With teams ranging from 15U through 17U, there were standouts at every division, but here are six players who caught our eye as top performers at the event:

Meleek Thomas, 6’5, SG, New Heights Lightning 17U, 2025
As far as the top player in The Fantastic 40 was concerned, the conversation starts and ends with Meleek Thomas. The Pittsburgh product was absolutely electric, scoring the rock without forcing the issue, showing what he could do with limited bounces en route to an undefeated weekend for the EYBL program. Meleek was an absurd shot creator off of a live dribble, was creative finishing at the rack, and did his best KD/Dirk impression with countless one legged fadeaway jumpers. Already signed to an NIL deal with Roc Nation, Thomas left no doubt in anyone’s mind that he’s a top five player in the class of 2025 nationally.

Cayden Daughtry, 6’0, PG, Florida Rebels 15U, 2027
In the 2027 class, there wasn’t a player at the Pangos Fantastic 40 who was a more confident scorer than Cayden Daughtry. Having put up monstrous stats on the varsity level dating back to his middle school years, Daughtry exudes supreme scoring ability when playing his age group against his peers. He is an electric 3-point shooter, is patient weaving in and out of the lane, and isn’t afraid of contact despite his slender frame. Daughtry holds a number of D1 offers and brings that killer mentality every time he steps on the hardwood.

Jaion Pitt, 6’8, PF, Arizona Unity 17U, 2025
Blending potential with a massive amount of production, Jaion Pitt was the most productive front court player in the 17U division of the Fantastic 40. The Canadian is a beast rebounding on both ends, is an outstanding cutter, and showed surprising vision passing out of double teams or finding teammates in the dunker. Pitt is extending his range beyond the 3-point line and as he continues to gain consistency stretching the defense, his ranking should trend upwards.

Felipe Quinones, 6’5, SG, Jet Academy 16U, 2026
Next in line out of Puerto Rico, Felipe Quinones lived up to his billing at The Fantastic 40. Owning a prototypical build for a two guard, the sophomore showed off a reliable 3-point shot, impacted the game defensively with his length, and has a massive amount of confidence when he has the ball in his hands. Felipe showed everyone in attendance at Gibson Park that he has the makings of a high major guard and will be learning from a good one in Kenny Smith at Jet Academy.

Gustavo Guimaraes, 6’11, C, All Ball 17U, 2025
One of the bigger surprises of the event, both literally and figuratively, was near 7-footer Gustavo Guimaraes of All Ball. The Riviera Prep (FL) big is fresh off a state title, is quite agile running the floor, and looks to finish above the rim at every available opportunity. There is still plenty of room for growth for Gustavo, but between his play with All Ball and with the Brazil 17U team, expect to hear plenty more from him sooner rather than later.

Darius Wabbington, 6’10, C, Arizona Unity 15U, 2027
There wasn’t a single big in the 15U bracket who could come close to stopping Sunnyslope (AZ) product Darrius Wabbington on the block throughout the Fantastic 40. The Arizona big looks for contact, showed off intriguing footwork on the block, and was incredibly confident scoring the ball. Patterning his game after Nikola Jokic, Darius also stepped out to hit a few threes on the weekend, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind why he’s right there at the top of a very special Arizona 2027 class.

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In the morning hours the day after the Fourth of July, two 16U teams at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam drew considerable attention from NBA scouts. Now why would NBA scouts be interested in an early 16U game the day after a holiday? It’s because it featured a matchup of rising junior (2025) wing Cooper Flagg of Maine United and power forward Cameron Boozer of the Nightrydas.

Boozer, from Columbus (Miami, Fla.) is coming off a 2022-23 season in which he was the first sophomore ever to earn Mr. Basketball USA honors (over any seniors or juniors) and some feel Flagg is just as good a player and prospect. Now based on recent play at the Section 7 Team Camp during the June scholastic live period, Boozer definitely deserves all the honors and accolades he’s received so far. He’s a terrific prospect and as dominant on the high school level as a forward can be. Flagg is not as physically dominant, but he affects the game in similar fashion with his defensive ability, timing, anticipation and creativity.

