Cooper Flagg, A.J. Dybantsa lead top performers from summer AAU season
The summer AAU season has come to an end and there were several players who made good first impressions on NBA scouts and executives who watched the next wave of young talent. Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-8 forward out of Maine, solidified himself as the best rim protector in high school basketball, regardless of class, and announced earlier this month he would reclassify up to the 2024 high school class. Flagg is now the No. 1 recruit in the incoming senior class, and the No. 1 player currently in the 2026 class, A.J. Dybantsa, also made his presence known this summer as he dominated the 17-under division of Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League.
There were other players who had breakout performances and are now a priority for several Power 5 college programs. With the fall season right around the corner, Yahoo Sports takes a look at the summer's top performers, stock risers and high school teams to keep an eye on.
Top performers
Cooper Flagg
No one had a better summer than Flagg. He was named the MVP of the NBPA Top 100 Camp, led his team (Maine United) to the 16-under Peach Jam semifinals and led all players in blocks. He participated in Jayson Tatum's Jordan Brand Camp, Stephen Curry's SC Select Camp, Nike's Skills Academy and was named the MVP of the SLAM Summer Classic.
Flagg averaged 25.4 points, 13 rebounds, 6.8 blocks and 5.7 assists per game during Peach Jam and became the first player in EYBL history to record a 50-point game when he dropped 52 points in April. Before reclassifying up a grade, Flagg and Cameron Boozer were battling for the No. 1 spot in the 2025 class and had a couple of great games on the court this summer.
"It's a rivalry that people like to make, but it's always fun playing against him because of how good he is," Flagg told Yahoo Sports in July. "It's always fun battling at the highest level like that. He's a great player."
Flagg holds a handful of offers and took an unofficial visit to Duke over the summer. He has set official visits to Kansas, UConn and Duke for the fall, with the Blue Devils favored to land the No. 1 player in the senior class.
A.J. Dybantsa
Dybantsa burst onto the AAU scene and completely dominated competition, playing up two divisions in EYBL. During Peach Jam, Dybantsa led all players (from 25 teams) with 25.8 points per game and put on a scoring clinic in front of several NBA scouts.
After Peach Jam, the 6-8 wing headed to Tatum's Jordan Brand Camp and played against grown men in the Drew League in Los Angeles where he finished with 20 points and four steals. While he was in California, Dybantsa worked out with Chris Paul, LeBron James and Kevin Durant. He also participated in the SC Select Camp, Nike Skills Academy and SLAM Summer Classic to cap off his summer.
Dybantsa is currently the No. 1 player in the 2026 class, but rumors have been swirling that he could reclassify up to the loaded 2025 class. Dybantsa holds several offers, including from UConn, Alabama, Texas, Michigan and Providence.
Cameron Boozer
Boozer led his AAU team, Nightrydas Elite, to back-to-back Peach Jam championships and led all players in the 16-under division in points and rebounds. Boozer, a 6-9 forward, is the best outlet passer in high school basketball. He showcased more confidence stepping into his 3-point shot this summer.
With Flagg reclassifying, Boozer is now the consensus No. 1 player in the 2025 class and arguably the best player in all of high school basketball. Boozer and his twin brother, Cayden, will most likely stay in the 2025 high school class, just turning 16 years old at the end of July. If the pair were to reclassify, they would both have to play two years in college, not meeting the age requirement for the NBA Draft. The Boozer-Flagg rivalry was fun while it lasted, and both players made lasting impressions on NBA scouts this summer.
"They're two of the best prospects to ascend the high school rankings in the past 10 years," one NBA scout told Yahoo Sports. "Cooper has a two-way skill set and is the best versatile defender in high school basketball, while Boozer might be the most polished offensive player in America. They both have a floor of a starting-level player in the NBA with the chance of developing into all-league players with longevity."
Boozer currently holds offers from Duke (where his dad, Carlos, played), Miami, Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Michigan, Texas and Florida State.
Darryn Peterson
Peterson started the summer on a high note after he helped lead the 16U USA Basketball Team to a gold medal in the FIBA Americas World Cup. Peterson is a 6-5 shooting guard in the 2025 class and was one of the best players on the Adidas 3SSB circuit and is currently a top-three player in his class.
Over the summer, Peterson announced he would transfer to Huntington Prep in West Virginia for his junior season. He's a three-level scorer, has a natural feel for the game and has improved his ball-handling from last high school season. Peterson was a priority for a handful of schools this summer with North Carolina, Ohio State, Michigan State, Baylor, Kentucky, Kansas and Wisconsin all offering.
