The close to the high school season brings another 2028 Rivals150 class update

On Monday, Rivals updated its class of 2028 player rankings for the second time. For this update, the list expanded from 75 to 100 players. The movement and additions are based on two key sources: 1) in-person player evaluations through the mid/end-part of the high school season, and 2) film study and intel gathered on prospects since the previous update. 

Updated 2028 Rivals 150 player rankings

Since this cycle’s last update, in September, the Rivals National Basketball team has attended numerous national-level events (Border League, Tarkanian Classic, City of Palms, CBG League, National Prep Showcase, John Wall, Beach Ball Classic, and more), USA Basketball Minicamp, high school games, state and league playoffs, 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 2028 update so it will reflect the most accurate and current representation of the recruiting cycle. This work has resulted in the cycle expanding from 75 to 100 total players. 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 are just ending their sophomore seasons of high school ball. Our next class update for the 2028 cycle will be released toward the end 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 2028 Player Rankings

Here are some storylines from Rivals’ third release of the 2028 recruiting cycle. 

Grading the 2028 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 no five-star prospects, with a rating of 98 or higher. The players ranked 1 through 65 are classified as four-star prospects, with grades ranging from 90 to 97. The remainder of the 100 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.

Adan Diggs takes the No. 1 spot

With the month of March upon us and almost a full high school season under our belts, we have a new player at No. 1 in the 2028 Rivals150. Adan Diggs moved into that spot, climbing from No. 5 overall. Bamba Touray, the No. 1 overall player in the previous update, is now the No. 2 overall player in the class. Both players, along with AJ Williams, now carry 96 ratings.

Diggs has a smooth feel to his game. The 6-foot-4 guard at Milennium (AZ) High is comfortable with the ball in his hands, self-creating advantages, or knocking down shots while playing off teammates. He has a good frame with plus length and projectability. While evaluating these players at such a young age, there is a lot of roadway left for growth.

Watching Diggs play you see a potential archetype outcome becoming more clear. The shooting ability (playing 17U with the All In Elite program this summer, Diggs shot 39.3% from three on the UAA Next Circuit), with the positional size, creates an intriguing floor to his game. His on ball abilities continue to add to his ceiling.

Bamba Touray continues to show immense upside when you pair his run-and-jump abilities, hand-eye coordination, and legit 7-foot-0 size and length. He showcases excellent defensive instincts, getting stops and deflections, which lead to him switching ends of the floor quickly. Continued court time will help with his continued growth, as he starts to turn the flashes into consistency. And while his game is still a little raw, the unique qualities that he possesses bring real value at the highest levels of the game, which is why he remains so highly viewed.

AJ Williams, a 6-foot-7 small forward at Eagles Landing (GA) Christian, Colton Hiller, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard at Coatesville (PA) High School, and Erick Dampier Jr, a 6-foot-10 center at Madison-Ridgeland (MS) Academy, round out the top five in the 2028 Rivals150 ranking update.

This class is already shaping up to be a fun one to track, and the top five group is no different. While that group of players are starting to form a tier one-type situation, there has not been a true alpha take hold of the cycle yet.

Josiah Rose is PG1

Josiah Rose jumped to No. 6 overall in Monday’s 2028 Rivals150 ranking update. The 6-foot-3 lead guard was previously the No. 19-ranked player in the class, and the recent movement makes him the No. 1 point guard in the cycle.

Rose is a strong-framed guard, someone who plays with a great deal of power and balance, but he also understands pace and angles. The lefty has a capable jump shot, able to step into it or knock it down off of ball reversals. He can also get into the teeth of the defense, not get knocked off his line, and consistently make the live-dribble read to put his team into an advantage.

Rose averaged 14.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists this summer on 48.9 percent shooting on the Adidas 3SSB 15U Circuit. He led his 99OVR team to a Circuit championship. Even with the efficient production, the standout metric that he showed this summer was on the defensive end of the floor. Rose averaged 4.1 STOCKS (steals + blocks) per game in circuit play. This high school season, at Faith Family (TX) Academy, Rose’s 15.6 points is leading the team in scoring through Nike EYL Scholastic League play. He is also shooting 40.0 percent from three with 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.

Brady Pettigrew, the 6-foot-3 guard from Boilingbrook (IL) High, is the second-ranked point guard in the recent update and No. 16 overall. Tai Bell, the son of former NBA guard Raja Bell, is PG3 in the class. The Mater Lakes (FL) lead guard is No. 23 overall. The top-five point guards in this cycle are rounded out with Union (NJ) Catholic point guard Malik Moore at No. 26 and Brewster (NH) Academy point guard Michai White at No. 30.

Marceles Duncan makes highest debut in Rivals150 update

Marceles Duncan, a 6-foot-6 forward at Rangeview (CO) High, made his Rivals150 debut at No. 21 in Monday’s update. The strong and productive wing has averaged 18.2, 7.4 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 2.3 blocks on 59 percent shooting this high school season to help lead his team to a 21-3 record to this point.

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

4-star SG Jordan Mize (No. 38) Sierra Canyon (CA) High
4-star CG Liam Mitakaro (No. 43) CIA Bella Vista (AZ) Prep
4-star PG Jayden Cecil (No. 44) Utah (UT) Prep
4-star PF Settima Yugu (No. 47) CIA Bella Vista (AZ) Prep
4-star SF Anthony Key (No. 58) Atascocita (TX) High
4-star PG Kenyon St. Louis (No. 60) Winston-Salem (NC) Christian
4-star PG Mateen Cleaves Jr. (No. 62) Dream City (AZ) Christian
4-star PG Dylan Ziegler (No. 64) Lutheran East (OH)

North Carolina has 9 players in the Rivals150 update

North Carolina led the way with 9 players in the updated Rivals150 ranking. Their highest-ranking player is No. 28 overall Xavier Hall. Hall is a 6-foot-9 center at Davidson (NC) Day School. In total, 29 states and Canada are represented in the Rivals’ 2028 rankings update.

North Carolina – 9
Florida – 8
Georgia – 8
Arizona – 8
Texas – 7
California – 7
New Jersey – 5
Maryland – 5
Pennsylvania – 5
New York – 4