INTEL: Where do the top prospects stand heading into the resumed recruiting period? | Zagsblog
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Tuesday / September 17.
  • INTEL: Where do the top prospects stand heading into the resumed recruiting period?

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    By ADAM ZAGORIA, SAM LANCE & CHARLIE PARENT

    It’s now a recruiting period for college basketball and several prospects are starting to really get down to business with their recruitments. With that, you need to know the latest on what’s happening with all of the top prospects.

    Here’s the latest intel via ZAGSBLOG:

    A.J. Dybantsa

    • Schools involved: Top seven of Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, BYU, Kansas, Kansas State and North Carolina.
    • Official visits set: North Carolina (Sept. 20-22), Alabama (Sept. 27-29), Baylor (Oct. 4-6) and BYU (Oct. 11-13).
    • Other visits taken: Kansas (Sept. 6-8), Kansas State (Aug. 30-Sept. 1), Auburn official in March, BYU unofficial in June.
    Dybantsa’s recruitment may be the most up in the air for a top prospect in recent memory. It’s really hard to tell which way this one is leaning. Alabama has the best relationship-in with assistant coach Preston Murphy being Dybantsa’s former AAU coach with Expressions Elite. Dybantsa will also visit campus when the Crimson Tide host Georgia in football, so he will likely see quite the college atmosphere. Of course, BYU is also in great position, receiving an unofficial visit and getting Dybantsa’s last official. Kansas State had a great visit to kick things off, and has been in hot pursuit. Ace Dybantsa also said the recent Kansas visit went “great.”

    With that being said, ZAGSBLOG could see Dybantsa picking any of his finalists. The official visits and how those go will be important to monitor. This recruitment is far from over before a decision in February.

    Cameron Boozer

    • Schools involved: Duke, Florida, Miami.
    • Official visits set: Duke (Aug. 31), Florida (Sept. 7), Miami (Sept. 11). All unofficials.
    • Other visits taken:  Duke, Florida, Miami and Kentucky. All last year.
    The Boozer twins will take three unofficial visits to Duke, Florida and Miami and seem to be nearing their final college decision. Miami and Florida are the programs close to home and are in a good spot, but it’s hard to ignore Duke in this scenario. That’s where Boozer’s father, five-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, played his college ball. Boozer has previously said he plans to sign early. More from ZAGSBLOG here on Duke, Florida and Miami.

    All three schools have been in to see the Boozer twins at Columbus since they narrowed it down.

    Darryn Peterson

    • Schools involved: Top four of Kansas, Kansas State, Ohio State and USC.
    • Official visits set: Kansas State (Sept. 27-29).
    • Other visits taken: Ohio State (Aug. 30), USC in early August, Kansas in late June.
    With a high school NIL deal inked with Adidas, Peterson is perceived by many to be a Kansas lean and the Jayhawks are certainly in great position to land it’s highest-rated recruit since Josh Jackson in 2016. Peterson also recently transferred to Prolific Prep (CA), an Adidas sponsored high school program. All the schools in his top four have received official visits. Peterson previously said he plans to commit before the high school season.

    Koa Peat

    • Schools involved: Top 10 of Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Duke, Houston, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas and UCLA.
    • Official visits set: Duke (Sept. 20), Baylor (Sept. 27), and Arizona (Oct. 4). Via 247Sports.
    • Other visits taken: Arkansas (Sept. 14), Arizona State (Aug. 30), Houston (June 2024). Michigan, North Carolina and Texas all last year.
    Koa Peat has had a whole host of high major programs after him for the past two-to-three years and he’ll be nearing a decision after his final official visit on October 4. The 6-foot-7 forward out of Perry High School (AZ) has long made the hometown Arizona Wildcats a priority with several trips to games and practices. Other schools have picked up steam as of late, especially Arizona State with them getting Peat on campus. Peat has shown loyalty to his hometown teams before, opting against the prep route and staying with Perry for all four years of high school.

