As we expand the 2026 class rankings from the top-60 players to the top top-80 players, the electric point guard, Brandon McCoy, has been crowned the best player in the class.

Before we get into the storylines that follow McCoy’s ascensions, we want to stress that the marathon for this class has just starting. Prospects who are unhappy with their early ranking (or lack there of) just need to look back at how past classes were ranked during the winter of their sophomore years.

With that being said, let’s take a look at where things currently stand:

BRANDON MCCOY TAKES OVER THE TOP SPOT

Brandon McCoy taking over the top spot in the class of 2026 isn’t exactly a shocker. After all, the 6-foot-4 point guard at Bellflower (Calf.) St. John Bosco debuted as the No. 2 player in the class behind Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep forward Tyran Stokes during our first 2026 class rankings in September.

However, we don’t make changes at the top without some serious consideration. After watching both McCoy and Stokes extensively over the past months, we felt McCoy earned the top spot.

Already in possession of offers from programs like: Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, California, Georgia Tech, Kansas and more, McCoy is as good of a point guard prospect as we have seen in several years. He has size, skill, he is a good athlete and he plays with a level of poise that is far beyond his age. McCoy is an instinctual player with tremendous feel for the game. What makes McCoy such a great prospect is the fact that the already good player is just scratching the surface of his long-term potential.

Although McCoy got the nod for No. 1 spot this time around, it doesn’t take anything away from Stokes. Stokes is a 6-foot-7 prospect with athleticism and a well-developed inside-out game. He plays above the rim, makes shots from deep and is an above average passer. Just like McCoy, he’s got a long list of early offers including programs like: Alabama, Auburn, Kansas, Kentucky and more.

At this early stage, McCoy and Stokes have established themselves as the top-2 players in the class. But, they are going to face competition as this class matures.

CALIFORNIA DOMINATES THE TOP-10

California high schools can claim the top-2 players in the 2026 updated rankings. But, The Golden State is full of elite prospects. 4 of the class’s top-5 players and 5 players in the top-10 players call California home.

The Southeast gets some representation at No. 3 thanks to the bouncy and productive Alabama wing, No. 3 Caleb Holt, but he’s got a pair of Californians hot on his heels.

Alijah Arenas of Chatsworth (Calif.) High checks in at No. 4. The son of longtime NBA scoring machine Gilbert Arenas, the 6-foot-5 prospect has a blend of size, length, skill and scoring chops. Just like Arenas, Jason Crowe is already putting up 40 and 50-point games on a regular basis at California’s Lynwood. The super skilled point guard checks in at No. 5.

Rounding out the group of talented Californians in the top-10 is another professional legacy. No. 18 Tajh Ariza is the son of 18-year NBA veteran Trevor Ariza. The 6-foot-7 swingman is blessed with size, skill, quick-twitch athleticism and a beautiful jump shot. He’s still a bit inconsistent but his pedigree, tools and size allowed him to be one of the biggest climbers at the top of the rankings.

We head back to the Southeast for spots 6-8 where a trio of big men show some promise. At No. 6, Georgia power forward Moustapha Diop is a mover with two-way potential. At No. 7, Caleb Gaskins is another mobile power forward with a great frame. He shows promise, but has gotten somewhat limited playing time this season at Montverde (Fla.) Academy due to the school’s loaded front court. At No. 8, Sam Funches is a post from Mississippi who has a great frame to grow into.

6-foot-3 Ikenna Alozie — who move to the States from Nigeria just a couple of years ago — checks in at No. 9 to round out the non-Californians in the top-10.

NBA TIES REMAIN PROMINENT

The trend of players with NBA ties finding their footing in the national rankings continues with the class of 2026. We already touched on Arenas and Ariza, but they are just two of 6 players ranked inside the top-30 whose fathers have played in the NBA. The rankings will certainly change. But as of now, 20% of the elite players in the class have NBA ties.

At No. 12, forward Elijah Williams is the son of 9-year NBA veteran and current head coach of the Detroit Pistons, Monty Williams. The elder Williams won the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year award as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns.

Checking in at No. 19 overall is Jaxon Richardson, the son of 14-year NBA veteran Jason Richardson. Richardson is a long armed and athletic wing. He’s also the younger brother of Michigan State-bound senior Jase Richardson who is the No. 31 player in the class of 2024.

Already establishing himself as one of the most prolific scorers in the class, Kaden House was one of  2026’s biggest movers, jumping up 24 spots to No. 29 overall. The shooting guard from Arizona is the son of Eddie House. Also, his brother Kalek House is knocking on the door of the 2026 rankings. Finally, Brandon Bass Jr. is another promising shooting guard who checks in at No. 30 overall. His father, Brandon Bass, was a McDonald’s All-American and top-10 player in the class of 2003 before playing 12 seasons in the NBA.

2023 NBA Draft: Who could be this year’s Christian Braun?

More and more NBA teams drafting at the end of the first-round and into the second are looking for players capable of stepping into the rotation as rookies, even if they have less long-term upside. Who are this year’s candidates?

This year’s NBA Draft has plenty of star power at the top of the class with prospects like Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller, Cam Whitmore, and the Thompson twins dominating the headlines going into Thursday night.

