Talented rising juniors both dominated competition in high school and on the club circuit.
The hottest debate of the summer on the grassroots basketball circuit was over the No. 1 spot in the Class of 2025 as the industry is divided between
Cameron Boozer and
Cooper Flagg. ESPN and 247Sports regard Boozer as the top prospect while On3 and Rivals have put Flagg at the top of the class.
We are diving deep on that topic by examining their body of work over the past year between high school and club ball.
Boozer had a busy summer, winning a gold medal with the USA Basketball U16 team at the FIBA Americas in Mexico, capturing his second consecutive Nike EYBL Peach Jam title and asserting himself as a dominant presence at the NBPA Top 100 camp.
In 55 games at
Columbus (Miami, Fla.), Nike EYBL regular season/Peach Jam action and the NBPA Top 100 Camp, Boozer averaged 21.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.2 assists per contest. He shot 62.9 percent from the field, 36.9 percent from 3-point range and 88.8 percent from the free throw line.
Boozer guided Nightrydas Elite to a 19-2 record in Nike EYBL action while Columbus finished the high school season ranked in the top 10 of the MaxPreps Top 25 after going 25-4 and winning a second consecutive state championship. He became the first sophomore to win MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors following the 2022-23 campaign.
Cameron Boozer is the only sophomore and just the second non-senior to win MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors. (Photo: Pete Wright)
Flagg also had a busy summer circuit, earning MVP honors at the NBPA Top 100 Camp and leading Maine United to the Nike EYBL 16U Peach Jam title game after putting up staggering numbers at the event.
In 57 games during the 2022-23 season at
Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), Nike EYBL regular season/Peach Jam and the NBPA Top 100 Camp, Flagg put up 18.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 3.4 blocked shots and 1.4 steals per game. He shot 52.1 percent from the field, 33.5 percent from 3-point range and 84.8 percent from the free throw line.
Flagg's most impressive stretch came at the Peach Jam where he averaged 25.4 points, 13.0 rebounds, 6.9 blocked shots, 5.7 assists and 1.4 steals per contest to help Maine United finish with a 6-1 record and pull off a major upset of Nightrydas Elite in pool play.
Cooper Flagg made a strong case for the top spot in the Class of 2025 this summer. (Photo: Catalina Fragoso)
After being named MaxPreps Maine Player of the Year as a freshman at
Nokomis (Newport, Maine), Flagg transferred to Montverde Academy ahead of his sophomore year. There, he helped Eagles to the NIBC championship before being upset in the first round of GEICO Nationals to finish the season ranked No. 2 in the National Top 10.
The Boozer vs. Flagg debate may remain a hot topic all the way up until the 2026 when both players will be eligible for the NBA Draft.
Although some questions surround his defensive abilities, Boozer
projects to be an efficient offensive force in the NBA with the ability
to impact the game in a variety of ways on the offensive end. Boozer
has a smooth shooting stroke, is a capable ball-handler and possesses
elite vision from the point-forward position. The 6-foot-9 forward is a
double-double machine .
Flagg projects to be an elite defender with versatility on the offensive end. The 6-8 wing is an outstanding athlete who has the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways.
A.J. Dybantsa is another name to watch in the discussion for the top spot in the Class of 2025. Currently regarded as the No. 1 player in the Class of 2026, the Massachusetts native has been heavily rumored to be reclassifying into the loaded rising junior class at some point in the near future.
Dybantsa is known for his scoring prowess, leading both the NBPA Top 100 Camp and the Nike EYBL Peach Jam in scoring. He averaged 28.3 points per contest on 61.4 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from 3-point range and 81.5 percent from the free throw line in six games at the NBPA Top 100 Camp before pumping in 25.8 points per outing on 46.6 percent from the field, 30.4 percent from 3-point range and 81.6 percent from the free throw line in five games of Nike EYBL Peach Jam action.
Koa Peat and
Darryn Peterson are also names worth mentioning in the debate for the top spot in the rising junior class. Both players were dominant on the adidas 3SSB circuit this summer after earning first team MaxPreps Sophomore All-America honors in April.
