“Cameron Williams the BEST player”: Hoops fans react as 5-star Tyran Stokes leads class of 2026 ranking

Geoff
Cameron Williams (left) and Tyran Stokes (right) (Image Source: IMAGN)
Cameron Williams (left) and Tyran Stokes (right) (Image Source: IMAGN)

College basketball fans reacted to the updated ESPN Class of 2026 rankings, which had five-star small forward Tyran Stokes at the top of the list.

Ad

The 6-foot-7 FIBA Under-19 World Cup gold medalist edged Jordan Smith and Cameron Williams at the top spot of the Top 100 rankings, putting him in the position as the most sought-after prep player that NCAA programs would try to chase for his commitment next season.

Ad

Some fans, however, didn't agree with the order, with others giving Williams the nod as the best hooper in this class.

"Cameron Williams the BEST player in the class nobody can see my bro he up there with the greats !!," a college basketball enthusiast commented on the Instagram post by Slam High School.
A college basketball fan reacted to the ESPN Top 100 Class of 2026 basketball players rankings (Image Source: @slam_hs/Instagram)
A college basketball fan reacted to the ESPN Top 100 Class of 2026 basketball players rankings (Image Source: @slam_hs/Instagram)

Another fan agreed on putting Stokes at the top of the list, but had No. 7 Brandon McCoy as the second-ranked high school prospect and not Jordan Smith.

Ad
"Stokes and McCoy top 2," he said.
Fan reaction on ESPN Class of 2026 rankings (Image Source: @slam_hs/Instagram)
Fan reaction on ESPN Class of 2026 rankings (Image Source: @slam_hs/Instagram)

Other college basketball enthusiasts also reacted to who their top-ranked player is and who among them is rated way above their expectations.

Ad
Other reactions (Image Source: @slam_hs/Instagram)
Other reactions (Image Source: @slam_hs/Instagram)

Aside from Stokes, Smith and Williams, the top 10 is comprised of Christian Collins, Missouri commit Jason Crowe, Caleb Holt, Brandon McCoy, Babatunde Oladotun, Dylan Mingo and Qayden Samuels.

Ad

Other notable players in the Top 100 are Arkansas commit JaShawn Andrews (No. 12), Baylor commit Elijah Williams (No. 22) and Ohio State commit Marcus Johnson (No. 28). Only four players in the Top 50 have expressed their interest to play in a collegiate program, as others have yet to make a decision.


Reclassified Babatunde Oladotun climbs to 8th in ESPN's Class of 2026 Top 100

Tyran Stokes occupying the top spot in the ESPN Class of 2026 isn't the biggest story in the updated rankings. It was the reclassification of No. 8-ranked Babatunde Oladotun from Class of 2027 to Class of 2026.

Ad

The 6-foot-8 James Hubert Blake High School standout was the top basketball player in the ESPN Class of 2027 rankings, but he decided to go a class earlier and is set to graduate in the spring at the age of 16.

Oladotun, who starred for Team Durant's 17U squad, is set to follow the footsteps of top prospects AJ Dybantsa and Cooper Flagg. He attempts to speed up his eligibility and possibly go one-and-done in college and move to the NBA in the 2027-28 season.

His recruitment is expected to intensify in the coming months, with Arkansas, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and Gonzaga taking turns to convince the forward to commit to their program.

Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey - who is NCAAW's highest-paid coach? Find out here

Quick Links

Edited by Geoff
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
down arrow icon
More
bell-icon Manage notifications