    Duke is heavily in the mix as well, per 247’s Travis Branham, despite their hot pursuit of 2025 No. 2 recruit Cam Boozer, who also plays forward. North Carolina is another big player in Peat’s recruitment, with head coach Hubert Davis coming out several times for Peat’s high school and AAU games this past year. Finally, Texas and Arkansas are other key pieces to watch, though Arkansas looks to have more traction over the Longhorns after John Calipari was reportedly “keeping an eye” on Peat after his transition to Fayetteville

    Caleb Wilson

    • Schools involved: Top 12 of Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Duke, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, UCF and USC.
    • Official visits set: UCF (Sept. 27-29), Alabama (Oct. 5), Oregon.
    • Other visits taken: Kentucky (Sept. 13). Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee, Stanford, Kentucky, Georgia Tech. USC unofficial Aug. 22.
    Wilson and his family have been casting a wide net with a lot of schools in the mix. He took a bunch of visits last year and has visits scheduled for Alabama (Sept. 6-8) and Kentucky (Sept. 13-15). He also took an unofficial to USC on Aug. 22. ZAGSBLOG has reported several in home visits the week of September 4th as well.

    Wilson enjoyed his visit to Kentucky, and seemed to make a recruiting pitch to another Kentucky target Acaden Lewis. Click “here” for the Kentucky visit recap via ZAGSBLOG.

    “He’s open to the best situation, and they’re just leading the pack,” his father Jerry said of the top 12 schools. “This new college basketball roster building is a very fluid situation, so he has to be very precise in his decision so his new home can fit his particular set of skills. With all the changes from coaches to conferences, who knows where the right place may be, we just know there is a place for him.”

    Nate Ament

    • Schools involved: Duke, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, UConn and Virginia.
    • Official visits set: Planning Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia and UConn, among others.
    • Other visits taken: Virginia unofficials (October 2022 and January 2024). Duke unofficial (September 2023).
    Ament has been one of the nation’s fastest growing players. The 6-foot-8 versatile wing is now a consensus top-five recruit. Ament originally had two official visits scheduled to Virginia and Kentucky, but per Travis Branham, those were pushed back and Ament will take his time with his recruitment.

    Ament is eyeing official visits still to those programs, plus Duke, UConn and North Carolina, he told ZAGSBLOG at the UA Next Elite 24 scrimmage. He broke down these options after the game, while mentioning that he’ll look to commit on the later side of the cycle. It’s likely this decision stretches out a while until the spring.

    Mikel Brown Jr.

    • Schools involved: Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Ole Miss, Providence, Texas and UCF.
    • Official visits set: Kentucky (Sept. 27), Maryland (Oct. 25), UCF (Nov. 4), Arizona (Nov. 21). Per 247Sports.
    • Other visits taken: Indiana (Sept. 13), Alabama, Ole Miss and UCF in January/February 2024.
    Brown Jr. is regarded as one of the best shot and playmakers in the 2025 class. He recently transferred to DME Academy (FL), an Adidas sponsored program, and played with Team Loaded on the Adidas 3SSB circuit this summer. Brown has also signed a high school NIL deal with Adidas. It would be wise to look out for the Adidas schools listed above. Overall, Brown’s recruitment has been pretty quiet.

    Meleek Thomas

    • Schools involved: Top seven of Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Kansas, Kansas State, Pittsburgh and UConn.
    • Official visits set: Alabama (Sept. 27), Arkansas (Oct. 4).
    • Other visits taken: UConn (late June). Auburn (January 2024). Kentucky with John Calipari (February 2024). Pitt in March 2024.
    After the UConn official visit, the Huskies were perceived to be the leader in the clubhouse for Thomas. Dan Hurley said he himself is a badass, and so is Thomas, so he should come to Storrs. Still, this recruitment is far from over. You can’t count out Arkansas and the longstanding relationship Thomas has with John Calipari. Alabama will have Thomas on campus with Georgia football in town. Kansas State could possibly have the five-star guard on campus this fall. Thomas intends to sign during the early signing period.

    Arkansas, Kansas State, Pitt and UConn were all in the week of Sept. 4 to see Thomas, per The Portal Report. Thomas recently moved back his Arkansas visit from Sept. 13 to Oct. 4.