The two players met at the recent NBPA Top 100 Camp, with Boozer getting the edge in the matchup, mainly because of his physicality. Based on that game and earlier EYBL results, the Nightrydas 16U were the clear favorites going into the Wednesday morning matchup. The game ended up being close with Maine United 16U leading by a point (35-34) at halftime and going on to pull out a 73-65 victory. Boozer and company had beaten each previous Peach Jam foe by at least 30 points, but this game was a different story as Flagg finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the upset victory. The story of the game was the play of Flagg’s supporting cast, as brother Ace Flagg, a 6-foot-7 2025 small forward, had 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Landon Clark, another 6-foot-7 2025, added 19 points. The Flagg brothers play at Montverde Academy (Fla.) and are from Newport, Maine, while Clark is originally from Bangor.

Boozer, meanwhile, finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds, but made only 8-of-24 shots from the field.

This certainly won’t be the last time Boozer and Flagg meet up and scouts and fans alike will be locked in to see how those matchups fare and just how good those two players become. Certainly two players don’t make up a class, but scouts are high on the 2025 class as a whole. Add names like power forward Koa Peat of Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.), shooting guard Darryn Peterson of Cuyahoga Valley Christian (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) and shooting guard Meleek Thomas of Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) and you have the makings of a terrific class. Perhaps one of the best if the elite players in it keep developing. As one respected national scout said at Section 7, Boozer is comparable to the top players in the best classes of recent years and the top players in the 2025 class compare favorably as well to many of the top groups.

It is no secret the 2023 class was considered weak and that the 2024 isn’t much better. There isn’t alot of early excitement and buzz surrounding the 2024 NBA Draft and unless some foreign unicorn emerges, there won’t be for the 2025 NBA Draft, either. That’s another reason why many are looking forward to see how the 2025 class shapes out.

It got us thinking about who comprises the best five of any particular class and which are the best classes of all-time? One thing the 2025 class has yet to show is the presence of a game-changing, dynamic point guard. Perhaps one will emerge.

Looking back over the great classes they all have three things in common. 1) A terrific or potentially generational point guard talent. 2) Terrific size up front with some depth. 3) The best players at the top can form a five that can play together and would be dominant in any setting at any level of the game.

We take a look at the best all-time fives in the same class below.

Can the 2025 class continue to develop? Is there a great point guard in the group, and does it matter if there isn’t one? Just how good can this group be, considering it has perhaps two generational prospects at the top?

Top 10 Best All-Time Top 5s In The Same Class

1. 1978-1979

PG — Isaiah Thomas, St. Joseph (Westchester, Ill.) 6-1
F — James Worthy, Ashbrook (Gastonia, N.C.) 6-9
F — Clark Kelllogg, St. Joseph's (Cleveland, Ohio) 6-8
C — Sam Bowie, Lebanon (Pa.) 7-1
C — Ralph Sampson, Harrisonburg (Va.) 7-3
Synopsis: The greatest class of all-time had everything: size, great wings and terrific point guards led by Thomas, who was ranked No. 6 by All-Star Sports in scout Bob Gibbons’ first year of putting out a national list. This class also had depth and a second five consisting of center Steve Stipanovich, DeSmet (St. Louis, Mo.), power forward Antoine Carr, Heights (Wichita, Kan.), small forwards Dominique Wilkins, Washington (N.C.) and Derrick Hord, Tennessee (Bristol, Tenn.) plus point guard Raymond McCoy, Bloom Township (Chicago Heights, Ill.) would be formidable. And that’s still leaving out players such as guards Leon Wood, St. Monica (Santa Monica, Calif.) and Quinten Dailey, Cardinal Gibbons (Baltimore, Md.), plus power forwards Sidney Green, Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Terry Cummings, Carver (Chicago). This class helped usher in a wave of talent into the NBA in the early 1980s after a late 1970s lull and if it weren’t for injuries to Bowie and Kellogg would have had an even bigger impact. Sampson is one of the most coveted generational prospects of all-time and his decisions affected the top of NBA drafts for five years, as teams coveted him as the No. 1 pick since his freshman season at Virginia. Worthy was a terrific prospect and ended up as a No. 1 pick after Sampson decided not to come out after his junior year in 1982. Some consider Thomas the best small guard prospect ever and both he and Bowie were No. 2 overall picks. As legendary scout Howie Garfinkel stated, not a single player from the 1978 class (including future No. 1 pick Mark Aguirre) would have been Top 10 in 1979 and only much hyped big man Earl Jones from the 1980 class would have cracked the Top 10.

