The 2025-26 high school basketball season is already heading into its final weeks.
Over the next month and a half, state champions will be crowned nationwide; the coveted Chipotle Nationals field will be set and numerous National Player of the Year awards will be announced. This year's McDonald's All Americans represent the next wave of stars headed to college basketball this fall.
But what about the next classes?
With the Class of 2026 set, it's time to start turning our attention to the juniors in the class of 2027 and the sophomores in the class of 2028.
Four top-60 recruits are already verbally committed to colleges:
No. 24 forward Miciah Fusilier to Baylor
No. 44 wing Maddie Vickery to Kansas State
No. 55 guard Myella Chapman to Ohio State
No. 59 guard Finley Chastain to Oklahoma
Consensus No. 1 Kaleena Smith has already taken officials to Louisville, Cal, Syracuse and LSU, and is in the process of setting up visits with UConn, Baylor, South Carolina and USC.
No. 8 Eve Long has taken visits to Duke and Kansas, with three more set for UCLA, UConn and Notre Dame this spring.
There are also a few names in the class, as well as the next, who have been showing notable growth this season. It should impact their recruiting -- and potentially their position in the next player rankings update in April.
Note: Statistics are current through the first week of February
Player rankings:
2027 SC Next Top 60 | 2028 SC Next Top 25
Risers in the class of 2027
Brieana Brown, G, 6-foot-0, Francis Parker (Calif.)
Brown jumped on the radar last spring playing alongside 2027 No. 1 Kaleena Smith with 7 Days on the adidas 3SSB circuit. Her frame and athleticism stood out immediately, followed by her effort on the little things: defending multiple positions, rebounding, running the floor. Being able to play effectively with other good players within the flow is a strong next-level indicator.
By the fall, it was clear she should have been in the SC Next 60 post-summer update. She scores aggressively yet efficiently and with balance, getting to the rim to finish through contact and knocking down the 3 to complement her strong pull-up jumper. Defensively, she takes on any assignment and shows an advanced feel for fundamentals and positioning. She's averaging 16.3 points and 9.5 rebounds, shooting 46.6% from the field and 36.7% from 3 this season.
Her recruitment includes offers from Arizona, Wisconsin, Cal, Penn, Princeton and Arizona State.
College comparison: Gabriela Jaquez (UCLA) and Sahara Williams (Oklahoma)
Like Jaquez and Williams, Brown is a physical, blue-collar competitor who can fit into various perimeter systems and thrive in any role asked of her. All three stand out because of their consistency and poise.
Syniah Coachman, G, 5-10, Har-Ber HS (Ark.)
Early in her high school career, Coachman played with determination and energy. Her lanky frame sometimes struggled with physicality, but given the heavy load she carried for her high school team, it was evident she had a strong long-term projection.
As she grew and got stronger, the return on that investment has become obvious. She's developed consistent shot preparation, which has led to higher shooting percentages, and she's begun playing some lead guard, showing her instincts and ability to facilitate. This summer and into this high school season, she has blended slashing ability with her shooting and become a defensive disruptor and strong rebounder. As she continues to balance scoring and facilitating within the flow of the game, her overall impact should keep growing. Averaging 15.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.4 steals, shooting 58% from the field and 35% from 3.
Her recruitment includes offers from Arkansas, Nebraska, Auburn, Michigan State, Alabama, Virginia Tech, TCU, Georgia Tech, Colorado, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Cal, SMU and West Virginia.
College comparison: Tajianna Roberts (Louisville) and Bailey Maupin (Texas Tech)
Like Roberts and Maupin, Coachman blends combo-guard skills into her system, knows how to get to her spots and is a three-level scoring threat and a savvy defender.
No. 20 Avery Arije, G, 6-0, Crestwood Prep (Canada)
Arije is an exceptional athlete, bouncy and long, able to move in a defensive stance smoothly and sprint the floor with ease. She first impressed as a freshman guard on a strong Crestwood Prep team that featured upperclassmen Agot Makeer (South Carolina) and Toby Fournier (Duke). Then, she played a poised supporting role while flashing her defensive agility against opposing point guards and a smooth lefty pull-up.
Now she is the cornerstone of the program. A true 6-foot lead guard, Arije controls the game like a floor general. She has increased her scoring aggression and become a legitimate deep threat. She has prototypical traits for a long-term guard: strong frame, elite athleticism, advanced skill base and a mature presence that provides intangibles.