    Brayden Burries

    • Schools involved: Arizona, Duke, Houston, UCLA, USC and others.
    • Official visits set: None reported.
    • Other visits taken: Arizona (February 2024). Unofficials to USC and UCLA.
    ZAGSBLOG has not been able to catch up with Burries in quite some time. When interviewed in May, he said he was “open to everything.” Where Burries sets official visits will be telling. Until then, things are still pretty up in the air.

    Alabama, Arizona, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Oregon, SMU, Tennessee, UConn, UCLA and USC were all in the week of Sept. 4 to see Burries at open practice, per HS Top Recruits.

    Jalen Haralson

    • Schools involved: Top nine of Auburn, Duke, Gonzaga, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan State, Missouri, Notre Dame and Purdue.
    • Official visits set: Purdue (Sept. 21).
    • Other visits taken: Indiana (last weekend August), Notre Dame (Sept. 7), Michigan State (Sept. 14), Auburn (September 2023). Two unofficials to Michigan State in 2022.
    Haralson — the 6-foot-6, 210-pound small forward from La Lumiere (IN) and the Indiana Heat AAU program — had an impressive summer on the EYBL circuit and averaged 16.6 points and 4.6 rebounds during Peach Jam. He recently canceled official visits to Kansas and Missouri and is expected to be nearing a decision. Look out for the hometown schools Indiana, Notre Dame and Purdue here. Michigan State is also in good spot.

    Chris Cenac

    • Schools involved: Top 12 of Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Houston, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Michigan State, Tennessee, Texas and UConn.
    • Official visits set: Auburn (Sept. 20), Kentucky (Sept. 27) and LSU (Nov. 9).
    • Other visits taken: Tennessee (Sept. 13), Houston (Aug. 30). Unofficial to Houston (September 2023). No officials taken yet.
    Cenac landed in the top 10 recruits following a NBA top 100 Camp MVP performance. The 6-foot-10 forward has earned over 20 offers since April, and has gained some buzz in light of his recent transfer to Nike EYBL Scholastic program Link Academy. Cenac narrowed his list to 12 schools. Hometown school LSU is heavily in the mix alongside Kentucky and several others. Cenac will announce sometime in January or February, per On3. Houston has been around for a while and is landing the first visit, and Cenac recently added some more visits.

    Bryson Tiller

    • Schools involved: Auburn, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kansas and Providence.
    • Official visits set: Georgia Tech (Oct. 19). Via 247Sports.
    • Other visits taken: Auburn (Sept. 14), Providence (January 2024). Indiana and Kansas (December 2023). A couple unofficials to Kansas, including one in June 2024.
    Tiller is another prospect who has had a quiet recruitment. The 6-foot-10, 240-pound forward out of Overtime Elite doesn’t have an official top schools list, but all the programs above are in the mix. Keep a close eye on Indiana and Kansas, who are perceived to be among the favorites. He’s visited both of those programs officially and has been in Lawrence a couple times for unofficials. Tiller said to 247Sports a list cut isn’t too far away and he’ll think about a decision timeline after the Georgia Tech visit.

    Trey McKenney

    • Schools involved: Top 10 of Creighton, Georgetown, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, UCLA and USC.
    • Official visits set: Michigan (Sept. 28), Michigan State (Oct. 4 ), Oregon (Oct. 12), Miami (Oct. 26), Notre Dame (Nov. 9) and Creighton (Dec. 4). Georgetown unofficial set for Sept. 13.
    • Other visits taken: USC (Sept. 1). Rutgers, TCU and Georgetown (winter 2023). Michigan State unofficials (September 2022 and January 2023).
    McKenney recently added the Miami official visit, as well as an unofficial to Georgetown, he told ZAGSBLOG. He has a very busy schedule seeing schools this fall before making a decision sometime in the winter. ZAGSBLOG will try to catch up with McKenney after visits.

