High school basketball: C.J. Rosser, Kager Knueppel and Dawson Battie headline top 10 power forwards in 2026-27

No. 2-ranked Class of 2027 prospect Rosser looks to guide Southeastern Prep Academy to first Chipotle Nationals appearance.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Jordan Divens
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Oct 22, 2026, 10:00am
Our position-by-position breakdown ahead of the 2026-27 high school basketball season continues with the top power forwards. Top centers will be highlighted Friday.

BEST AT EVERY POSITION: Point guards | Shooting guards | Small forwards

C.J. Rosser of Southeastern Prep Academy(Orlando, Fla.), Kager Knueppel of Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Dawson Battie of St. Mark's (Dallas, Texas) headline the selections as all three players enter the 2026-27 campaign with lofty expectations.

Players on post-graduate or non-scholastic programs are not eligible for inclusion. Read on for a breakdown of the top 10 power forwards in high school basketball this season.
1. C.J. Rosser, Southeastern Prep Academy(Orlando, Fla.)
6-10 | Senior | Uncommitted
The No. 2-ranked prospect in the Class of 2027, Rosser was a MaxPreps Junior All-America honorable mention selection with averages of 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for nationally-ranked Southeastern Prep Academy.

6-10 | Senior | Duke commit
The younger brother of Charlotte Hornets star Kon Knueppel, Kager tallied 16.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest to help the Vikings run the table en route to the No. 8 spot in the MaxPreps Top 25.

6-8 | Senior | Nebraska commit
Nephew of 14-year NBA veteran Tony Battie, Dawson put up 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per outing to help the Lions finish with a record of 23-12.

6-8 | Junior | Uncommitted
Top 10 Class of 2028 prospect averaged 23.6 points, 15.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.6 blocks per contest to guide Latvia to the 2026 FIBA U16 EuroBasket title and earn tournament MVP honors.

6-8 | Junior | Uncommitted
Helped Saraland make school history in 2025-26 by winning a record 28 games and making the Class 6A state semifinals for the first time. Top 40 prospect averaged 19.9 points and 13.6 rebounds per outing.

6-9 | Senior | Uncommitted
Top 20 prospect has shown flashes of his elite potential throughout his career, including averaging 16.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game to help his team capture its first Chipotle Nationals title last season.

7. Ahmed Nur, CIA-Bella Vista
6-8 | Senior | Mississippi commit
Averaged 13.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game as a junior for Hopkins (Minn.) before transferring to the defending Chipotle Nationals champions. Nur was named MVP of the NBPA Top 100 Camp over the summer.

6-7 | Junior | Uncommitted
After a standout sophomore campaign that saw him average over 25 points per game at Crossroads (Santa Monica, Calif.), Williams joins a loaded frontcourt at Utah Prep.

6-8 | Junior | Uncommitted
After earning MaxPreps Freshman All-America honorable mention, Sheppard had a strong sophomore season for Crossroads to solidify his standing as a top 20 prospect in the Class of 2028.

6-9 | Senior | Virginia Tech commit
After spending his junior campaign in the Overtime Elite League, the top 50 Class of 2027 prospect joins the defending two-time state champions, who finished 2025-26 ranked No. 4 in the MaxPreps Top 25.

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