re: Arkansas Basketball 2026 (and beyond) Recruiting Thread **G JJ Andrews Commits**

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I think Cal is an upgrade across the board from Muss,

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A priority target for John Calipari and Arkansas basketball in the 2025 recruiting class is on the move. Meleek Thomas, a 5-star prospect and the No. 6 overall composite player in the cycle, will spend his final year of high school basketball with Overtime Elite (OTE), he announced on Tuesday.

Previously, 6-4, 175-pound guard was playing for Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in his hometown of Midland, PA near Pittsburgh. According to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, Thomas is making the move in order to focus more on basketball and his college recruitment.

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1. SF A.J. Dybantsa

Cassidy's Take: AJ Dybantsa has topped the Rivals150 since it was first released and retains the top spot this time around. The long, versatile wing is a near lock to be a lottery selection in the 2026 NBA Draft and is becoming a more well-rounded prospect as he further refines his already solid shooting ability.

He recently took a visit to BYU and is considering a number of other programs, including but not limited to USC, Auburn, UConn, Kansas and North Carolina.

2. PF Cameron Boozer

Cassidy's Take: One of Duke legend Carlos Boozer’s twin sons, Cameron Boozer retains the No. 2 spot in this update and is closing the gap on the top spot with a consistency of production that is rare for a high school prospect.

The 6-foot-9 forward is one of the most dominant players in high school basketball and has diversified his offensive game by becoming a more reliable long-range threat in the last year.

Duke is considered the frontrunner to land the legacy prospect, but Miami and Arkansas are also involved.

3. SG Darryn Peterson

Cassidy's Take: The top guard in the 2026 class, Darryn Peterson’s explosiveness and true three-level scoring ability pop off the page. He’s taken massive strides as a defender this year, however, as he possesses the athleticism and size to match up with nearly any opponent.

He recently turned in one of the top performances at adidas Eurocamp and solidified himself as a top-tier prospect in the process.

Peterson is considering schools such as North Carolina, Arkansas, Kansas and Ohio State.

4. PF Caleb Wilson

Cassidy's Take: The 6-foot-9 Caleb Wilson is a floor-spacing power forward that fits the modern NBA game like a glove. He routinely impacts games on the boards and handles the ball better than most players of his size. Defensively, his upside is unlimited, as his long wingspan and athleticism make him an ultra-versatile weapon.

Schools such as Indiana, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Auburn and Duke are heavily involved with Wilson.

5. SG Maleek Thomas

Cassidy's Take: Meleek Thomas is a vocal on-court leader and one of the most charismatic prospects in America, in addition to being one of the more well-rounded and high-upside players in this class.

He took home Most Outstanding Player honors at the recent Pangos All-American Camp after showing the ability to impact games as a scorer, rebounder, defender and facilitator.

Few players in the Rivals150 can stuff a box score like Thomas, who is considering Auburn, Pitt, Arkansas, UConn, Miami and Indiana among others.

6. PF Koa Peat

Cassidy's Take: The 6-foot-8, 230-pound Koa Peat comes from an athletic family with a history of producing football prospects but has blazed his own path to a five-star ranking in the hoops world by utilizing his strength and shot-creation ability to become one of the more dangerous offensive weapons in the 2025 class.

Peat is developing as a long-range shooting threat capable of creating matchup issues on the perimeter and is a much better passer than some give him credit for being.

Arizona, Arkansas, Baylor, Duke, Houston and North Carolina are all involved in Peat’s recruitment.

9. PG Darius Acuff

Cassidy's Take: A volume-scoring guard capable of making difficult shots look easy and absolutely taking over games from a scoring standpoint, Darius Acuff is as exciting as prospects come. The Detroit native continues to make small strides when it comes to his shot selection, which still needs refining, but he is already one of the most reliable and explosive scorers in the country.

Acuff is a shot-hunter that creates for himself off the bounce and has become a better passer in recent months.

Michigan. Kansas and Arkansas seem like the most serious players in the Acuff sweepstakes.

10. SF Nate Ament

Cassidy's Take: The 6-foot-9 Nate Ament is an upside bet that has spent the spring turning potential into production and is beginning to look like a future pro. There are few prospects in the class that can match the well-rounded skill set of Ament, who can handle it and fill it up from deep.

He still needs to add significant muscle before he reaches his true two-way potential but his length and skill make his upside absolutely tantalizing.

Virginia, Virginia Tech, Indiana and Duke are among the programs to watch in Ament’s recruitment.

11. SF Will Riley

Cassidy's Take: Will Riley is a newly minted five-star that has taken the next step as a prospect this spring. The Canadian-born wing is considering a reclassification into 2024 and will likely end up on a college roster next season.

For now, however he remains in 2025 and is one of the more unique scorers in the class, thanks in part to a slightly unconventional game that relies on hesitation dribbles and getting to his spots. He also shoots it well from deep and has a reliable pull-up from the mid-range.

Illinois, Kentucky, Alabama and Arkansas are involved with Riley.

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