewing the 2025 and 2026 updates

Monday: Top 10 countdown for 2025

Tuesday: 2025 Rivals150 released | Biggest storylines

Wednesday: Top 10 countdown for 2026

Thursday: 2026 Rivals150 released | Biggest storylines

Friday: Rivals Roundtable

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2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2025 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team

2026 Rankings: Top 65

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The two most recognizable names in the class also happen to sit at No. 1 and No. 2 in the rankings. As things stand, A.J. Dybantsa resides just ahead of Cameron Boozer in the 2025 Rivals150, but things at the top don’t look as set in stone as they once did. Whether or not Boozer is able to supplant Dybantsa will be revealed next week, but what’s already abundantly clear is that the race for the top spot has tightened and the debate has begun in earnest.

While Dybantsa is probably the higher upside prospect, Boozer has made a statement with his consistency over the last year and has shown up big in high-profile events as a junior, having very few off games against top-flight opponents. Boozer has been the more consistent prospects in the class this year and probably comes with a higher floor than the 6-foot-9 Dybantsa, whose professional ceiling is more intriguing.

Whatever the case, the race is tightening. It seems likely that the summer will be spent discussing projections vs production regardless of how things shake out next week.

The chase for the No. 1 spot in 2026 won’t get the same attention as the Boozer/Dybantsa debate because the contenders aren’t as well known just yet. Still, the race is as tight as can be, Reigning No. 1 overall prospect Tyran Stokes will attempt to hold off hard-charging No. 2 Brandon McCoy Jr., who has been a nearly unstoppable force for California's St. John Bosco this year, most recently rattling off a 23-point and 12-rebound double-double in the CIF SoCal Playoffs.

The more battle-tested incumbent, Stokes has also had his share of monster moments this season and has orchestrated them against a truly national schedule at Prolific Prep. Meanwhile, McCoy’s case to take the top spot is based in a unique blend of production and long-term potential, as the five-star’s evolving frame, well-rounded skill set and quickly developing knack for shot-creation all over the court suggest he may have plenty of room to grow despite his early on-court dominance, McCoy and Stokes have separated themselves, at least for now, at the top of the rankings as it feels like they sit in a tier of their own with just more than a year to go until the list finalizes.

The no. 42 prospect in the class of 2025, 7-footer Xavion Staton has spent the season making a case to be ranked among the top centers in the class and should slide up into that stratosphere when the rankings update next week.

Staton, who plays his high school ball for Las Vegas’ Sierra Vista High School, made an impact at the Border League early in the season, showing that his obvious potential is starting to turn into measurable production as he’s slowly putting it all together as a junior. His upside is that of a top-20 national prospect and he seems like a lock to start climbing in that direction next week. Staton is considering programs such as Gonzaga, Kansas, Texas, USC, UCLA and others.

One of the anticipated debuts in the class of 2026 belongs to 6-foot-10 forward Moustapha Diop, a two-way prospect who has showcased some seriously tantalizing upside in limited exposure thus far. An absolute terror in the paint on both ends of the floor, the long athletic Diop comes equipped with soft hands, impressive rebounding instincts and a few slick low-post moves.

He’ll need to expand his offensive game to become a more reliable shooter outside of the paint down the road if he hopes to reach his true potential, but the sophomore has all the tools to find himself in or near the top-10 down the road. Diop attends The Walker School just outside of Atlanta and will play the summer with Game Elite on the adidas 3SSB circuit.