The 2024-25 high school boys basketball season is approaching its start and High School on SI taking stock of the best teams in the nation entering the season.
Last year, expected top 2025 NBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg and Montverde Academy (Florida) went undefeated and wire-to-wire as the nation’s top-ranked team from the preseason to the Chipotle Nationals trophy celebration. Cooper Flagg, Asa Newell and company are already taking college basketball by storm.
Will this year’s preseason No. 1 be has convincing?
From top-ranked Columbus (Florida) led by the Duke-bound Boozer twins, 5-stars Cameron and Cayden, to reloaded No. 2 Link Academy (Missouri), to Kiyan Anthony’s Long Island Lutheran (New York) and more, we narrowed the best of the best down, spanning all corners of the country, state association/affiliation
These rankings are compiled by Andy Buhler Tarek Fattal and will be updated on Mondays throughout the season until a national champion is crowned in April.
Here are the 25 best teams in order:
TOP 25 PRESEASON NATIONAL BASKETBALL RANKINGS
2023-24 record: 29-5 | TEAM PAGE
Cameron and Cayden Boozer are the marquee names for Columbus. The twins are headed to Duke, but will be thinking about repeating as Florida 7A state champs and another run at a national title in 2025. 5-star forward Caleb Gaskins and 4-star wing Jaxon Richardson bolster the lineup – both juniors.
2023-24 record: 21-8 | TEAM PAGE
Link possesses four of the country’s top 50 seniors in 6-foot-10 center Chris Cenac, combo guard Jerry Easter, shooting guard Davion Hannah, and Texas-commit John Clark, who’s listed at 6-foot-9.
Early test: 21-5 | TEAM PAGE
Kiyan Anthony’s been cooking for years. Anthony, son of former NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony, headlines the Long Island Lutheran roster. The 6-foot-5 guard has narrowed down his recruitment to USC, Syracuse and Auburn, according to On3. Penn State commit Kayden Mingo, Marquette commit Nigel James, and 2026 point guard Dylan Mingo are high-level players.
Early test: 35-0 | TEAM PAGE
No surprise, Montverde presents another deep, talented roster for the 2024-25 season including Creighton commit Hudson Greer, LSU commit Mazi Mosley (a recent transfer from California), Villanova commit Dante Allen, and Indiana commit Trent Sisley … and those are just the seniors. Junior wing Kayden Allen is a 5-star prospect.
Early test: 22-5 | TEAM PAGE
5-star small forward Jalen Haralson is the top dog for La Lumiere. Haralson is a Notre Dame commit at 6-foot-7, 210 pounds with a dynamic game. Darius Adams, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard committed to UConn, makes for a killer one-two punch.
Early test: 22-5
AJ Dybantsa is the perennial No. 1 recruit in the country. At 6-foot-9, 210 pounds, Dybantsa can play college basketball right now, and even has the talent to help some NBA teams. Point guard JJ Mandaquit is a 4-star prospect that plays a very good Robin to Dybantsa’s Batman.
Early test: 7-11 | TEAM PAGE
Don’t be surprised to see Compass Prep rise in the national rankings. The senior class is talented with Gonzaga commit Davis Fogle, Maryland-bound center Marcus Jackson (6-8, 210) and Texas A&M commit Jeremiah Green, a combo guard from Texas. But it’s the 2026 class that will make your jaw drop with 5-star Miikka Muurinen, Quincy Wadley, Kaden House, Jacob Lanier and Kalek House.
Early test: 28-7 | TEAM PAGE
The Braves will come into California as the No.1 team in the state with top 2026 prospects Brandon McCoy Jr. and Christian Collins, along with senior Elzie Harrington, a Harvard-commit. St. John Bosco won the CIF State Division I title last year, but will be eyeing an Open Division crown in 2025.
Early test: 19-9 | TEAM PAGE
All eyes on Arkansas commit Darius Acuff Jr., who’s regarded as the No.1 point guard in the country. He’s accompanied by fellow seniors Sadiq White Jr. (Syracuse) and Georgia-bound big man Kareem Stagg (6-8, 220). Junior Jermal Jones is a combo guard with offers to Clemson, Cincinnati and Purdue.
Early test: 28-6 | TEAM PAGE
Derek Dixon is headed to North Carolina for a reason, the 6-foot-3 combo guard has a strong build and smooth jump shot. Gonzaga also has point guard Nyk Lewis (Xavier) and 6-foot-9 center Christian Gurdak (Virginia Tech).
Early test: 34-6 | TEAM PAGE
Tyran Stokes transferred south, but Prolific will be just fine with 5-star guard Darryn Peterson (Kansas), 6-foot-10 forward Niko Bundalo, and Michigan-bound small forward Winters Grady. Junior Seven Spurlock is one to keep an eye on, too.
