Rivals Roundtable: Thoughts on the 2025 Rivals150 refresh
The Rivals150 for 2025 has been refreshed, reordered and released. With it came a number of movers, shakers and new faces. So as we put a bow on the Rivals Rankings Week that was, recruiting analysts Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan field three questions pertaining to the update and their thoughts on how the shakeup unfolded.
MORE RANKINGS: Five-Star Countdown | Storylines for new Rivals150
*****
More: Teams to watch in high-profile juniors' recruitments
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2025 Rankings: Rivals150
2026 Rankings: Top 65
Transfer Portal: Latest news | Portal player ranking/transfer tracker (hoops) | Portal player ranking/transfer tracker (football)
*****
1. WHICH PROSPECT IN THE RIVALS150 ARE YOU HIGHER ON THAN THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY?
Cassidy: I really think point guard Mikel Brown Jr. helped himself significantly over the last year or so. He’s grown significantly in both size and skill, and looks nothing like the undersized but athletic prospect he seemed to be a year ago at this time. Brown has always been a reliable shooter that can make creative passes and facilitate for his teammates. Now standing all of 6-foot-2, he’s also added significant muscle and taken strides as a ball-handler and defender. We have him ranked as a five-star prospect based on his upside and the growth spurt he hit prior to his junior season. I think the competition level as well as the weight program at Overtime Elite will do Brown wonders as he continues to get stronger and more well-rounded.
Jordan: I'm a big fan of Labaron Philon for sure. At 6-foot-4, he’s got the innate ability to give off “small guard” energy and maneuver through spaces in that manner. Philon is an outstanding playmaker and he’s quick and shifty, making him a headache of a defensive assignment. The best part is that he never stops coming; his motor is relentless and his effort on both ends tends to be infectious with his teammates. Bill Self will get day one production from Philon as a scoring guard who can slide over and run the show.
*****
2. WHICH PROSPECT RANKED OUTSIDE THE FIVE-STAR RANGE DO YOU THINK HAS A GOOD CHANCE OF ADDING A FIFTH STAR DOWN THE ROAD?
Cassidy: Xavion Staton is obviously intriguing based on his 7-foot frame and the way he maneuvers it. The center, who shined at USA Basketball mini-camp, also made a statement at the Border League in the fall and provided a peek at what kind of player he could eventually become in the process. Stanton is a high-level rim-protector that runs the floor like a wing and can score it in multiple ways in and around the paint. We placed him at No. 42 in this update and that feels a little conservative, but the decision was based on a relatively small sample size. Should he continue to develop and maintain a level of consistency, the five-star range is not out of reach whatsoever.
Jordan: There’s no doubt that Khani Rooths has all of the tools to be a five-star prospect; the reason I say he’ll likely cross the proverbial threshold is because he’ll have the platform this high school hoops season. Platforms matter and the NIBC merging with the Nike EYBL to form the EYBL Scholastic league means Rooths will face the top prospects in the country more frequently and his games will be on ESPN. As he produces against the country’s best players his stock will inevitably rise.
*****
3. WHICH PROSPECT THAT MADE HIS RIVALS150 DEBUT DO YOU SUSPECT MIGHT JUST BE STARTING HIS CLIMB?
Cassidy: I like what I’ve seen from Eric Reibe, whom we started out at No. 94. I just haven’t seen a lot of him just yet. The fact that there’s top-50 potential at work in the 6-foot-11 big man is evident even in limited viewings. A German import, Reibe fits the Skilled-European-Center stereotype and carries with him a skillset that allows him to act as an impact rebounder and versatile scorer, as he showed the ability to score both in the post and on the perimeter at NBA Top 100 Camp. If he becomes more consistent, more comfortable off the dribble and more engaged defensively, he could aggressively climb the rankings.
Jordan: Been a big fan of Jaxon Johnson since early summer and watching him at the 5 For The Fight event in Utah this week only solidified my thought process of his impending ascension. At 6-foot-8, Johnson is a marksman from the perimeter with a high IQ and awareness as a defender and rebounder. Craig Smith will get a lot of mileage out of Johnson early, his ability to stretch the defense opens up a world of possibilities for the Utes' offense.