2. 1987-1988

PG — Chris Jackson, Gulfport (Miss.) 6-1
SG — Chris Mills, Fairfax (Los Angeles) 6-7
SF — Billy Owens, Carlisle (Pa.) 6-8
PF — Shawn Kemp, Concord (Elkhart, Ind.) 6-10
C — Alonzo Mourning, Indian River (Chesapeake, Va.) 6-10
Synopsis: If 1979 isn’t the best class, then many veteran observers would point to this class as the best, although it’s impact at the top of the draft is not quite as dramatic as the 1979 class. Similar to 1979, this class had size and incredible depth and a second five with players such as center Stanley Roberts, Lower Richland (Hopkins, S.C.) and small forward Malik Sealy, Tolentine (Bronx, N.Y.) would be terrific. Mourning was labeled as the best big man to play at the famed Five-Star Camp since Moses Malone and was just a warrior every outing who never took a play off. Kemp and Owens were oozing with talent and pushed Mourning in the rankings despite occasional lapses in intensity. Owens and Kemp would be cinch No. 1 prospects in many classes. Mills is considered one of the best talents ever out of Los Angeles and played one season at Kentucky before a recruiting scandal led to a transfer to Arizona. Kemp never played in college and was a first round pick (No. 17) one year later. Chris Jackson (later Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) is the best No. 4 or 5 prospect in a class of all-time. In his state final, Jackson’s Gulfport team beat a Murrah (Jackson, Miss.) team with three future NBA players, 96-76. This class was hyped for its potential impact on the college game and clearly delivered despite Kemp’s absence.

3. 2006-2007

PG — Derrick Rose, Simeon (Chicago, Ill.) 6-3
SG — O.J. Mayo, Huntington (W. Va.) 6-4
SF — Eric Gordon, North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.) 6-3
PF — Michael Beasley, Notre Dame Prep (Fitchburg, Mass.) 6-8
C — Kevin Love, Lake Oswego (Ore.) 6-9
Synopsis: At his final Roundball Classic in Chicago, veteran talent scout Sonny Vaccaro called this class, top to bottom including the players who did not play in his game, the best class ever. He just might be right when you look at it from the standpoint of how good the players were in high school and don’t consider what happened thereafter. This five is about as well-rounded as any from a positional standpoint and with Vaccaro leaving the grassroots scene at the time, it was also the last great class whose potential to face each other often wasn’t slowed by the pitfalls of shoe affiliation. The top players in this class had the necessary competitive fire to succeed and are remembered as much for their impact on big summer grassroots games as their individual talent. Rose went on to be the No. 1 pick and a NBA MVP, while Beasley was oozing with talent and potential but didn’t quite live up to being drafted No. 2. This class also included future NBA MVP James Harden, Artesia (Lakewood, Calif.), who was notably younger than many of the elite talents at the top of the class.

