No matter who the head coach is at North Carolina there are going be interest and offers to five-star high school players. So don't expect things to be any different this time around when Hubert Davis and his staff begin reaching out to prospects on June 15 to prospects in the 2027 class.
Although we don't know exactly which recruits will get the attention, history tells us that the top-10 according to Rivals rankings is a great place to start. Fortunately, all ten play on AAU shoe circuits. We are also lucky to have stat lines on each one. We have also have seen most of the players in person, and have watched film on the others.
Here is a look at each one before phones start blowing up in the middle of the month.
C.J. Rosser and King Gibson make up one of the top pairs in the EYBL 16U division. The combo has helped make Team United one of the top teams in that league. Rosser is every bit of 6-foot-10, lengthy, and athletic. He is also working on an evolving perimeter game as a 37% three-point rate would indicate. Rosser is also a load at putting the ball on the floor, and finishing at the rim.
Ryan Hampton and Marcus Spears Jr, are another dynamic duo in the EYBL 16U division for Drive Nation. Hampton is one of the very top scorers at 21.7 points. But he also takes a lot of shots. Hampton is a long 6-foot-6, and he can score over his defender in close, and in the mid-range. His next step is to be able to create space off the dribble.
Baba Oladotun is the highest ranked player in the 2027 class playing up in the EYBL 17U division. Like every other player in the top six, Oladotun is a big, long perimeter player who has big man size, and the athleticism of a much smaller guy. He is putting up decent numbers on the Nike circuit against older players. Although Oladotun's percentages could be higher, he does have a nice looking jump shot.
Jaylan Mitchell is another rising junior playing up in the 17U division. The small forward for Brad Beal Elite is different from some of the other players with similar size. Mitchell is stronger, and not quite as athletic. In the end, he could end up playing the four. He has been trying to catch up with some of the quicker and older prospects who are a year older, but his high basketball IQ and willingness to make winning type of plays do not take a backseat to anyone.
Paul Osaruyi is the highest ranked true post player in the rankings. Playing up an age group can be tough for interiors, but the center for Arizona Unity has held his own quite well. Osaruyi is athletic, and he already has a frame of a player much older. He is a very good defender, and rim protector. Offensively, he is a strong finisher around the rim, and he also can score from a mid-range face-up game.
Lincoln Cosby is the highest ranked player to play on the PUMA NXT PRO series. The competition is nowhere near as strong as what you will see in the Nike or Adidas circuits. However, Cosby has the goods that any AAU team in the country would love to have. At 6-foot-9, Cosby is a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions. Like several of the other top young prospects he he a work in progress as he tries to mix size with perimeter skills. Also like Rosser and Oladotun, the consistency isn't there yet, but he makes plays that nobody else in the gym can pull off. It's going to be all about putting everything together.
JL3 is a perfect 6-0 in the EYBL 16U division, Tyrone (T.J.) Jamison is a key cog. The point guard is one of the assist leaders with five per game. He had at least five assists in four of the six games. He was a streaky three-point shooter this spring who went 1-12 from deep in two games, and 15 of 27 for 55.6% in the other contests. Jamison is cat quick. He is very tough to defend when he is making jumpers, and combines that with his ability to get to the rim.
Josh Leonard is another bigger and explosive wing. He is probably one of the best at getting to the rim and finishing. He shot well over 50% from two-point range for the Upward Stars of the Adidas 3SSB circuit. He also averaged eight rebounds, and he he has the reputation as one of the better defenders in his class.
Marcus Spears Jr. averaged a double-double for the Drive Nation 16U group. He blocked almost four shots per game as well. In other words, Spears played bigger than his 6-foot-6 frame. He is lethal in the open floor, and in the top percentile athletically. He has handles, but at times he will dribble the air out of the ball without going anywhere. That is the next step in his game.
Gabe Nesmith is a pure two-guard. He has a complete game on both ends of the floor. He averaged 17.6 points in the EYBL 16U division. The Vegas Elite guard had season highs of 33 and 25. He has a better shooting stroke than his numbers indicate, and Nesmith has a good basketball IQ as well.
