We can finally take a breather.
The busiest stretch of high school boys basketball recruiting is complete. Over a six-week period in June and July, there were four live periods. The first two came with June’s NEPSAC Scholastic Showcases before the AAU season ended with two live weekends in July.
College coaches from every level all over the country had their eyes on New England over the last two months as they began assembling their rosters for 2027 and look ahead to a strong 2028 class. Members of both classes made huge strides over the course of both months, and scholarship attention has followed.
It’s time to recognize the biggest winners of the summer. Here are 10 of the biggest stock-risers from the second half of the grassroots season.
Dillon Callahan, Middlesex Magic
Class of 2027, 6-4 guard
St. Thomas More/Croton-Hudson, N.Y.
Callahan was outstanding and at times dominant during the NEPSAC showcases. With star guard Patrick Otey out, he assumed lead guard duties and thrived with his high pace, playmaking and distribution. He consistently made great paint touches and made the right reads, finding his talented teammates while creating for himself, too. Already a high-level defensive prospect, Callahan’s two-way game is coming together. Eastern Michigan was the latest to offer Callahan, who holds a handful of low-major Div. 1 offers.
Nalajah Christopher, Expressions Elite
Class of 2027, 6-4 guard
Darrow/Worcester, Mass.
Christopher was one of the biggest winners of the NEPSAC showcases with Darrow; I saw him dominate for stretches on both ends with his three-level scoring ability and defensive perimeter pressure and disruption. It was the first time I really saw Christopher in a lead guard role, and he was unstoppable getting to the rim and with his ability to make difficult shots. He also had a handful of big games during Nike EYBL’s two July sessions, including a 20-point performance in which he got to the free throw line 16 times. Since mid-June, he’s grabbed Division 1 offers from Siena, Boston University, Florida Gulf Coast, Maine and Richmond.
Kyle Delves, Team New England
Class of 2028, 6-3 guard
Mount St. Charles/Providence, R.I.
Delves has been one of the region’s top 2028 names for years but it felt like he took a massive leap over the last two months. He has earned seven offers over the last six weeks and high-majors are calling now after collecting offers from Wake Forest and hometown Providence. Over both scholastic periods, he made a living in transition, creating for others while exploding for ridiculous dunks – his athleticism may have even ticked up a notch. He’s an improved floor general in the half-court, too, and it’s noticeable how he continues to evolve as a leader and constant communicator for his team on both sides of the floor. Delves has a legitimate case to be the best point guard in Class AA entering next season.
Salim Diaby, BABC
Class of 2028, 6-10 center
Tilton/Guinea, Africa
It’s genuinely impressive the strides Diaby has made; a raw, inexperienced player, he emerged into a high-major prospect over the course of the spring and summer. With his length, he’s flashing interior dominance on both ends of the floor with his elite rim protection and rebounding ability, and he has improved dramatically with his offensive footwork and finishing around the rim. He translated a terrific showcase period in June into some standout performances with BABC in July, which included a 19-point effort in the Adidas 3SSB 16U tournament. Since June, Diaby has earned his first five Division 1 offers, including his latest one from Utah.
CJ Farrell, Middlesex Magic
Class of 2027, 6-0 guard
St. Mark’s/Milford, Mass.
This list wouldn’t be complete without Farrell, who spearheaded the Middlesex Magic’s Hoop Group Showcase League 17U championship with an incredible individual run, which included a game-winning, walk-off 3-pointer in the semifinals. We saw Farrell at his best throughout the tournament as the team’s lead guard; he was more aggressive as a scorer while blending it with terrific distribution and his usual lockdown defense. Offers haven’t materialized yet, but he’s getting real Division 1 interest now. After helping St. Mark’s to the Class B Large title in March, Farrell is proving himself as a winning player.
Damian Mojica, PSA Cardinals
Class of 2028, 6-8 forward
Masters (NY)/Yonkers, N.Y.