4. 1994-1995

PG — Stephon Marbury, Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-2
SG — Ron Mercer, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-7
SF — Paul Pierce, Inglewood (Calif.) 6-6
PF — Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Marietta (Ga.) 6-9
C — Kevin Garnett, Farragut Academy (Chicago) 6-10
Synopsis: There might not be the depth of the top three classes, but this is an underrated class and terrific at the top led by Garnett, a generational prospect who became the first player to go straight from high school to the NBA in 20 years. Marbury was a top three point guard prospect of the 1990s along with Jason Kidd (1992) and Randy Livingston (1993), the latter who got hurt as a Nike All-American Camp counselor before ever playing a college game at LSU. Filling in the positions to create a five shows a problem that this class has the luxury of having: whom do you take at the small forward? Pierce or Vince Carter, Mainland (Daytona Beach, Fla.)? Chauncey Billups, Washington (Denver, Col.) was also part of this class and was bummed out he wasn’t able to play in either the McDonald’s All-American Game or Roundball Classic because of a bad shoulder. This class edges out the 1993 class because of Garnett and two other NBA Hall of Fame talents on its positional five.

5. 2019-2020

PG — Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis) 6-4
PG — Cade Cunningham, Montverde Academy (Fla.) 6-7
SG — Jalen Green, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-5
PF — Scottie Barnes, Montverde Academy (Fla.) 6-7
C — Evan Mobley, Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) 7-0
Synopsis: We wanted to get a contemporary class on the list and this class had a bit of everything, including a traditional big man in Mobley and a variety of dominant guards. Suggs was physically strong and a good setup man, while Cunningham was a big guard who could create for himself and others. There is a third guard that must be mentioned in Sharife Cooper, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), who was more diminutive and a spectacular player who some outlets felt was deserving of national player of the year honors when he was a junior. Green was an explosive talent, while Barnes was a jack-of-all trades who just knew how to play and win. He teamed up with Cunningham on one of the best high school teams of all-time that wasn’t able to play on the big stage of GEICO Nationals because of the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. Cunningham was the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and these five players were the top five picks. Two other Montverde Academy players went in the first round: shooting guard Moses Moody (No. 14) and power forward Day'Ron Sharpe (No. 29). IMG Academy was really the only team that could challenge MVA that season, but that became a harder task when small forward Jalen Johnson (No. 20 pick) left the team early in the season. Will the 2025 class have the impact on the following year’s NBA Draft as this one did?

6. 1992-1993

PG — Randy Livingston, Newmann (New Orleans, La.) 6-4
PG — Jacque Vaughn, Muir (Pasadena, Calif.) 6-0
SF — Jerry Stackhouse, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-6
PF — Dontonio Wingfield, Westover (Albany, Ga.) 6-8
C — Rasheed Wallace, Simon Gratz (Philadelphia) 6-11
Synopsis: At the time, this class was compared to the famed 1988 class, but Livingston got hurt and Wingfield didn’t live up to his press clippings. This class had tremendous depth all the way down in its Top 100 and plenty of size, but many of the big man such as Rashard Griffith, King (Chicago) and Greg Newton, A.N. Meyer (Niagara Falls, On.) failed to make the impact in college expected of them.

7. 1976-77

G — Darnell Valentine, Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.) 6-1
G — Wesley Matthews, Warren Harding (Bridgeport, Conn.) 6-2
G — Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Everett (Lansing, Mich.) 6-8
F — Albert King, Fort Hamilton (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-6
F — Gene Banks, West Philadelphia (Philadelphia) 6-7
Synopsis: King, the younger brother of future NBA standout Bernard King, was nationally-known at 14 years old and is one of the most hyped prospects of all-time. Banks was probably the most productive of the group in terms of outcome of high-level matchups and leading his Speedboys team to the mythical national title. Johnson wasn’t as revered early on, but by the end of his senior year it was clear Magic was the best prospect in this class and could be a game-changing talent. Valentine is considered one of the best traditional high school guards of the 1970s.