Those players will ultimately impact less than a third of the league though and so for many teams, the draft is about finding value, not just on the court, but also from a salary cap perspective.

The Denver Nuggets were a prime example of that last year. With an ownership group that historically had a reputation of being averse to paying the luxury tax, they used the 21st pick to take Christian Braun, a player they could immediately insert into the rotation at less than $3 million per year.

In the last two weeks, they’ve doubled-down on that strategy for the coming draft, first trading for an additional second-round pick during the finals and then packaging that to land the 29th pick from Indiana on Wednesday.

With Bruce Brown potentially leaving in free agency, the 29th pick would allow them a chance to replace him with a potentially more affordable contract.

Indiana’s selection of Andrew Nembhard a year ago is an example of how teams can utilize that strategy effectively even outside the first round.

Philosophically, this is a shift from some teams who use those picks – late first-rounders and second-rounders – to swing for the fences in hopes of landing the next Jokic or Draymond.

So who could be this year’s version of Braun or Nembhard, a player who has the experience and ability to contend for a spot in the rotation from day one, even if they don’t necessary have as high a long-term ceiling?

Kris Murray, Iowa

It may not even be fair to include Kris Murray on this list, since there is a real possibility he is off the board in the middle of the first round. While Murray shot less than 34% from behind the 3-point line this year, there is a deep belief that he’s going to make spot-up shots at a high level when he gets to the NBA and becomes more of a secondary role player (he made 39% of his 3s as a sophomore at Iowa). In addition to the shooting, he’s a high IQ player who has historically played with a low turnover rate. Combine that solid positional size (6-foot-7 3/4 without shoes with a 6-foot-11 3/4 wingspan), strength and athleticism, and he should be able to make an immediate impact on the offensive end of the floor — in a role not unlike what his twin brother Keegan did this year in Sacramento.

Jaime Jaquez, UCLA

With more and more teams potentially looking for experience in the second half of the first-round, Jaime Jaquez is seeing his stock rise accordingly. While he played a mid-range heavy style, almost as an undersized four man, at UCLA, he gets praised across the board for his toughness, physicality, motor, and intangibles. The shooting is the area he’ll need to show growth in as he transitions into a role-playing wing, but at 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, he may still be able to play some small-ball four even in the NBA. He’s a heady two-way player, capable of creating his own shot from the wing or the elbow, and just generally expected to help impact winning with the way he approaches the game.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Marquette

Olivier-Maxence Prosper helped himself more in the pre-draft process than almost anyone. He’s a high-level athlete with very long arms, good positional size, and a strong motor. Defensively, he’s capable of coming in and making an impact right away, and has a chance to be multi-positional while doing so. Offensively, there’s enough shooting potential to suggest he can be a competent spot-up floor-spacer down the road, but just as important is the fact that he’s not someone who needs the ball in his hands to be effective as he showed this year when Tyler Kolek was the primary playmaker on Marquette’s Big East championship team.

Kobe Brown, Missouri

Kobe Brown is getting very little first-round traction at the moment, but he’s someone I believe could have a lot of value, whether that be in the late-first-round or second. He’s a powerfully built 6-foot-7 forward with a 250-pound frame and extremely long arms. He can really dribble and pass the ball after playing a point forward type role in high school. This year at Mizzou, the shooting made a substantial jump, up from 21% to 46% behind the arc. The fact that he’s been over 79% from the free-throw line in each of the last two years also adds optimism that he can keep making open shots (he rarely takes contested ones). He’s stronger than he is quick, but his ability to guard up the lineup would provide a lot of flexibility for teams looking to play some small-ball lineups.

Ben Sheppard, Belmont

If you’re looking for a legit “3-and-D” candidate at the end of the first round, Ben Sheppard may be the best option. The 6-foot-5 guard was known primarily for his shotmaking this year, knocking down 2.5 3s a game at a 42.5% clip, but is a far more versatile two-way player than he gets credit for. In fact, there’s even a case to be made that he’s a potentially overrated shooter (68% free-throw with mechanics that aren’t pure from deep) with an underrated floor game. He can attack closeouts and score in different ways within the flow of the game and is also a serviceable defender. If his movement shooting numbers (49%, according to Synergy) pan out long term, then there’s definite sleeper potential here.

Andre Jackson, Connecticut

The captain of the national championship team is known to be a leader and worker. He’s also a high-level athlete, standout defender, and very gifted passer. Andre Jackson has NBA measurables at 6-foot-6 without shoes and an almost 6-foot-10 wingspan. While the handle could still tighten, he’s multi-positional on both ends of the floor, able to facilitate like a point guard and be ultra-switchable defensively. All of that sounds like a potential lottery pick, even if he isn’t someone who puts up big point totals with his individual offense. The glaring deficiency though is the shooting. He shot under 30% from the 3-point line both this season and through his career and unfortunately the mechanics are as concerning as the numbers. If he figures the shot out, he’s a no-brainer. Even if he doesn’t, he could end up following a Gary Payton II type path if he gets to the right organization.

