There’s a new No. 1 player in the class of 2025 basketball player rankings.
While a full, final update will arrive in May as it always does, 247Sports could wait no longer in minting Darryn Peterson, a Kansas signee, as the new No. 1 player after we saw all we needed to see from the five-star combo guard at the McDonald’s All American Game and Chipotle National. Peterson jumps AJ Dybantsa for the spot.
For now, Dybantsa slips in at No. 2 — ahead of Duke signee Cameron Boozer, giving the class a sterling “Big 3.” Since December, this has been a legitimate three-player race with Dybantsa being challenged by both Boozer and Peterson.
Dybantsa has held the No. 1 ranking from the moment he joined the 2025 class after he reclassified up from 2026. Boozer and Peterson began their senior season at Nos. 2 and No. 3, respectively, but flipped spots in the last ranking update. And now Peterson will finish as the No. 1-ranked prospect. Peterson originally hails from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He finished his high school career at Prolific Prep in Napa, California,
Why Peterson deserves No. 1
Here’s a snippet from our full explanation over at 247Sports:
Coming into the season, this outcome seemed unlikely, but it’s been the rapid rate of Peterson’s continued improvement and his clear commitment and drive to maximize his abilities which has been most convincing. Last summer, it was his scoring, the effortless versatility in his attack, positional size, and physicality that was most impressive. Those traits are every bit as evident today. Since then though, Peterson’s shooting has gone to new levels. He’s proven to be an elite perimeter rebounder, and his athleticism has gone to unprecedented levels.
Peterson is in the best shape of his life and playing with more explosiveness than ever before because of it.
He’s getting downhill to attack the paint more, rising up emphatically at the rim, and proving he can be…
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