She also has extensive international experience with Canada (2023 U16 FIBA Americas, 2024 U17 FIBA AmeriCup, 2025 U16 FIBA Americas and likely the upcoming 2026 U17 FIBA Americas). This season, she's averaging 21 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals per game.
Her recruitment includes offers from TCU, Baylor, North Carolina, Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, Washington, Georgia Tech, Michigan, NC State, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Stanford, LSU, Oklahoma and Notre Dame.
College comparison: Kiki Rice (UCLA) and Tonie Morgan (Kentucky)
Like Rice and Morgan, Arije is a smooth big guard who can operate out of ball screens to break down defenses, or square up and attack one-on-one to create advantages. Her projection extends beyond the college game.
Risers in the class of 2028
Maliya Hunter, F, 6-2, Archbishop Mitty (Calif.)
Hunter competes for one of the nation's premier high school programs and, in the summer, suits up for Jason Kidd Select.
While filling those roles, she has expanded her game and added versatility. She first emerged as a true forward, but now has elements, particularly 3-point shooting, that will allow her to slide to the wing spot in the future. She hasn't lost her physical rebounding and interior defense, though. She also produced in more of a primary role while Iowa-bound All American teammate McKenna Woliczko was out.
In true elite fashion, she didn't miss a beat when Woliczko returned in January, either, and Mitty remains one of the top teams in this year's SC Next Top 25. In fact, Hunter has improved in every statistical category this year, averaging 15.6 points and 7 rebounds. Through 18 games this season, she's already taken as many 3s as she did in 31 games last season. As she tightens her handle and decision-making -- she currently has a negative assist-to-turnover ratio -- and gains more experience guarding on the perimeter, her versatility will only grow.
She holds offers from Louisville, SMU, Michigan Wolverines, Arizona State, TCU, Stanford, Florida State, Ohio State, Arizona and Cal.
College comparison: Maggie Doogan (Richmond) and Hannah Stuelke (Iowa)
Hunter has a chance to project as a blend of Doogan and Stuelke: a forward who hunts 3s to create mismatches like Doogan, while bringing Stuelke's physical presence on the glass and defensively.
Jaylah King, G, 5-10, Bishop McNamara (Md.)
King has been a key reason Bishop McNamara is currently the No. 1 high school team in America, with major wins over Archbishop Mitty, Long Island Lutheran and Ontario Christian on big stages.
Simply put, King is tough. She plays with the relentlessness college coaches covet. Alongside 2027 No. 14 Qandace Samuels and rising 2027 point guard NyAir McCoy, she brings a consistent approach to the game, attacking the rim, playing hard-nosed defense and competing until the final buzzer. Against Ontario Christian, she made key plays to help McNamara erase a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit, repeatedly getting to the free throw line to fuel the comeback. She finished with 21 points and seven rebounds, going 9-of-12 from the line. For the season, she is shooting 50.4% from the field and 44.4% from 3.
Her recruitment includes offers from Clemson, Michigan, Michigan State, Louisville, Penn State, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, SMU, Marquette and Temple.
College Comparison: Delaney Gibb (BYU) and Sydney Shaw (West Virginia)
King mirrors elements of both Gibb and Shaw -- first on the floor, willing to absorb contact driving to the rim, with the former's combo-guard skills and the latter's press and pressure ability turning defense into offense.
Marlee Coleman, F, 6-1, Example Academy (Ill.)
Coleman is a fluid, long athlete who gets up and down the floor with ease.
Since the summer, she's shown marked improvement across the board. She still gets to rim level for finishes and rebounds but has added better ballhandling and shooting to keep defenses honest. She plays within herself as a slashing wing/forward, using sound face-up footwork and an economical number of dribbles to get to the paint. Defensively, she can guard any perimeter position and, on the help side, uses disciplined verticality to challenge shots without fouling. As she learns to find her spots off the ball (offensive rebounding, stampede cuts, post-ups), Coleman has a chance to be one of the elite players in the class.
Her recruitment includes offers from Indiana, Purdue, Penn State, Clemson, UIC, Fordham, Fairfield, SMU, Dayton and Mississippi State.
College comparison: Kara Dunn (USC) and Khamil Pierre (NC State)
Coleman's development arc mirrors that of Dunn and Pierre. All started as forwards with a knack for play around the rim, then extended their games: Dunn to the 3-point line (from rarely shooting 3s at 25% as a freshman to nearly 40% as a senior), and Pierre in the face-up game (from 8.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a freshman to 20.5 and 9.7 as a sophomore).