    Darius Adams

    • Schools involved: Alabama, Michigan State, NC State, Notre Dame, Tennessee and UConn.
    • Official visits set: UConn (Sept. 16-18), Michigan State (Sept. 20-22), Alabama (Sept. 27-29), Notre Dame (Oct. 10-12).
    • Other visits taken: NC State (Sept. 6-8), Tennessee (Sept. 13-15), UConn unofficial (late June). Unofficials to Michigan State and Tennessee last fall for football games.
    Adams doesn’t have an official top list, but he told ZAGSBLOG at Peach Jam the schools he’s visiting are the schools he’s focused on. Michigan State and UConn have been in the mix for quite some time and should be watched closely. Adams wants to commit sometime before his senior high school season at La Lumiere.

    He recently updated his recruitment to ZAGSBLOG, with a shuffle in visits. UConn is prioritizing Adams, per his father.

    Shelton Henderson

    • Schools involved: Top six of Duke, Houston, Louisville, LSU, Texas and Texas Tech.
    • Official visits set: Houston (Sept. 20), Texas (Sept. 27), Duke (Oct. 4), and LSU (Oct. 11).
    • Other visits taken: Texas Tech (Sept. 13), Louisville (Aug. 23). Houston unofficials (September 2023 and 2022).
    Henderson was one of the highest risers in the rankings this summer and is now a consensus top-20 prospect in the 2025 class. He’s set official visits to all of his finalists but hasn’t informed us of a potential commitment timeline. Henderson is a Houston native and the Cougars will certainly be a school to watch here. Louisville is also perceived to be in a good spot.

    Cayden Boozer

    • Schools involved: Duke, Florida and Miami.
    • Official visits set: Duke (Aug. 31), Florida (Sept. 7) and Miami (Sept. 11).
    • Other visits taken: Duke, Miami, Florida and Kentucky (with Calipari) all last fall.
    Boozer is one of the premier playmakers in the 2025 class. He and twin brother, Cam, will be taking three unofficial visits before nearing a decision. Miami and Florida and are in a good spot as the hometown schools, but look out for Duke. Like mentioned above, all three finalists have been in for the Boozer twins at Columbus after narrowing it down.

    Kingston Flemings

    • Schools involved: Top five of Arkansas, Gonzaga, Houston, Texas and Texas Tech.
    • Official visits set: Houston (Sept. 28), Gonzaga (Oct. 5), Arkansas (Oct. 18-20).
    • Other visits taken: Texas (Sept. 6-8), Texas Tech (September 2023). Texas unofficial (June 2023).
    Flemings — the 6-foot-3, 165-pound guard from Brennan (TX) and the San Antonio Future AAU program — is one of few Texas natives to continue playing high school basketball in-state. He is also being recruited hard by three Texas schools, so him staying home for college is a very likely possibility. Flemings told 247Sports he’s unsure when he will make a decision. Arkansas and Gonzaga are still in the mix, and Tobias Bass recently reported the visit to Arkansas.

    Xavion Staton

    • Schools involved: Top four of BYU, Michigan, Stanford, UNLV.
    • Official visits set: Stanford (Oct. 11), UNLV (Oct. 26), and BYU (Nov. 2).
    • Other visits taken: Michigan (Sept. 9), UNLV unofficial (August 2023).
    The 6-foot-11 center recently trimmed his list down to four from six, eliminating USC and Arizona from the mix, per 24/7 HS Hoops. Staton recently broke down all of these programs to ZAGSBLOG at the UA Next Elite 24 scrimmage.

    Braylon Mullins

    • Schools involved: Top 10 of Alabama, Duke, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Purdue, Tennessee and UConn.
    • Official visits set: Indiana (Sept. 20) and Kentucky (Oct. 25).
    • Other visits taken: Michigan (Sept. 7), North Carolina (Sept. 14). Michigan unofficial (early June). UConn (early August). Kentucky, Purdue, Ohio State unofficials (late June). Cincinnati unofficial (May). Indiana unofficial in March for game vs. Michigan State. Indiana (December 2023). Purdue, Iowa and Butler (October 2023). Notre Dame, Indiana and Illinois (Sept. 2023). Butler February 2023 for game vs. St. John’s. Indiana unofficial November 2022. 
    Mullins — the 6-foot-5, 180 pound shooting guard from Greenfield-Central (IN) and the Indiana Elite AAU program — has seen a ton of schools so far in his recruitment. Indiana and Kentucky are his two remaining official visits. Look out for the hometown program Indiana, Kentucky and UConn in this recruitment. Mullins recently cancelled his visit to Alabama and said he’s not setting officials with Purdue and Kansas, per On3. He also eliminated visits to Duke and Tennessee. That’s pretty telling. Mullins had in home visits with Indiana and UConn in early September.