Early test: 30-2 | TEAM PAGE
Grayson’s top man is 6-foot-5 junior shooting guard Caleb Holt, a 5-star prospect with offers to UConn, Kentucky, Houston and North Carolina. He’s won two gold medals for USA basketball at lower levels, and he’s only 16.
Early test: 33-3 | TEAM PAGE
The Wolverines return Duke commit Nik Khamenia, who helped HW win back-to-back CIF State Open Division titles. The addition of transfer Joe Sterling, a sharpshooting junior, will make Harvard-Westlake another Open Division contender.
Early test: 31-4 | TEAM PAGE
Roosevelt returns likely McDonald’s All-American Brayden Burries, New Mexico commit Issac Williamson and crafty point guard Myles Walker. Roosevelt was the runner-up to Harvard-Westlake in everything SoCal last season.
Early test: 27-5 | TEAM PAGE
This squad has three of 2025’s top 100 players in small forward CJ Ingram (Florida), power forward Jamier Jones (Providence) and point guard Jalen Reece (LSU). Two big men and a high-end point guard will likely make for a hard team to defend in the pick and roll.
Early test: FJFJ | TEAM PAGE
Koa Peat is the headliner at Perry. The 6-foot-8, 235-pound power forward has NBA scouts salivating. The 5-star recruit has offers to every blue blood in college basketball. Perry is the two-defending Arizona Open Division state champ.
Early test: 35-3 | TEAM PAGE
This is another roster that’s loaded with 2026 prospects in 5-star shooting guard Jordan Smith and 4-star shooting guard Jordan Hunter. Senior forward Adlan Elamin is a 4-star prospect headed to Utah State. Paul VI was the runner-up to Montverde in last year’s Chipotle Nationals final.
Early test: 27-1 | TEAM PAGE
Home of the big guard, Trey McKenney. McKenney is listed at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds and is expected to commit to Michigan, according to multiple recruiting websites. McKenney also boasts a 6-foot-9 wingspan. Cameron Williams is a 6-foot-10 forward ranked in the top 40 of the 2026 class.
Early test: 26-7 | TEAM PAGE
Once again, Brewster will have a talented roster hailing from the Northeast. Dwayne Aristode, an Arizona commit, will be an imposing power on the wing at 6-foot-8, 215 pounds. Forward Sebastian Wilkins and guard Darien Moore (Seton Hall) are rising juniors.
Early test: 23-1 | TEAM PAGE
Jermaine O’Neal Jr., son of former NBA All-Star forward Jermain O’Neal, is paving his own way in Texas. O’Neal Jr. is committed to play at SMU after averaging 13.7 points per game as a junior. His teammate Jaden Toombs, a 6-foot-10 center, is also headed to SMU. Dynamic Prep went 26-1 last year with their only loss coming to Link Academy by two.
Early test: 31-5 | TEAM PAGE
Brennan went 31-5 last season led by point guard Kingston Flemings, who poured in 17.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. Flemings returns for his senior season as the No. 18-ranked prospect in the 2025 class. Brennan returns all five of its top scorers from last season made up of three juniors and two seniors. Brennan will be put to the test Saturday, when it faces Oak Hill Academy in the Houston Tipoff Classic.
Early test: 31-4| TEAM PAGE
Tyran Stokes’ new home is in Los Angeles. The top recruit in 2026 is on the mend from a wrist injury, but is expected to return to the floor sometime in December. The Knights are explosive with Rutgers commit Lino Mark and wiry 2026 wing Zach White.
Early test: 30-7 | TEAM PAGE
Home to the No. 1 player in Texas, Shelton Henderson, who recently committed to Duke. Henderson averaged 21.6 points and 7.6 rebounds as a junior to lead the Cardinals to a 30-7 record. Bellaire also returns senior center Anthony Andrews, who was the team’s second leading scorer.
Early test: 24-1 | TEAM PAGE
Braylon Mullins is a 5-star shooting guard headed to UConn after averaging 25 points per game as a junior and leading the Cougars to the Class 4A state final. The team’s only loss of the year came in the state championship game to New Palestine. Mullins is the second best player in Indiana behind Jalen Haralson.
2023-24 record: 25-5 | TEAM PAGE
The Northern California Open Division runner-up and two-time Central Coast Section Open champ lost high-flier Zion Sensley (UC Santa Barbara), but gained 6-foot Cal-bound PG Semetri Carr (transfer from Branson) to go along with 4-star junior SG Andrew Hilman, 4-star senior SF Jasir Rencher (Texas A&M) and 3-star 6-10 post Nes Emeneke. The Crusaders were very impressive — and cohesive — at Section 7 in Phoenix and Cali Live 24 events during the spring and summer.
BUBBLE
Santa Maria St. Joseph (Calif.)
John Marshall (Va.)
Salesian-Richmond (Calif.)
San Antonio Brennan (Tex.)
De La Salle-Concord (Calif.)
Wasatch Academy (Utah)
Rainier Beach (Wash.)
Owyhee (Ida.)
Central Catholic (Ore.)
