A new calendar year leads to an update for the 2027 Rivals150 rankings

On Monday, Rivals updated its class of 2027 player rankings for the fourth time. This is the third update for the 2027 class with a full allotment of 150 players (the Rivals150). The movement and additions are based on two key sources: 1) in-person player evaluations through the mid-part of the high school season, and 2) film study and intel gathered on prospects since the previous update. 

Updated 2027 Rivals 150 player rankings

Since this cycle’s last update, in October, the Rivals National Basketball team has attended numerous national-level events (Border League, Tarkanian Classic, City of Palms, National Prep Showcase, John Wall, Beach Ball Classic, and more), USA Basketball Minicamp, scrimmages, jamborees, and practices. With multiple events taking place every week(end), Rivals has also collected streams and film to comb through for the maximum exposure of countless events and players.

The ranking process is a continual and often fluid one. Rivals starts ranking recruits after their freshman-year travel seasons, before their sophomore years of high school. Each recruit can look a lot different for our final ranking after their senior year championships and all-star games are played. 

We have spent the last several weeks working on this 2027 update so it will reflect the most accurate and current representation of the recruiting cycle. This work has resulted in 15 players making their debuts in the latest Rivals150 update. We have also continued collecting viewings and data on the previously ranked players, keeping an eye on their progression since the previous update. 

These prospects have started their junior seasons of high school ball. Our next class update for the 2027 cycle will be released after high school playoffs and around the beginning of the travel season.

The goal of rankings at Rivals is to assess a prospect’s long-term potential. As we move forward, a player’s performance on the court and their continued growth will ultimately outweigh their earlier rankings. Again, every player’s arc is different, and each ranking is a snapshot in time. 

Updated 2027 Player Rankings

Here are some storylines from Rivals’ fourth update of the 2027 recruiting cycle. 

Grading the 2027 Rivals150

The basketball player rankings scale is as follows: five-star prospects have grades 98-100, four-star recruits have grades 90-97, and 80-89 grades are for three stars. 

This update has one five-star, with a rating of 98 or higher. The players ranked Nos. 2 to 100 are classified as four-star prospects, with grades ranging from 90 to 97. The remainder of the 150 and position rankings are considered three-star prospects. 

Our goal is to assess a prospect’s long-term potential, ultimately manifested by the NBA Draft. The goal of the ranking is not to determine who had the best high school career or who will be the best college player. This is why we aim to conclude each cycle with 14 five-star prospects, following the lead of the NBA Draft Lottery. Our vision, as we end each cycle, is draft night.

CJ Rosser takes over the No. 1 spot, earns fifth star

With a new calendar year in place, we have a new player at No. 1 in the 2027 Rivals150. CJ Rosser moved into the top spot in the class after the previous holder of the position, Bruce Branch III, reclassified into the 2026 cycle. Along with Rosser’s move to No. 1, the Southeastern (FL) Prep power forward also collected the first five-star of the 2027 recruiting cycle.

Watching Rosser play, you see the positional size paired with the athletic fluidity he has. While he will need to continue adding weight and working through his balance points, getting to his spots, he has the upside as a unique shot-maker among his peers. Rosser has shooting range that extends well beyond the arc, and he is becoming more comfortable shooting off movement, utilizing different angles at different levels.

Moving up to No. 2 in the class is Rosser’s high school teammate Obinna Ekezie Jr. The 7-foot-0 center previously held the No. 1 spot for the March 2025 update, and has remained among the top five since. While Ekezie was not necessarily in the conversation with Rosser for the No. 1 ranking in this update, Ekezie has a very clear and direct pathway for what he is as a player. With great length and legit size, Ekezie is a true rim protector in the paint. And while his offensive game is still growing, he plays within himself as a vertical floor spacer and lob threat.

Looking at this update, for this point in the developmental curve, CJ Rosser is the clear answer at the No. 1 spot. That said, some are starting to make moves within the top ten, which could make for exciting tracking as we are close to the mid-way point of this recruiting cycle.

Reese Alston is now PG1

Reese Alston jumped to No. 5 overall in Monday’s 2027 Rivals150 ranking update, making him the top-rated point guard in the cycle. Alston, a junior at Second Baptist (TX) School, was previously ranked No. 8 in the class.

