With November's early signing period approaching, 86 of the top 100 prospects in the girls' 2027 SC Next rankings have already made their verbal commitments, which gives us enough data to start evaluating the recruiting classes for the 2027-28 season.
So far, nine programs have secured five-stars, and overall 50 programs across 11 conferences are represented in the top-100 player rankings.
What will affect these rankings? Six of the top 10 players remain uncommitted -- including No. 1 Kaleena Smith and No. 2 Ivanna Wilson Manyacka. The programs they're considering could jump into, or up, the next edition of these class rankings:
No. 1 Kaleena Smith, PG: USC, UCLA, Arizona State, Louisville, Washington, UConn, Georgia, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Tennessee
No. 2 Ivanna Wilson Manyacka, W: UConn, Duke, North Carolina, LSU, Texas, Maryland
No. 7 Jordyn Palmer, W: Ohio State, South Carolina, Penn State, UCLA
No. 8 Haylen Ayers, G: UConn, Vanderbilt
No. 9 Sydney Savoury, G: USC, UConn, North Carolina, Texas, Notre Dame, UCLA
No. 10 Qandace Samuels, W: Alabama, LSU, North Carolina, NC State, Rutgers, Tennessee, Texas, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech
We've also updated player rankings across the 2027, 2028 and 2029 classes after evaluations from the Wootten 150, Border League and other elite postsummer preseason events.
Bookmark this page, as we'll keep updating the best recruiting classes in women's college basketball for 2027. For now, these are the top five.
Note: Class rankings are determined by a mathematical formula from Five Star Academies that weights different factors related to the quality and quantity of players in the class.
See the updated SC Next player rankings:
2027 SC Next 100 |
2028 SC Next 60 |
2029 SC Next 25
1. South Carolina Gamecocks
No. 4 Jezelle Banks, PG
No. 18 Zaniya Johnson, P
No. 30 Taylor Brown, PG
Dawn Staley has landed depth at point guard along with another post presence, giving South Carolina a balanced class that currently sits atop the rankings. Banks is a heavyweight commitment who fills a need at point guard and has the makings of a superstar: She keeps the ball on a string, has a flair for playmaking and can lead the break in transition and find teammates with laser-quality passes.
The 6-foot-4 Johnson, the third-ranked post in the class, has an old-school physicality -- especially on the defensive end -- and touch around the rim.
Brown is a smaller guard who has been out since February with an ACL injury. Before getting hurt, though, her playmaking at point guard and ability to make her teammates better had taken a step forward, and Brown had become a true knock-down threat from deep.
2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
No. 5 Eve Long, F
No. 16 Avery Arije, G
No. 36 Chasity Rice, PG
Three-star Loren Macy, F
Niele Ivey has landed two of the best in their positions in the 2027 class. The 6-3 Long is the highest-rated forward in the class due to her combination of athleticism, height, length and skill. She can attack off the bounce, shoot the 3 and defend anyone on the floor.
Arije is an elite left-handed guard from Canada with years of international experience. At 6 feet, she has the instincts of a lead guard and the calming poise of a veteran.
Rice, a 5-6 point guard, comes from a winning pedigree in both high school and club basketball. She is relentless off the bounce and can get her shot off quickly.
Macy is a fundamentally sound 5-10 wing and sister of sophomore forward Leah Macy.
3. North Carolina Tar Heels
No. 6 Micah Ojo, W
No. 13 Ryan Carter, G
This is a massive perimeter haul for Courtney Banghart, especially after signing sensational freshman Kate Harpring last year.
Ojo, a 6-1 wing, has the most positional versatility in the 2027 class and is a significant reason for the Tar Heels' rank. She's a two-time gold medalist with USA Basketball.
Carter is a 6-foot guard with an aggressive style of play and an improved ability to create shots for teammates. Both Ojo and Carter rebound exceptionally well for their positions.
4. Baylor Bears
No. 17 Miciah Fusilier, F
No. 19 Ogechi Okeke, P
No. 49 Samari Holmen, PG
Nicki Collen landed two major regional recruits plus an in-state point guard.
Fusilier, a 6-3 forward, raised her stock over the summer after her combination of versatility and talent matched her motor and production. She can stretch the floor offensively and guard multiple positions.
Okeke, Baylor's first commitment in the class, is another 6-3 physical force inside. She carves out space around the rim, protects the paint defensively and has the mobility to be effective in ball-screen coverage.
Holmen missed much of last year rehabbing an ACL injury, but is expected to return for her final high school season. Before her injury, she went from a scoring-oriented combo guard to a true point guard, showing more efficiency off the bounce to run a team, all while adding a trusted 3-point shot.
5. Florida Gators
No. 26 Bella Owumi, W
No. 48 Madeline Mignery, G
No. 61 Aila Courtenay, F
No. 70 Anna Moser, PG
First-year head coach Tammi Reiss is off to a hot start with a balanced class, drawing on her recruiting relationships at her previous stop, Rhode Island.
The backcourt additions come from the Northeast. Owumi is an ultra-athletic physical guard who never stops attacking the paint. She has gotten better at breaking down defenders off the dribble while keeping them honest with her outside shot. Moser is a crafty point guard who balances creating for others with her own scoring ability. She can initiate on offense as a catch-and-shoot threat, and utilizes a variety of floaters and creative finishes in the paint.
Florida's frontcourt recruits come from closer to home, with Mignery from Florida and Courtenay from Georgia. Mignery is a strong-bodied wing who loves the midrange shot, finishes well through contact and mixes it up on the boards. Courtenay is a strong inside presence who operates primarily in and around the paint. She has quality hands and a competitive motor.