    Niko Bundalo

    • Schools involved: Top eight of Kentucky, Michigan State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Pitt, Texas, UConn and Xavier. Added Kansas to mix as well.
    • Official visits set: Michigan State (Sept. 9), Ohio State (Sept. 21), North Carolina (Oct. 4). Per 247Sports. Kentucky also set to receive an official, per Jacob Polacheck.
    • Other visits taken: UConn (Aug. 30), Ohio State unofficial (June 2023). Pitt unofficial (August 2023). Duke, Michigan State unofficials (Sept. 2023). Notre Dame unofficial (October 2023). UCLA unofficial (January 2024). 
    Bundalo has dropped some big news recently, transferring to Prolific Prep to join Darryn Peterson. He also said he’s now working to visit Kansas and has added them to the mix, per 247Sports. Bundalo would like to decide before the early signing period in November. Kentucky is set to receive the last official. He had Kentucky, UNC and Ohio State in to see him the week of Monday, Sept. 9, per HS Top Recruits.

    Tounde Yessoufou

    • Schools involved: Top six of Arizona State, Baylor, and USC.
    • Official visits set: None.
    • Other visits taken: Arizona State (Sept. 6), Baylor (August 29-31), Arizona (June 16), USC (June 25) and Washington (September 23, 2023).
    Yessoufou has one of the more unique skillsets in high school basketball. The 6-foot-7 wing is a physical presence, attacking downhill and rebounding at a high level. He’s also shown great strides on the perimeter, knocking down triples and creating separation for his shot. He has recently cut down his list to just three schools and has canceled several visits. All of this came after visiting Baylor, and that tends to be a good sign for a program when a prospect cancels a bunch of visits after being on campus. The Bears and Scott Drew seem to be in prime position to land the five-star.

    Nikolas Khamenia

    • Schools involved: Top five of Arizona, Duke, Gonzaga, North Carolina and UCLA.
    • Official visits set: UCLA (Oct. 3-5).
    • Other visits taken: North Carolina (Sept. 6) and Duke (Sept. 13), Arizona (Aug. 31). Gonzaga (September 2023 during Kraziness in the Kennel). Gonzaga official (October 2023).
    Khamenia — the 6-foot-8, 210 pound forward from Harvard Westlake (CA) — recently released his top five and scheduled official visits. He would like to choose a school in mid-October after visits, per 247Sports. All of his finalists have been in to visit him since the recruiting period opened.

    Dwayne Aristode

    • Schools involved: Arizona, Duke, Michigan State, UCLA, USC, Wake Forest and others.
    • Official visits set: USC (Sept. 18-20) and Duke (Sept. 20-22).
    • Other visits taken: Michigan State (Aug. 29-31). UCLA unofficial (August 2023). Wake Forest (September 2023). Arizona (January 2024). USC unofficial.
    Aristode hails from the Netherlands and is one of the best defenders in the 2025 class. He has three officials set to Duke, Michigan State and USC and will be looking to potentially set up some more. All of the programs above are still very much in the mix and any other visits Aristode schedules will be telling. Aristode told ZAGSBLOG he’ll likely cut his list after taking his visits.

    Read here for Aristode’s recap of Michigan State.

    Acaden Lewis

    • Schools involved: Top four of Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina and UConn.
    • Official visits set: UConn (Sept. 21), North Carolina (Oct. 4).
    • Other visits taken: Duke (August 5). Kentucky (June 17), UConn (June 25). All unofficials.
    Lewis has risen to the challenge at every summer ball stop, and has asserted himself as one of the nation’s premier combo guards. The 6-foot-3 Sidwell Friends (D.C.) product earned offers from four blue blood schools in the last three months, all of whom are now the final four who will land the coveted guard.