8. 1996-1997

PG — Baron Davis, Crossroads (Santa Monica, Calif.) 6-2
SG — Tracy McGrady, Mt. Zion Christian (Durham, N.C.) 6-8
SF — Lamar Odom, Redemption Christian Academy (Troy, N.Y.) 6-9
PF — Elton Brand, Peekskill (N.Y.) 6-8
C — Chris Burgess, Woodbridge (Irvine, Calif.) 6-10
Synopsis: Looking at this group as rising sophomores and/or juniors, it was on track to challenge the 1979 or 1988 class at the top. This was a terrific crop of high school talent, but it peaked early and it wasn’t going to be easy to live up to that early hype. Burgess was a head-turning prospect before injuries slowed his development and the same can be said about SoCal rival Schea Cotton, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), who was the best player of this group in ninth and tenth grade but didn’t play high school ball as a senior. Esteban Weaver, who started his career at Bishop Hartley (Columbus, Ohio) was another in the group that peaked early. Davis also had a rival in Kenny Brunner, Dominguez (Compton, Calif.), but Davis clearly was coming on as a senior and went on to become the best point guard among a group that included Dion Glover, Cedar Grove (Decatur, Ga.). McGrady was the ultimate late-bloomer and Odom was the only one who could match his talent level.

9. 1959-60

G — Ron Bonham, Muncie Central (Muncie, Ind.) 6-4
G — Roger Brown, Wingate (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-5
F — Joe Caldwell, Fremont (Los Angeles) 6-4
F — Paul Silas, McClymonds (Oakland, Calif.) 6-7
C — Connie “Hawk” Hawkins, Boys (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-8
Synopsis: Looking back at the old classes before there was national player rankings, this class stands out. There was only one nationally known scouting service at the time (Dave Bones started his Cage Scope newsletter in 1957) but it wouldn’t have taken a long time to realize Hawkins was a special talent amongst a special group. His battles with Brown in New York's PSAL and on NYC playgrounds are legendary and both are now Naismith Hall of Famers after being unjustly treated early on in their careers by the NBA for socializing with a gambler while still in high school. The best players in this group actually got to face each other in Jersey City, N.J., in the East-West All-American Scholastic Game. Despite slippery floor conditions because of rain earlier in the day and having arrived seven minutes into the first quarter because his mother insisted he attend graduation ceremonies, Hawkins put on a show with his passing and scoring abilities and was named MVP, finishing with 20 points in the East’s 95-60 victory.

10. 1974-75

G — Roy Hamilton, Verbum Dei (Los Angeles) 6-2
F — David Greenwood, Verbum Dei (Los Angeles) 6-9
F – Bill Willoughby, Dwight Morrow (Englewood, N.J.) 6-9
C — Darryl Dawkins, Maynard Evans (Orlando, Fla.) 6-11
C — Bill Cartwright, Elk Grove (Calif.) 7-1
Synopsis: After Moses Malone went straight to the ABA out of high school the year prior, NBA and ABA scouts were out in full-force watching high school games in 1974-75 and it was a good crop of talent with plenty of size across the board. Cartwright turned down the pros to attend the University of San Francisco, while Dawkins ended up as the No. 5 pick and Willoughby as the first pick of the second round at No. 19 straight out of high school. There wouldn’t be another high school to the pros draftee for 20 years. Teammates Greenwood and Hamilton, like Cartwright, did four years of college before entering the NBA, as Greenwood was the No. 2 pick of the 1979 NBA Draft behind Magic Johnson. The trio led a terrific California crop of players that twice beat a U.S. All-Star team in a two-game series called the California Basketball Classic sponsored by the U.S. Olympic Development Basketball League.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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Airious "Ace" Bailey, McEachern (Covington, Ga.) 6-9 PF 2024
Versatile talent who makes his mark on both ends of the floor. Bailey jumps out as a prospect with his combination of size, athleticism and explosiveness. Bailey can face up and score or dominate around the basket with quick, precise moves. Bailey got some consideration for the best long-term prospect in attendance. He's committed to Rutgers, where he's the program's most highly-regarded recruit since Phil Sellers came out of Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) in 1972.

