While the early signing period has lost some of its status as the tentpole week around which the entire recruiting calendar revolves, this year promises to be busier than recent ones -- and more impactful on the boys' basketball recruiting landscape.
A few things have changed, of course. The first day of the signing period is no longer the most drama-filled of the cycle. Commitments are more spread out, and there is rarely a need to track whether every commit sent in an official letter of intent.
We should expect plenty of action over the next week, though, with at least five boys' five-stars and another handful of top-50 recruits potentially coming off the 2026 SC Next Top 100 board.
These are the storylines we'll be following as it all unfolds between now and Nov. 19.
More:
Top 25 class rankings | 2026 SC Next 100 player rankings | Projecting five-star commitment fits
1. Upcoming commitments
There are a few dates officially set. Adam Oumiddoch (No. 35) is set to announce on Wednesday. He has narrowed his choices to Oregon, Villanova, St. John's, Illinois and LSU, but the Red Storm have the momentum.
Friday will feature two more commitments: Cameron Williams (No. 3) is the headliner, with Duke and Arizona in a tight battle heading down the stretch. Highly ranked four-star big man Ethan Taylor (No. 32) is the other, with Michigan State the perceived leader ahead of Kansas, Indiana, Oregon and Oklahoma.
Five-star guard Austin Goosby (No. 19) was initially expected to announce on Friday, but he's now expected to commit on Monday -- his birthday. He's choosing between BYU, Texas, Duke and Baylor, with the Cougars and Longhorns out front.
It's also worth circling Nov. 19, with Babatunde Oladotun (No. 8) and Arafan Diane (No. 21) setting decision dates. Arkansas has made its move with Oladotun, but it's not over yet, as Georgetown and Maryland are still pushing. Houston is the favorite for Diane, with Indiana and others looking to make up ground.
That's not all, though.
While no dates have been set for five-stars Christian Collins (No. 4) and Qayden Samuels (No. 10), both are nearing the end of their recruitments. Kentucky appears to be trending ahead of USC for Collins, while Alabama and Georgetown are battling for Samuels. Maximo Adams (No. 26) is in a similar boat; his final list includes Kentucky, Michigan State, North Carolina and Texas, with the Tar Heels carrying momentum.
It's also worth noting that Deron Rippey Jr. (No. 18) has completed all his visits, and Dylan Mingo (No. 9) and Miles Sadler (No. 21) have also taken several trips. Ikenna Alozie (No. 27) is also coming toward the end of his decision-making process, with Houston and Grand Canyon making strong pushes. It wouldn't be a surprise to see any of those guards pop in the coming days or weeks.
2. The latest on No. 1 Tyran Stokes
The top-ranked Stokes has been busy this month. He cut his school list down to three on Nov. 1, leaving Kentucky, Kansas and Oregon vying for his commitment. Then on Nov. 5, Notre Dame High School (California) announced Stokes was leaving the school.
So where does that leave Stokes? His primary option is to go to a different high school to finish his senior year, with Rainier Beach High School (Washington) the most likely destination, sources told ESPN. There were initially rumors about Stokes enrolling in a college at the semester break, with Kentucky the school most commonly associated with the midyear enrollment, but that talk has faded in recent days.
Shortly after he left Notre Dame, there was also speculation regarding Stokes looking to enter the 2026 NBA draft since he's already 18 years old. Given that he won't be a year removed from his high school graduation, though, it doesn't seem like a viable option.
As far as his college plans, Kentucky has been the perceived favorite down the stretch of his recruitment, but don't count Kansas and Oregon out just yet.
3. Which recruiting powerhouses could make big moves?
A quick look at the schools atop ESPN's pre-signing period class rankings reveals some major surprises. Missouri sits at No. 1 with Kansas, Oklahoma State, Pitt and Vanderbilt rounding out the top five -- the Jayhawks, of course, being the only blue blood in that mix.
Duke, which had the No. 1 class each of the past two years, enters the period at No. 21 with a two-man group headlined by Bryson Howard (No. 21). But the Blue Devils could have the edge for Cameron Williams (No. 3), and they just hosted Deron Rippey Jr. (No. 18) for a visit. Jordan Smith (No. 2) has been a major target, but he's likely to wait on a decision. Duke is also on the list of Austin Goosby (No. 19), but Texas and BYU have had the most momentum of late.
