Over the past decade, several athletes have risen to the coveted position of the nation’s No. 1 basketball recruit. From their early promise on the high school courts to their current endeavors in the collegiate or professional ranks, these athletes’ journeys provide a fascinating glimpse into the evolving landscape of basketball talent development. Let’s take a closer look at the last 10 No. 1 basketball recruits and where they are now based on 247Sports rankings.
- 2024 Top Basketball Recruit – Cooper Flagg
- 2023 Top Basketball Recruit – Ron Holland
- 2022 Top Basketball Recruit – Nick Smith Jr.
- 2021 Top Basketball Recruit – Chet Holmgren
- 2020 Top Basketball Recruit – Cade Cunningham
- 2019 Top Basketball Recruit – Anthony Edwards
- 2018 Top Basketball Recruit – RJ Barrett
- 2017 Top Basketball Recruit – Marvin Bagley III
- 2016 Top Basketball Recruit – Josh Jackson
- 2015 Basketball Recruit – Ben Simmons
2024 Top Basketball Recruit – Cooper Flagg
Where He Is: Current Duke Blue Devils Commit
The 6’9” forward Cooper Flagg, who attends Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, has currently committed to Duke University. He is a consensus five-star recruit and ranks among the top players in the 2024 class. In his final year of high school, Flagg garnered multiple national Player of the Year honors. As a senior, Flagg averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game.
Flagg is currently the hottest prospect in basketball right now and there is hope the current teenager can become the biggest superstar since Victor Wembanyama. As long as he can hone in on his game with the Duke Blue Devils and continue his improvement on both ends of the court, the dominant rebounder and natural defender seems to be a lock for a No. 1 or No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
2023 Top Basketball Recruit – Ron Holland
Where He Is: NBA G-League Ignite
Ron Holland is one of the hottest prospects right now after posting 18.5 points per game for the G-League Ignite. He was a consensus five-star recruit one of the top players in the 2023 Draft class and the best recruit in the state of Texas, which are some honorable descriptions for the 6’8” forward.
Described as an exceptionally athletic player, Holland excels not only in verticality but also in lateral movement, thriving in open-court situations. His versatility on defense makes him a standout, offering the potential to become a coveted modern-day big wing. Although he needs further development in ball handling and tempering his emotions, Holland is a capable passer and hopes to be on an NBA team this upcoming 2024-25 season.
2022 Top Basketball Recruit – Nick Smith Jr.
Where He Is: Charlotte Hornets
Among the No. 1 prospects who played in college over the past decade, Smith faced the toughest collegiate journey, largely due to injuries. He missed the first six games, returned briefly for five contests, then sat out the next 13. Despite playing only 17 games, Smith still managed standout performances, scoring 20 or more points in five games.
NBA teams still closely watched these performances to assess his draft stock which is why the 6’5” shooting guard was taken No. 27 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. Smith Jr completed his rookie campaign with the Charlotte Hornets this season, posting 5.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game on 43.2% from three in only 14.3 minutes per game of action.
2021 Top Basketball Recruit – Chet Holmgren
Where He Is: Oklahoma City Thunder
Chet Holmgren showcased terrific efficiency throughout the 2020-21 season with Gonzaga, averaging 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game. He ranked third nationally in true shooting percentage, 17th in defensive rebounding rate, and 10th in block rate. The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Holmgren with the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft.
Despite missing his first season due to a Lisfranc injury in his foot, Holmgren is poised to become a significant NBA player after having a dominant rookie campaign by posting 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. Holmgren formed a nice duo with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season as the Oklahoma City Thunder were one game away from the Western Conference Finals. As Holmgren continues to mature, he will be a bonafide All-Star one day.
2020 Top Basketball Recruit – Cade Cunningham
Where He Is: Detroit Pistons
Cunningham’s collegiate career saw him earn Big 12 Player of the Year honors and consensus first-team All-American recognition. The Detroit Pistons selected him as the first overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. In his rookie season, Cunningham made an immediate impact, landing on the All-Rookie first team with impressive averages of 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
His sophomore campaign started even stronger, with averages of 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. However, his season was cut short by a shin injury after 12 games. Cunningham was still taken No. 1 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, making the All-Rookie Team, and posted a career-high 22.7 points and 7.5 assists per game for the team this season.