Ace Bailey
Bailey was unable to play for U16 Team USA after suffering an injury on the first day of tryouts, but he more than made up for it with how well he played the rest of the summer. Bailey, a 6-9 forward, is currently committed to Rutgers and is the No. 3 player in the 2024 class. He put on a high-flying performance during the SLAM Summer Classic and was named the MVP at the SC Select Camp.
Bailey's defense improved, particularly on his timing coming off the weak-side block for some added rim protection. His 3-point shot remains an area of development, especially in the pick-and-pop, but his athleticism is unmatched and he is definitely in consideration for the No. 1 spot in the 2024 class after his strong summer performance.
Stock risers
V.J. Edgecombe
No player saw his stock rise more than Edgecombe this summer. Prior to the spring and summer, Edgecombe was a top-75 prospect. After competing, and sometimes dominating, on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, Edgecombe started to see blue-blood interest at the college level and was a name to watch for NBA scouts at the Adidas All-American Camp in Southern California last month.
Edgecombe is a dynamic shooter who loves the 3-ball and even got to go head-to-head with Trae Young last month. The 6-5 guard was named the MVP of the Adidas Euro Camp and was named an All-Star at the NBPA Top 100 Camp. His recruitment has blown up, and Edgecombe is down to a final 10: Florida, Duke, St. John's, Alabama, Baylor, Miami, UConn, Michigan, Florida State and G League Ignite.
Jase Richardson
This was the first time Richardson has been full strength in over a year, after recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him for the majority of his high school season. Richardson, the son of former NBA player Jason Richardson, was one of the best players during Peach Jam, averaging 20.8 points and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 45% from 3-point range.
Richardson, a 6-3 guard, has great court vision, makes good reads as a primary ball-handler and shot lights out this summer. He has two official visits in September to Alabama and Cincinnati and has visited Michigan State and Arkansas.
Asa Newell
Newell was a five-star prospect heading into the AAU summer season, but he was coming off the bench and playing behind Flagg at Montverde Academy last high school season. Newell, a 6-9 wing, got NBA scouts' attention at the U19 USA Basketball tryouts in June and was the best player at the New Balance PRO16/NXT League.
Newell looked more confident this summer outside of the paint and showcased an improved motor, especially in transition. Newell is a top-10 player in the 2024 class and holds offers from Georgia (his brother plays on the team), Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Indiana, Kansas, Gonzaga and Illinois.
Programs to watch
Prolific Prep
Move over Montverde, there's a new super-team in high school basketball and it's Prolific Prep out of Napa, California. Over the summer, Dybantsa announced he would transfer to Prolific Prep and team up with the other top player in the 2026 class, Tyran Stokes. Dybantsa and Stokes led Team USA to a gold medal and are two of the most impressive offensive players in high school basketball.
Also on the roster at Prolific Prep this year: five-star Zoom Diallo, five-star Derrion Reid, four-star Aiden Sherrell and four-star Mikey Lewis.
Christopher Columbus High School
The Boozer twins won back-to-back Peach Jam titles and are coming off back-to-back Florida state championships with Christopher Columbus High School outside of Miami. The team could be looking to three-peat this upcoming season with Jase and Jaxon Richardson transferring to Christopher Columbus and joining Cameron and Cayden Boozer. Expect both dads, Carlos Boozer and Jason Richardson, to be familiar faces on the sidelines as this super-team in Florida looks to dominate competition.
Both Jase and Cayden are comfortable playing on and off the ball in the backcourt and adding the versatility of Cameron and high-flying dunks from Jaxon as an incoming sophomore, Christopher Columbus will be must-watch basketball this season.
Overtime Elite
Amen and Ausar Thompson just went No. 4 and No. 5 in the NBA Draft, and Overtime Elite is turning into a destination for top-tier players. On Tuesday, it landed another commitment from one of the best guards in the 2025 class, Mikel Brown Jr. Other top players in the Overtime Elite program are Bryson Tiller, Naasir Cunningham and Jahki Howard.
Last fall, Overtime Elite hosted the Boozer twins and Christopher Columbus and played against Sierra Canyon (Bronny James) and Corona Centennial (Jared McCain). The game atmosphere is unmatched and the program is always trying to get the best competition for its players prior to the regular season.