    Duke is seen as the wildcard here with Lewis having a “great” visit in Durham just over two weeks ago. From a scheme perspective, Lewis’ game feels fit for UConn. The Huskies prioritize efficiency and fast-paced decision making, all of which Lewis thrives on. He still has an upcoming visit with North Carolina, though, and trips to other schools are still up in the air. 

    Kentucky is still a school he’d like to visit, and we mentioned Caleb Wilson’s pitch above. Mark Pope was also in to see Lewis the week of Monday, Sept. 9, as well as Dan Hurley. Lewis added the UConn visit official visit on Sept. 17.

    Kiyan Anthony

    • Schools involved: Top six of Auburn, Florida State, Ohio State, Rutgers, Syracuse and USC.
    • Official visits set: USC (Oct. 4-6).
    • Other visits taken: Florida State and Syracuse (October 2023). 
    Carmelo Anthony is of course Kiyan’s father, and he won a national championship with Syracuse in 2003. Although Kiyan has said Carmelo isn’t pushing him any sort of direction in his recruitment and is letting him do things on his own, ZAGSBLOG would still classify the Orange as the favorite. Syracuse is one of two places that Anthony has visited, along with Florida State. And the Orange have been recruiting Anthony hard, along with five-star commit Sadiq White Jr. Anthony has reported one upcoming official to USC and told ZAGSBLOG at Peach Jam he’d like to see Ohio State and Rutgers. All three of those schools are major players to watch here.

    Per 247Sports, Syracuse had an in home visit with Anthony on Sept. 4.

    Sebastian-Williams Adams

    • Schools involved: Top eight of Auburn, Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Purdue, SMU, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
    • Official visits set: Auburn (Sept. 6), Kansas (Sept. 13), Purdue (Sept. 20), SMU (Sept. 27) and Oklahoma State (Oct. 4). Baylor sometime during basketball season.
    • Other visits taken: Texas A&M official (Aug. 30), Texas A&M unofficial (October 2022). Kansas unofficial (December 2023). 
    Williams-Adams’ mother is from Wichita (KS) and he said he sees the Sunshine State as his home. He also took an unofficial visit to Kansas and loved the atmosphere. The Jayhawks look to be in a really good spot, and they can even boast KJ Adams, a similar player to Williams-Adams who has had a very successful career as a Jayhawk. Still, Texas A&M is also a school to monitor, as Williams-Adams has been recruited by the Aggies for nearly two years now.

    Williams-Adams on Texas A&M visit: “It was really positive and the visit as a whole was really fun.”

    Davion Hannah

    • Schools involved: Top nine of Alabama, Cincinnati, Louisville, Michigan State, NC State, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin and Xavier.
    • Official visits set: Ohio State (Sept. 20), Michigan State (Sept. 27), Cincinnati (Oct. 12).
    • Other visits taken: Missouri (Sept. 7), Alabama (Aug. 31). Michigan State unofficial (September 2023), Wisconsin unofficial, (October 2023). Cincinnati and Maryland unofficials (Dec 2023). 
    Hannah has transferred out of his home state of Wisconsin to Link Academy to play high school basketball. He recently added a visit to Missouri and took Alabama. He’s also canceled some official visits and is locked in on seeing just Ohio State, Michigan State and Cincinnati to wrap up, per Eric Bossi. He may reschedule some others, per Bossi’s report. Alabama is the school to look out for.

    Jerry Easter

    • Schools involved: Baylor, Cincinnati, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Harvard, Maryland, Miami, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Oregon, SMU and USC.
    • Official visits set: None.
    • Other visits taken: Ohio State unofficial (October 2022), Georgia Tech official (September 2023). Michigan State unofficial (September 2023). Oregon official (March 2024). 
    At Peach Jam, Easter told ZAGSBLOG he doesn’t plan on narrowing things down anytime soon. He has a number of programs after him. His father recently told ZAGSBLOG all the official visits he had planned will be pushed back as Easter focuses on school and basketball at Link Academy. It’ll be important to monitor which visits get rescheduled. Click on Easter’s name for ZAGSBLOG’s last full update.