2019 Top Basketball Recruit – Anthony Edwards
Where He Is: Minnesota Timberwolves
Despite producing at a high level individually, Anthony Edwards faced questions because his team didn’t win enough with Georgia before going No. 1 in the NBA draft. Georgia finished the season with a 16-16 record, concluding with a win over Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament before the season was cut short due to COVID-19. Edwards averaged 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, earning SEC Rookie of the Year and second-team All-SEC honors.
The Minnesota Timberwolves selected him with the No. 1 overall pick. Edwards has since blossomed into a star, making the All-Rookie first team, and now sits with two All-Star appearances as one of the faces of the NBA. Edwards had a career-high average of 25.9 points per game and led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals this season at 22 years old.
2018 Top Basketball Recruit – RJ Barrett
Where He Is: Toronto Raptors
RJ Barrett entered college as one of the most proven prospects in recent memory, having led Canada’s team to a gold medal in the FIBA U19 World Cup against older players. Despite teammate Zion Williamson winning National Player of the Year honors during their shared season at Duke, Barrett lived up to expectations with a first-team All-American campaign, averaging 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game.
RJ Barrett went No. 3 overall to the New York Knicks in the 2019 NBA Draft. He finished 8th in Rookie of the Year voting and helped make the Knicks a resurgent force in the East in recent seasons. This year, Barrett was traded by the Knicks to the Toronto Raptors in a package involving OG Anunoby. At 23 years old, Barrett has plenty to improve upon and could build upon his 20.2 points per game scoring average this year.
2017 Top Basketball Recruit – Marvin Bagley III
Where He Is: Washington Wizards
A once-promising prospect, Marvin Bagley was a significant late addition for the Blue Devils, announcing in August that he would reclassify to the 2017 class from the 2018 crop and join Duke. The forward earned consensus first-team All-American honors and was named ACC Player of the Year, leading a team that narrowly missed the Final Four.
He was selected by the Sacramento Kings as the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA Draft and earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie first team after averaging 14.9 points per game. Bagley was later traded to Detroit, where he has averaged 12.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in three seasons. This season, Bagley played for the Washington Wizards posting 13.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
2016 Top Basketball Recruit – Josh Jackson
Where He Is: Free Agent
With Kansas, Josh Jackson was named an All-American and first-team All-Big 12 selection, putting together arguably the best freshman season in Kansas history. He averaged 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game while showcasing scrappy defense. Due to his exceptional performances, Jackson was bound to be a top-five NBA prospect.
The Phoenix Suns selected him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Jackson made the NBA All-Rookie second team but subsequently moved between teams, being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, spending two seasons with the Detroit Pistons, and eventually being traded to the Sacramento Kings. Most recently, he has played for the Kings’ G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings but has not been on an NBA team since 2021-22.
2015 Basketball Recruit – Ben Simmons
Where He Is: Brooklyn Nets
It is truly a shame how Ben Simmons’ career has turned out over the last few seasons. Being compared to LeBron James, Simmons stood out as the first overall pick, averaging 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. The Philadelphia 76ers selected him with the No. 1 pick, and Simmons rewarded them by winning Rookie of the Year honors after missing the first year with a foot injury.
He went on to make three consecutive All-Star appearances and earned back-to-back NBA All-Defensive Team selections, leading the league in steals in 2020. However, his career took a turn after a challenging performance in the 2021 NBA Playoffs and a season-long holdout due to a back injury.
After being traded to the Brooklyn Nets, Simmons has played a total of 57 games in two seasons averaging 6.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. Seen in the Met Gala and other events rather than being on the court, Simmons has become one of the most criticized players in the NBA and there is little hope he can regain All-Star status again.
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