While Mojica doesn’t play specifically in New England, he qualifies here as arguably the biggest NEPSAC stock-riser this spring and summer. Offers from Syracuse, West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest have highlighted his rise from a dominant NEPSAC showcase – which included a game-winning dunk – and a strong July on the Nike circuit, where he averaged 16 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game playing with the 16U PSA Cardinals. A skilled forward with great hands, footwork, strong ball-handling and shooting touch, Mojica can do damage inside and out and off the bounce.
Malachi Odugbela, BABC
Class of 2028, 6-6 guard
St. Andrew’s/Providence, R.I.
A top stock-riser from the first half of the spring, Odugbela only backed up the buzz and reaffirmed his status as one of the region’s top 2028 talents with offers from Providence, Marquette and West Virginia. I thought he maintained a level of confidence throughout the grassroots season that translated to an improved level of playmaking, scoring, finishing and even highlight dunks. I want to see Odugbela continue to get stronger but he has the height, talent and skill level – to go along with consistent production – that’s clearly intriguing for high-major coaches.
Antonio Pemberton, Mass Rivals
Class of 2027, 6-1 guard
Masters Academy International/Methuen, Mass.
One of the top 2027 prospects from New England, Pemberton inserted himself into the conversation as one of the country’s best point guards with his unforgettable July run at the Adidas 3SSB 17U championships. He averaged 26.2 points per game to lead Mass Rivals to the championship game, which included an absurd buzzer-beater to beat Compton Magic. Pemberton continued to prove that he’s a virtually unstoppable scoring force with his ability to get to any spot on the floor. He can beat defenders with his speed, change of pace and skill while rising up and making difficult jumpers over anyone. He added 13 more high-major offers since mid-June, including Auburn, Kansas, Michigan State, UCLA and Michigan.
Ladainian Rodrigues, Team Sims
Class of 2027, 6-5 guard
Suffield/Attleboro, Mass.
Rodrigues seems to be putting it all together after his outstanding performances with Suffield at the NEPSAC showcases and strong finish with Team Sims in July. He thrived in a lead guard role, overpowering opponents with his strength and physicality, getting above the rim with big dunks and showing promising playmaking chops in transition and in half-court situations. That’s not to mention his high motor and rebounding ability he’s been known for since his standout games at Attleboro. He averaged 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game during the final July live period as he earned his first Division 1 offer from Manhattan.
Kingsley Rogers, PSA Cardinals
Class of 2028, 6-6 guard
Williston Northampton/Bay Shore, N.Y.
Rogers was dominant during the NEPSAC showcases with Williston, where he hit eight 3-pointers in one game and impressed with his improving strength and comfortability as a playmaker and scorer from the lead guard position. He collected four offers in June, from Hofstra, Arkansas Little Rock, Albany and New Mexico, and he’s easily one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2028 class as he continues to improve. An explosive athlete and confident offensive player, Rogers is still on the younger side in his class as a 16-year-old.
More stock-risers
A handful of names who boosted their stock over the last two months:
2027 guard Josiah Adamson (CATS Academy/Expressions Elite) picked up offers from La Salle, Hofstra, UMBC and Iona. … 2028 guard Owen Earle (Wilbraham & Monson/Middlesex Magic) looked great in his return from injury and earned offers from Wagner and Division 2 Georgia Southwestern State. … 2028 forward Luka Kuqo (Newman/Middlesex Magic) had a breakout grassroots season and nabbed offers from Wake Forest and La Salle.
2027 wing Philipe Ndong (Newman/Middlesex Magic) continued his rapid rise by collecting offers from South Florida, Marquette, Hofstra, Old Dominion and Creighton. … 2028 guard Derek Swartz (New Hampton/Mass Rivals) was consistent in Rivals' run to the Adidas 17U championship game and picked up new offers from Maryland and Providence. 2028 guard Kevin Wheatley (Masters Academy International/PSA Cardinals) ascended into high-major territory with offers from Cal, West Virginia, Seton Hall, Florida State and Villanova. … 2027 guard Julien Wiggins (Westminster/Middlesex Magic) put together some very promising live periods who brought great energy as a high-level scorer and playmaker who defended with purpose.