Colby Jones, Xavier

Colby Jones is a utility guard, capable of filling a supportive role in a variety of different lineups. First, he has a strong, NBA-ready frame with solid positional size at just under 6-foot-5 without shoes. While he played primarily off the ball at Xavier, he’s a good passer and smart player who projects as being capable of playing on or off the ball at the next level. His court awareness extends to the defensive end of the floor as well, where he’s a real asset, and also a good rebounding guard. The key variable is the shooting. He knocked down 38% of his 3s last year, making 1.3 per game, which was a vast improvement over the year before (0.6 a game on 29%). If he can sustain those shooting numbers from the NBA line, he should have a long career as a blend player.

Marcus Sasser, Houston

In a draft class that lacks depth at the point-guard position, Marcus Sasser is a name that might not be getting enough attention right now. What he may lack in ideal size (6-foot-1-plus) he compensates for with a very long 6-foot-7 wingspan. He’s a competitive two-way player who changed the game on both ends of the floor at Houston. He’s quick, strong, deceptively strong, and a defensive playmaker who can pressure the ball and generate some steals. Offensively, he’s both skilled and creative with the ability to handle the ball and make shots off the catch or the dribble. He also gets rave reviews for his work-ethic and being low-maintenance. The biggest concern may be durability given an injury history that has included his toe, shoulder, and Achilles.

Shaun Livingston would like to finish career with Clippers

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After a long and decorated career that saw him overcome and bounce back from from a serious leg injury, veteran guard Shaun Livingston’s NBA future remains an uncertainty. While Livingston is open to the idea of calling it a career and retiring, he would prefer to play one more year with a team where he feels he would fit.

Livingston, who had a team option on his contract for the 2019-20 season, was waived by the Golden State Warriors earlier this month after five seasons — and three championships — with the franchise.

“At this point, it’s more about finishing my career the right way,” Livingston said, via the Journal Star. “Going to where the fit is right as far as what I can bring to the table. Coming in and helping a team from a leadership standpoint, helping mentor the young guys and playing spot minutes … I’m at the stage of my career where those are the things where I add the most value.”

There is one team in particular that Livingston thinks would be a great fit for him at this point in his career: the Los Angeles Clippers, who initially drafted Livingston in the lottery of the 2004 Draft. He played with the Clippers through 2008.

“That would be awesome, the ideal fit,” Livingston said of returning to the Clippers. “That would be a part of coming full circle. But it has to work on their end. If there’s a spot, an opportunity, that would probably make the most sense. There’s been some interest [on the Clippers’ part]. It’s about whether they’re ready to pull the trigger.”

After signing Kawhi Leonard in free agency and simultaneously landing Paul George via trade, the Clippers suddenly find themselves at the center of the NBA universe. If Livingston signed there, he would get an opportunity to compete for another NBA title. However, if things don’t work out, he’s content with his career as is.

“Rosters are being filled up right now,” Livingston said. “If an opportunity comes up and it makes sense on my end, I’ll jump at that opportunity. If it doesn’t, it’s been a helluva ride.”

Though rosters are largely set at this point, they will still continue to be fleshed out over the next few weeks. Livingston’s decision can be expected to come sometime before training camps get underway in September.

Warriors’ Kerr blasts Anthony Davis forcing his way to Lakers

During an interview on the Warriors Insider Podcast, the Golden State Warriors head coach cited the trade demand involving Anthony Davis as a major issue plaguing the NBA right now.

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Kerr continued to elaborate on the issue and how Davis forced his way out of New Orleans by holding the team hostage. The situation became a puddled mess after Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, went public with Davis’ desire to leave the Pelicans in January of the 2018-19 season. The Pelicans initially had planned to sit Davis for the remainder of the season, only to renege on that plan after the NBA threatened to fine New Orleans if they did so.

Kerr didn’t hold back, saying the whole Davis situation was “bad for the league.”

This offseason has certainly been an eventful one — which led to the power structure in the league changing. Davis eventually found his way to the Lakers via trade from the New Orleans Pelicans. In even more unexpected news, Paul George was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Clippers and pair up with Kawhi Leonard. This was despite the fact that George had just signed a contract with the Thunder prior to last season and was under contract for at least one more season.

While a lot of people will certainly take issue with Kerr’s opinion, citing transactions such as Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins signing with the franchise in recent years, those deals all took place with both players being free agents. Kerr’s main gripe here is with players who are under contract that demand trades out of their current organizations despite having made a commitment after signing on the dotted line.

Kerr made sure to explain the differences between how Durant joined the Warriors and how Davis joined the Lakers.

This is certainly an issue after recent developments over the past few months. The question is, how does the NBA rectify it and punish players who put their franchises in such a position?

It’s clear that the NBA is a player’s league and that the players are empowered to the point where they hold all of the leverage in situations such as the A.D. drama in New Orleans.

However, Kerr is right — this can’t become a regular occurrence in the NBA moving forward. It’ll just lead to too many players not honoring the contracts they signed with teams, which will lead to stalemates.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently called this trend of trade demands ‘disheartening,’ and says there is work to do in regards to free agency. If this continues to be a trend in the league during the 2020-21 season, Silver will have no choice but to work on rectifying the issue before it truly starts plaguing the league.