    London Jemison

    • Schools involved: Top three of Alabama, Kansas and Louisville.
    • Official visits set: None.
    • Other visits taken: Louisville (Sept. 13-15), Alabama (Sept. 6-8), Kansas (Aug. 29-31), Vanderbilt (Aug. 23-25), Syracuse (December 2023). 
    Jemison is down to three schools from his top six. He eliminated Syracuse, Vanderbilt and Virginia from his list and will be focusing on Alabama, Kansas and Louisville. Jemison then plans to make his decision before high school season, likely in October. It’s the home stretch for the talented small forward, who has made quite the rise in the rankings this summer. Jemison is a do-it-all forward, and he can really stretch the floor with his shooting ability. He’d be a great get for any of the three programs above.

    Jemison will announce his decision on Saturday, Sept. 21.

    Isaiah Denis

    • Schools involved: Top 10 of Cincinnati, Kansas, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Tennessee and Wake Forest.
    • Official visits set: Michigan (Sept. 21), North Carolina (Sept. 28), Wake Forest (Oct. 5) and Tennessee (Oct. 12).
    • Other visits taken: Miami (Sept. 14), Ohio State (Sept. 7), Pittsburgh (Aug. 30). Some unofficials but to none of his finalists. 
    Denis is another player who has drastically improved his stock with his play on the EYBL circuit this summer. The 6-foot-5 point guard is a smooth, bursty athlete with a lot of game. And now the Blue Bloods are in on his recruitment. Kansas offered in June followed by North Carolina in July. The Tar Heels are the school ZAGSBLOG is looking out for, as Denis is a native of North Carolina.

    Kayden Mingo

    • Schools involved: Notre Dame, Penn State, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Xavier and Georgia.
    • Official visits set: Virginia Tech (Sept. 21), Georgia (Oct. 5), Xavier (Oct. 12).
    • Other visits taken: Wake Forest (Sept. 13), Penn State (Sept. 7), Notre Dame (Aug. 31). St. Joe’s unofficial in June. 
    Mingo has a lengthy family history in athletics. His father, William Mingo, played college football at Delaware State and his older brother, Dalique Mingo, played basketball at Howard University from 2014-18. He also has a little brother, Dylan Mingo, who is a five-star in the class of 2026. Kayden said it’s a possibility he teams up with Dylan in college.

    Read here for Mingo’s thoughts on the Notre Dame visit and what’s next.

    Shon Abaev

    • Schools involved: Dayton, Syracuse, USC, Auburn, Cincinnati, Maryland, Arkansas, Illinois, Florida State.
    • Official visits set: Auburn (Sept. 20-21), Cincinnati (Oct. 2-3) and Maryland (Oct. 8-9).
    • Other visits taken: USC (Sept. 13-14), Dayton (Aug. 23-24), Syracuse (Aug. 30-31). Tennessee (January 2024), Arizona State and Georgia in June. 
    After winning MVP at the recent UA Elite 24 game, the left-handed guard has locked in a half dozen visits but isn’t limited to those schools. Arkansas, Illinois and Florida State are also due to watch him in person next month. Abaev is waiting to see how his recruitment plays out. “I don’t have an official time line yet,” he said. “I feel like this is a decision I want to talk with me and my family [about] and make the best decision for me.”

    Read here for Abaev’s thoughts on the Syracuse and Dayton official visits.

    Eric Reibe

    • Schools involved: Top 11 of Creighton, Harvard, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oregon, Stanford, UConn and West Virginia.
    • Official visits set: Indiana (Sept. 20), Oregon (Oct. 4).
    • Other visits taken: UConn (Sept. 6-8), Kansas (Aug. 29-31), Creighton, Harvard.
    The big man is being pursued by a host of Blue Bloods and other schools and has yet to further narrow down his list. Kansas was said to have a great visit and now may be in prime position to land Reibe, who could be the heir to Hunter Dickinson. Him canceling his upcoming visits to Kentucky (Sept. 13) and North Carolina (Sept. 20) is pretty telling. Reibe has moved up his visits to Indiana and Oregon and will likely decide between those two schools, as well as Creighton, Kansas and UConn.