Alston’s move to the top of his position flipped his positional ranking with Prolific (FL) Prep’s Nas Anderson. Anderson, who remains among the top-10 in the class, moved to No. 8 overall.

Alston is perhaps the best pick-and-roll guard in the class. His understanding of pace and keeping a defender in jail provides many clean looks for his team. The son of former NBA point guard Rafer Alston touches the paint without a screen as well. He has a crafty handle with a quick first step and an aggressive burst to the front of the rim. His dynamic nature as a lead guard allows him to toggle pretty seamlessly between scorer and distributor. And he processes quickly off a live dribble.

Anderson is a physical specimen at this stage and is a terror at the point of attack. Not only does he have quick hands with a physical and strong frame, but he also guards with a real purpose. He consistently gets two feet into the paint and collapses a defense, where he can finish with authority or deliver on target to his teammates.

There are currently six point guards among the top-20 players in the 2027 cycle. At No. 3, Milwaukee Juneau (WI) High’s Dooney Johnson remained at No. 16 overall. Johnson, who is committed to Gonzaga, is the only committed player of the six.

The No. 4 point guard and No. 17 overall player in the class is NaVorro Bowman, Jr, from Notre Dame (CA) High, who rose from No. 27. Southeastern (FL) Prep’s Beckham Black is the No. 5 point guard after jumping from No. 41 to No. 18 in the recent update. Rounding out the point guards among the overall top-20 is Bremerton (WA) High’s Jalen Davis, who is the No. 6 point guard in the cycle and the No. 20 overall player.

With six point guards all ranked among the top-20 players in this class, continuing to track the race for PG1 should be a fun one in this cycle.

Crew Fotheringham makes highest debut in the ranking update

Crew Fotheringhgm, a 6-foot-8 forward at Lone Peak (UT) High, made his Rivals150 debut at No. 60 in Monday’s update. The skilled and versatile Fotheringham has gotten off to a hot start this high school season after averaging 13.2 points as a sophomore and following that up with a steady summer on Nike’s EYBL E16 Circuit.

In total, four players made their Rivals150 debuts with four-star status.

4-star SG Brian Mitchell (No. 64) Paul VI (MD) Catholic
4-star SG Chase Lumpkin (No. 77) McEachern (GA) High
4-star C Nate Blenman (No. 97) Cushing (MA) Academy

Asa Montgomery is this update’s biggest riser

Jumping from No. 120 previously to No. 58 in Monday’s 2027 Rivals150 ranking update, Hillgrove (GA) High forward Asa Montgomery’s 62-spot jump was the biggest riser among this group. Montgomery is a 6-foot-8 skilled forward who has excellent length with some intriguing athletic and positional fluidity.

Montgomery was not the only big riser in Monday’s update; ten players earned jumps of 25 spots or more.

No. 136 to 76 (60) 4-star SF DJ Hawkins, St Thomas More (CT) School
No. 108 to 49 (59) 4-star PF Nicolas Mitrovic, CATS (MA) Academy
No. 126 to 72 (54) 4-star PG AJ Pemberton, Brewster (NH) Academy
No. 98 to 46 (52) 4-star PF Kager Knueppel, Wisconsin (WI) Lutheran
No. 131 to 83 (48) 4-star SG Mekhi Robertson, SoCal (CA) Academy
No. 71 to 41 (30) 4-star SG Devin Cleveland, LaLumiere (IN) School
No. 127 to 98 (29) 4-star PG Darrell Davis, Spire (OH) Academy
No. 60 to 34 (26) 4-star SF Trevor Manhertz, Christ (NC) School
No. 80 to 55 (25) 4-star SF Markus Kerr, Brewster (NH) Academy

Florida has 19 players in the updated Rivals150

Florida led the way with 19 players in the updated Rivals150 ranking. Their highest-ranking player was No. 1 overall CJ Rosser. Rosser is a 6-foot-9 power forward at Southeastern (FL) Prep. In total, 35 states and Canada are represented in the Rivals 2027 rankings.

Florida – 19
Georgia – 15
Arizona – 11
California – 10
Texas – 9
Ohio – 7
Maryland – 6
North Carolina – 6
Wisconsin – 6
Indiana – 6
Missouri – 6