ESPN No. 1 race in 2026, 2027, 2028 | The Boneyard

ESPN No. 1 race in 2026, 2027, 2028

Can No. 3 Vukosa keep challenging herself?

The 6-4 forward/center out of New York averaged 15.1 points and 9.1 rebounds on efficient shooting for Croatia's U20 FIBA EuroBasket Division B team in August, highlighted by a massive 35-point, 22-rebound showing against Bulgaria in the third-place game. A nimble, new-age post, Vukosa is comfortable facilitating, stepping out to the 3-point line and flashing face-up touch. She still needs to refine her post play and finish in traffic more consistently to reach her ceiling -- all controllable areas of development.

Vukosa has an undeniable toolkit to become a versatile next-level player, but the college game will demand her to play more efficiently near the rim, plus more disciplined defense while avoiding foul trouble. With Christ the King set for its usual high-profile schedule, she'll have ample opportunity to push for the No. 1 spot this season.

Vukosa and her family have already hosted several programs on home visits and taken a few official visits, with UConn, LSU, Texas, South Carolina and Ohio State emerging as her final five.
 
The race between No. 1 Kaleena Smith and No. 2 Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka is a fascinating contrast of styles. Both led their respective summer shoe-circuit teams -- Smith with 7 Days Basketball (adidas), Manyacka with West Virginia Thunder (UA Next) -- to championships, but they do it in very different ways.

Smith, a 5-6 point guard, controls every possession with her decision-making and ability to manipulate tempo, like a quarterback throwing for a touchdown under duress. Manyacka, meanwhile, is a more classic, physically imposing 6-2 wing with prototypical size and strength, complemented by flashes of impressive skill.

The crux of the debate: How do we balance current production versus future projection with an eye on pro ball? It's no secret the WNBA isn't littered with small guards. There are only eight players listed at 5-7 or below on WNBA rosters this year. Manyacka's prototypical size, frame and strength align more with traditional projection models and should lead to a solid professional career. Smith's advanced IQ and skill will translate, but success at her size could depend on her team's system.
 
Why Smith edges out to stay No. 1

Smith reads the floor better than any player in the country. At times, it looks like she has her defender on puppet strings after cataloging their tendencies to exploit. On the adidas 3SSB circuit, Smith logged 19.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 4 assists on 54% shooting from the field, 32.7% from the 3-point line and 80% from the free throw line. Despite a sky-high usage rate, Smith has been masterfully efficient, too. Her three-point shooting percentage could still improve, but her vision, control and consistency have earned her the nickname "Special K."

USC, UCLA and UConn are often mentioned as frontrunners in her recruitment, but her family has been patient, taking few unofficial visits so far. Expect this to pick up this fall, with official visits starting in January.
 
The keys that keep No. 2 Wilson-Manyacka a close threat

Manyacka imposes her will and physically wears down opposing defenses, even as they scramble to find different bodies to get in her way. She is simply too strong for wings to defend, and too mobile for forwards to slow down.

Manyacka was named MVP of the U16 AmeriCup this year after averaging a tournament-high 18 points in addition to 7.2 rebounds, 2 assists and 3.8 steals. Last year, she was a member of the gold medal-winning 2024 U17 World Cup team, and presumably will jump back up to the U17 level for the 2026 World Cup -- no one since former Notre Dame and Virginia player Sam Brunelle (No. 6 in the 2019 class) has gone from U17 to U16 back up to U17 in the past decade.

Manyacka's collegiate options are plentiful. So far, UConn, South Carolina, Maryland, Tennessee, Texas, Kentucky and LSU have made particularly strong impressions.
 
No. 1 Griffin is simply dominant

The 6-0 guard out of Ontario Christian (CA) has shown flashes of dominance running alongside 2027 No. 1 prospect Kaleena Smith. Griffin methodically gets to her spots and finishes at the rim as well as any player in the country. Any concerns about her shooting from beyond the arc are more a matter of inconsistent volume than lack of ability. Still, she projects as a lead guard capable of scoring aggressively while also facilitating for others when needed.


It's early for any 2028 recruit, but major programs like USC, South Carolina, UConn, LSU and UCLA are heavily in the mix for Griffin.
 
No. 2 Douglas has the best fundamentals

At 6-7, Douglas combines a high-level handle, shooting range and back-to-the-basket game with rare mobility and coordination. The challenge is tying it all together consistently. Players of her height often face unfair expectations, but her physical tools demand a high standard, and she can leave more of an impression on the game, both effort-wise and statistically, than she does now.

...

If she can put everything together, she has a path to No. 1 in the class -- though she also isn't locked in at No. 2.

As one of the premier centers in the class, Douglas has fielded interest from just about every major program in the country. She plans to narrow down her options prior to June 1, 2026, when coaches can begin to call and text the 2028 class directly, per NCAA rules.
 
Watch out for No. 3 Johnson

Johnson is a cerebral thinker with a voracious appetite to improve and seek out challenges, impressing college coaches with her maturity and basketball intellect. That's a promising sign for a player with the size and potential to become quite a unique point guard.

At 5-11, Johnson is tall like Paige Bueckers with a broad frame akin to that of Lindsay Whalen -- two other Minnesota high school products. At Nike Nationals in July, Johnson averaged 15.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists at a 21% usage rate, while posting a 2.3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Her shooting was remarkably efficient for a lead guard. She's also learning to leverage her size against smaller defenders while maintaining sharp decision-making. If she continues leading teams to high-level winning, she'll push for the No. 1 spot.

Early recruiting interest for Johnson includes Baylor, UConn, USC, Duke, Iowa State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Illinois, Kansas and Iowa, among others.
 
Sluconn Husky said:
Can No. 3 Vukosa keep challenging herself?

The 6-4 forward/center out of New York averaged 15.1 points and 9.1 rebounds on efficient shooting for Croatia's U20 FIBA EuroBasket Division B team in August, highlighted by a massive 35-point, 22-rebound showing against Bulgaria in the third-place game. A nimble, new-age post, Vukosa is comfortable facilitating, stepping out to the 3-point line and flashing face-up touch. She still needs to refine her post play and finish in traffic more consistently to reach her ceiling -- all controllable areas of development.

Vukosa has an undeniable toolkit to become a versatile next-level player, but the college game will demand her to play more efficiently near the rim, plus more disciplined defense while avoiding foul trouble. With Christ the King set for its usual high-profile schedule, she'll have ample opportunity to push for the No. 1 spot this season.

Vukosa and her family have already hosted several programs on home visits and taken a few official visits, with UConn, LSU, Texas, South Carolina and Ohio State emerging as her final five.
Expand ...
Those are my two main concerns about her too. She's got a low, not well protected release on most of her interior shots that will need to be fixed to be an impact scorer against high level college competition and size.
 

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