John Calipari is no stranger to the top of the rankings as Arkansas enters the period at No. 6, with JaShawn Andrews (No. 12) and Abdou Toure (No. 31) in the fold. The Razorbacks are working hard for Babatunde Oladotun (No. 8) and are also in the running for Smith, Caleb Holt (No. 6), Brandon McCoy (No. 7) and others.
Kentucky doesn't have any commitments at this point, though the Wildcats were considered the favorite for Stokes and have picked up recent momentum for Christian Collins (No. 4). They're also squarely in the hunt for Smith and Holt. The likes of Rippey and Maximo Adams (No. 26) appear to be leaning elsewhere.
North Carolina is also without a commitment, and the Tar Heels seem to have a shorter target list than other schools in this category. They've been generating the most buzz for Adams, though.
4. Can Missouri hold on to the No. 1 spot?
The Tigers have the only top-10 commitment in Jason Crowe (No. 5), who is joined by Toni Bryant (No. 14) and Aiden Chronister (No. 83).
There's a fairly sizable gap between Missouri and Kansas at No. 2 in the pre-signing period rankings, and until another program secures multiple top-20 prospects, it's hard to see any leapfrogging the Tigers.
That said, Duke could overtake Missouri in the coming weeks if the Blue Devils land Cameron Williams (No. 3) and/or Deron Rippey Jr. (No. 18). Arkansas could also have a strong case if Babatunde Oladotun (No. 8) picks the Razorbacks. Michigan State and Alabama could also close the gap if the Spartans and Tide were to get commitments from Ethan Taylor (No. 32) and Qayden Samuels (No. 10), respectively. Even then, Missouri would likely still have the edge on both.
5. New entrants to the class rankings
There are schools that aren't traditionally near the top of the recruiting class rankings making early waves.
Oklahoma State made this cycle a priority as coach Steve Lutz's first full class. The Cowboys have brought in three ranked recruits for the first time since 2007, when the ESPN recruiting database was launched, and have the No. 3 class entering the period.
As for No. 4 Pitt, this is the first time the Panthers have three top-100 prospects in the same class. Jeff Capel and his staff featuring three former head coaches have put a premium on competitive guys who are willing to work.
Vanderbilt's Mark Byington knows he needs talent and real size to compete in the powerful SEC, and he has delivered the nation's No. 5 class early on. The Commodores' staff believes in developing and retaining high school talent.
Then there's Stanford, which also finds itself inside the top 25. The Cardinal's class is headlined by top-50 prospect Aziz Olajuwon, the son of NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon.
6. First-year head coaches off to strong starts
There are a couple of head coaches early in their tenures who are making headway on the recruiting trail.
Miami's Jai Lucas was able to flip Shelton Henderson from Duke last spring in the 2025 class; now the former Blue Devils assistant has landed five-star Caleb Gaskins (No. 14) in the 2026 class. Gaskins is a talented forward who can score, shoot and crash the glass at both ends. The Hurricanes are also in the mix for five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. (No. 18), with another first-year coach, NC State's Will Wade, in pursuit as well. Wade and the Wolfpack have a top-25 class already in tow, with in-state product Cole Cloer (No. 25) leading the way.
Longtime NBA assistant Luke Loucks is back at his alma mater, Florida State, after a decade on pro sidelines. He has already made an impact on the Seminoles' program, keeping four in-state prospects home, led by 6-foot-10 center Marcis Ponder.
Two veteran coaches at new spots -- Texas' Sean Miller and Maryland's Buzz Williams -- also have top-25 recruiting classes heading into the early signing period. The Longhorns landed a pair of top 100 prospects, while the Terrapins have top-50 scorer Kaden House and a couple more four-star recruits.
7. Which recruits are likely to wait until the spring?
Barring a wild spree of commitments over the next week, we could have several five-star prospects still on the board heading into the winter. As things stand, only one of the top-10 prospects in the country is committed, and only six of the 18 five-star prospects have made decisions.
There are at least four five-star recruits who have shown no sign of closing in on a decision: Jordan Smith (No. 2), Caleb Holt (No. 6), Brandon McCoy (No. 7) and Jaxon Richardson (No. 11).
Marcus Johnson (No. 28), who decommitted from Ohio State in late October, is expected to take his time before making a new decision.
