Cooper Flagg among best high school basketball recruits in March Madness
An anticipated time of year, March Madness is in full swing. Included on those teams participating in the 2025 NCAA Men’s Tournament are some of college basketball’s best individual players, many of whom were also stars at the high school level.
Some of those players you were likely familiar with during their time at the prep level, while others you may have become familiar with once they catapulted into stardom in the collegiate ranks. Let’s take a look at some of college basketball’s biggest stars and how they ranked as high school recruits.
NOTE: Recruiting rankings according to 247Sports Composite
Cooper Flagg, Duke Blue Devils, Forward
A native of Maine, Cooper Flagg transferred to national powerhouse Montverde Academy in Florida prior to his sophomore season of high school basketball. He went on to spend two seasons with the Eagles after his decision to reclassify to the 2024 Class.
The five-star prospect was considered to be the No. 1 overall player in the country as a senior. He helped lead a loaded 2023-24 Montverde team to an undefeated 34-0 record while averaging 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, and he received numerous honors, including National Player of the Year.
Currently a freshman at Duke, Flagg was named the 2024-25 ACC Player of the Year coming off a season in which he averaged 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. The former five-star is also in the running for National Player of the Year and is presumed to be the No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA draft.
Johni Broome, Auburn Tigers, Forward
Johni Broome grew up in the state of Florida and originally began his high school career at Plant City High School prior to transferring to Tampa Catholic High School for his junior and senior seasons.
At Tampa Catholic, Broome averaged a double-double at 19.6 points and 10.9 rebounds per game during the 2019-20 season as a senior. He was ranked as a three-star prospect and considered to be the nation’s No. 471 overall player in the 2020 Class.
Currently a senior at Auburn, Broome is also in the conversation for National Player of the Year. He is averaging 18.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game, leading the SEC in the latter two stats. Broome has received numerous accolades this season, including the 2024-25 SEC Player of the Year.
Walter Clayton Jr., Florida Gators, Guard
Also a native of Florida, Walter Clayton Jr. was a multi-sport athlete at Bartow High School and a member of the 2021 Class. Unranked as a basketball prospect, Clayton was Bartow’s leading scorer as a senior, averaging 15.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game during the 2020-21 season.
Currently a senior at Florida, Clayton is enjoying a career year with the Gators, averaging a combined 17.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Clayton has received multiple honors, including First Team All-SEC.
Mark Sears, Alabama Crimson Tide, Guard
A native of Alabama, Mark Sears transferred to Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia prior to his senior season of high school basketball. He was ranked as a three-star point guard and the No. 218 overall player in the 2020 Class.
At Hargrave, Sears helped lead the program to a 37-4 record while averaging 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game as a senior.
With the Alabama Crimson Tide this season, Sears has received multiple honors, including First Team All-SEC, while averaging 18.6 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists per game as a senior.
Braden Smith, Purdue Boilermakers, Guard
A member of the 2022 recruiting class, Braden Smith attended Indiana’s Westfield High School. An accomplished high school player, Smith averaged 18.3 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists per game during his 2021-22 senior season. He was rated as a three-star prospect and considered to be the nation’s No. 198 overall player regardless of position.
Currently in his third season of college basketball, the star Purdue point guard has averaged a career-high 16 points, 4.5 rebounds, a Big Ten-leading 8.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game for the Boilermakers this season. Smith has also received numerous honors, including the 2024-25 Big Ten Player of the Year.
Derik Queen, Maryland Terrapins, Center
Derik Queen was a three-year player at Florida’s Montverde Academy, where he was a teammate of the aforementioned Flagg for one of the nation’s top high school basketball teams. As a senior, Queen ranked as a five-star prospect, the No. 12 overall player nationally, and the No. 3 center nationally. In that 2023-24 season, he averaged a combined 16.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for the Eagles.
Having already hit a buzzer-beater for Maryland this March, Queen’s freshman season has included a combined stat line of 16.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as one of the nation’s top big men. Queen has been named the 2024-25 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
LJ Cryer, Houston Cougars, Guard
Houston guard LJ Cryer grew up in Texas, where he attended Morton Ranch High School. He came out of the 2020 recruiting class as a four-star prospect and as the nation’s No. 100 overall player in the cycle.
Cryer was a prolific scorer at Morton Ranch, where he finished his high school career as one of the state’s all-time top scorers, which included an average of 34.2 points and 5.3 assists per game as a senior.
A national champion at Baylor in 2020-21, Cryer is currently in his second season with the Cougars and is averaging 15.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Cryer has received multiple honors this season, including First Team All-Big 12, and also led the Big 12 with a 42.8% 3-point percentage.
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee Volunteers, Guard
Chaz Lanier grew up in the state of Tennessee, where he attended The Ensworth School for high school prior to playing collegiately for four seasons at North Florida. Lanier was an unranked high school prospect who averaged 22.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game as a senior in 2019-20.
After transferring from North Florida to Tennessee, Lanier’s first season with the Vols has seen him average 18.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Lanier has also received honors that included Second Team All-SEC.