    Tyler Jackson

    • Schools involved: Auburn, Maryland, Syracuse, TCU, West Virginia and others.
    • Official visits set: TCU, West Virginia, Maryland. Per HS Top Recruits
    • Other visits taken: Syracuse (January 2024), Maryland unofficial (January 2024), Auburn (December 2023).
    Jackson’s recruitment has been quiet. Last time ZAGSBLOG caught up with the explosive point guard, he discussed the possibility of playing with Kiyan Anthony at Syracuse and said he wants to bring a national title to the Orange. Jackson said then he wants to visit TCU as well, and a report from HS Top Recruits has confirmed this. That report mentioned potential visits to West Virginia and Maryland too. All of those schools plus Auburn are in the mix here. Look out for exact dates for those official visits.

    Jaden Toombs

    • Schools involved: Top five of Alabama, Miami, SMU, Texas Tech and Vanderbilt.
    • Official visits set: SMU (Sept. 21). 
    • Other visits taken: Vanderbilt (Sept. 12), Miami (Sept. 5), Alabama (Aug. 31), Texas Tech official, Texas unofficial. 
    Toombs is probably the most polished and dominant low post scorer in the class of 2025. He can finish with both hands and has great footwork under the basket. Texas Tech has been in his recruitment for a long time. They got the first official visit this summer. SMU is another school to look out for as Toombs’ AAU teammate, Jermaine O’Neal Jr., will be visiting the same weekend as him, per Jerry Easter. Toombs and O’Neal Jr. are very close.

    O’Neal Jr. announces Sept. 18 and Toombs on Thursday, Sept. 26.

    Derek Dixon

    • Schools involved: Top six of Arizona, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia and Vanderbilt.
    • Official visits set: Completed.
    • Other visits taken: Vanderbilt (Aug. 30), North Carolina (Sept. 6). Pitt and Virginia (April 2024), Pitt unofficial (January 2024), Syracuse (October 2023), Virginia and Pitt unofficials (September 2023), and Pitt unofficial (October 2022).
    Dixon took his final visit to North Carolina before canceling an Arizona trip. His is considering Carolina, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Pitt. He told ZAGSBLOG he will commit on his birthday, Sept. 27. Read this for the latest.

    Nigel Walls

    • Schools involved: Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU Texas.
    • Official visits set: None.
    • Other visits taken: TCU (Sept. 14), Kansas State unofficial (March 2024). SMU. 
    Walls has had a pretty quiet recruitment up until this point. He doesn’t have any sort of top list or official visits set in stone that we’ve seen reported. He did take a visit to TCU the weekend of Sept. 14.

    At EYBL Kansas City in May, Walls said the four schools above were recruiting him hardest. TCU seems to be a new school in his recruitment. Walls also mentioned he’s in no rush to take visits, as he’s been grinding in the gym. When more visits are taken or scheduled, it will tell us a lot more. Right now, it’s hard to ignore Kansas State and TCU. They have received visits.

    Cam Ward

    • Schools involved: Top 10 of Alabama, Florida State, Kansas State, Marquette, Maryland, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and Virginia.
    • Official visits set: Maryland (Sept. 21), Michigan State (Oct. 10-12),
    • Other visits taken: Kansas State (Sept. 13), Vanderbilt (Aug. 31), Marquette (June). Virginia unofficial (June). Notre Dame and Florida State officials last year. Maryland unofficial.
    Ward is one of the most athletic and versatile forwards in the 2025 class. He plays with a lot of energy and fire, similar to the way coach Shaka Smart coaches. And Ward had a great visit with the Golden Eagles. Still, programs like Michigan State and Maryland have been in this recruitment for a long time and shouldn’t be underestimated. Kansas State also has momentum with the first official visit this fall. It was reported the Michigan State official date will change.

    Keyshuan Tillery

    • Schools involved: Top three of Cincinnati, Virginia and Wake Forest.
    • Official visits set: None.
    • Other visits taken: Cincinnati (Sept. 13), Wake Forest (Sept. 6), Virginia (Aug. 30).
    Nobody helped their stock more with their play on the court this summer than Tillery. Simply put: he’s a leader. And he sure knows how to run the point. He recently just cut his list to three schools and has taken visits to all of his finalists, per Rivals. A decision is coming soon.

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