Jason Crowe Jr., Lynwood (Calif.) 6-3 PG 2026
This young point guard got plenty of attention during the high school season for his scoring exploits (third most single-season points in California history in any class), but he entered this event to feel out his national competition and get the experience of playing in this type of setting. Let's just say he had no problem adjusting his game from where he's a primary scorer (36 ppg.). Crowe found his seams and creases, didn't waste any time on unnecessary dribbles, and hit the up man consistently with snap passes. Crowe is always ready to attack and his shooting keeps defenders off-balance.

Zoom Diallo, Curtis (Tacoma, Wash.) 6-4 PG 2024
His high school season is not officially over, as FAB 50 No. 38 Curtis will participate in the State Champions Invitational beginning April 6. Diallo did nothing to dispel the notion that he's the top point guard in the rising senior class. Diallo is always in control and plays the game one step ahead of his peers. Basketball is about who controls the space on the floor both the offensive and defensive player claim the right to and Diallo gets where he wants on the floor like no guard in the high school game right now, using his positional size and skill to control tempo.

A.J. Dybantsa, St. Sebastian (Needham, Mass.) 6-8 SF 2026
A strong and physical wing who is already well-known on the circuit because of his middle school exploits and highlight reels, Dybantsa is both a good player now and someone down the line who can challenge for the top spot in the national class. He uses his size and strength to get downhill and has enough wiggle to create space and score on secondary moves. He moves well without the ball, too, and has a jumper with sound mechanics. Dybantsa reminds us some of former high school star and future NBA player Tim Thomas when he was a young player at now defunct Paterson Catholic in New Jersey in the mid 1990s.

Caleb Gaskins, Holy Trinity Episcopal (Melbourne, Fla.) 6-7 SF 2026
The 2025 and 2026 is off to a good start, as scouts and NBA scouts are looking forward to evaluating them more as they are not particularly thrilled with what they've seen of the 2023 and 2024 classes, so far. As far as 2026 goes, Gaskins gets our nod as the most impressive overall performer in Houston. He's a terrific all-around talent with explosiveness, strength and a good skill level. Gaskin is hardly ever sped up and has good instincts on both sides of the ball. He is a quality passer, covers ground with the dribble and has a good outside shot. It is hard to find a major weakness in his game right now.

Tre Johnson, Lake Highlands (Richardson, Texas) 6-5 SG 2024
No surprise here, as Johnson is coming off a historic season for FAB 50 No. 8 Lake Highlands and was arguably the top performer in attendance. The other two you can make a strong argument for as the most impactful were Koa Peat and Meleek Thomas. Johnson has improved his crossover and uses it to create space and get good scoring looks in the tightest of spaces. Overall, he was the most skilled scorer in camp.

Brandon McCoy, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 6-4 SG 2026
This young combo guard was one of the best defenders and most instinctual players, regardless of class. McCoy got a late start to his freshman season but made the most of it, helping Bosco to the CIF Southern Section open title game with his big play ability. McCoy can alter nearly any shot at the rim or strip ball-handlers clean in the open court. He's also active on offense and a terrific offensive rebounder with a nose for the ball.

Koa Peat, Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 6-8 SF 2025
This powerful wing is one of the best players in the country, regardless of class. He's simply too skilled for bigger defenders and too powerful for smaller ones, making him a matchup nightmare. Peat was the best offensive rebounder of the lot and can get things done even when his shot is not on because of his ability to get to the line.

Darryn Peterson, Cuyahoga Valley Christian (Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio) 6-5 SG 2025
A strong guard with good size and physical gifts, Peterson can find seams to score as well as anyone in attendance. He has a nice release on his jump shot and a relaxed disposition to his game. He also can move without the ball and reminds us a bit of Kentucky's Chris Livingston, only with more wiggle and fluidity.

Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 6-4 SG 2025
Coming off a state championship season for Lincoln Park, Thomas impressed onlookers with his approach, intensity and explosive fundamentals. There is little wasted motion in Thomas' game, and he gets downhill quickly and efficiently. He's a three level scorer and works hard on the defensive end to get over screens and get to the correct spots on the floor. With his dynamic personality, combined with his trademark Western PA-like toughness and skill level, the sky is the limit for this talented rising junior.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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