Brandon McCoy new No. 1 in On3's 2026 ranking update

On Monday, On3 updated its 2026 rankings and expanded the list from 50 names to 100. With former No. 1 ranked AJ Dybantsa reclassifying into the 2025 class, we saw a new player at the top of the list.

Brandon McCoy, the 6-foot-5 guard from Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco is the new No. 1 player in the class. He joins No. 2 ranked Tyran Stokes of Napa (CA) Prolific Prep as the two five-star prospects in On3’s 2026 ranking update. 

McCoy’s three most recent offers, Arkansas, LSU, and Mississippi State, each came within the last week. Unable to start taking official visits until June 1, the new No. 1 player in 2026 is now approaching 20 high major offers. 

Let’s dive into what makes Brandon McCoy the No., 1 prospect in the 2026 cycle. 

On3’s updated top 100 in 2026

McCoy Projects Positional Value

One look at Brandon McCoy and you see his size, build, and the length—his frame projects as a basketball player. Watching him play, and see the comfort with which he toggles between positions along the perimeter. McCoy has a slick handle, with the ability to attack his spots on the floor and make plays. 

McCoy will need to continue adding weight and strength to his frame, which is to be expected for a high school sophomore. But, as he continues to develop his frame, the base of skills continues to grow. 

McCoy has a smooth pull-up jump shot, showing a right to left hesitate dribble and getting into the mid-range with it. He attacks the rim with a purpose in transition, finishing at the rim. And he is comfortable putting two feet in the paint and processing reads quickly and accurately. 

With the smooth offensive game, the defensive side of the ball might be where McCoy shines the brightest. Simply put, he competes. He has great length and quick-twitch athleticism, allowing him to guard on the ball, away from the basket, or off the ball, jumping the passing lanes. 

The two-way presence of Brandon McCoy, with an ability to initiate and process quick reads, with his frame and athletic makeup is hard to ignore as we project toward the future.

Brandon McCoy Continues to Produce

While Brandon McCoy’s athletic makeup opens the door, it is his consistent production that has kept him toward the top of his class.  The sophomore led his 26-7 Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco team in scoring this season/ knocking down 18.5 points while shooting 57.2 percent from the field. 

McCoy also added 7.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. These numbers mirror what McCoy did this summer, playing up in grade with the AZ Unity program on Nike’s EYBL E16 Circuit. McCoy averaged 16.6 points while knocking down 36.7 percent of his threes. He also displayed a nose for the ball in the summer, averaging 6.6 rebounds and distributing 2.6 assists. 

McCoy carried his summer production to the USA Basketball Junior National Team Minicamp. McCoy made the roster and was one of the youngest players on the team. One of only three players in the 2026 class. 

The defensive presence stands out too. Watching him play, the eye test matches the counting stats. Over the summer he averaged 1.9 steals per game during the E16 regular season and 1.0 blocks per contest during E16 Peach Jam. Through 46 career varsity basketball games, McCoy is averaging 2.9 steals and 1.4 blocks. 

While the frame can be a conversation starter, the continued production at the highest levels opens things up for Brandon McCoy.

Projecting McCoy Moving Forward

Brandon McCoy is only a sophomore in high school, there is still a lot of physical and in-game growth that he will see. However, when looking at his developmental arc and how he has produced over the past eight months, he ticks a lot of the indicators already. 

For starters, the frame. McCoy is listed between 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-5. The 16-year-old guard carries a plus wing span and a projectable body. Watching him play, you see a slick handle and a nose for making plays. Something innate about his ability to create space and then opportunities. 

That is intriguing as he moves forward. McCoy creates advantage off the bounce already. He will need to continue working on his three-point jump shooting and his balance points as well as getting stronger. 

The average height for a point guard in the NBA today is around 6-foot-3. And the average size of a shooting guard is between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-5. Looking at how the game is played, positionless guards are incredibly valuable at the highest levels. 

McCoy’s comfort with the ball in his hands, creating opportunities for himself and others will continue to translate. So will his ability to guard multiple positions, including the point-of-attack, along the perimeter. 

While Brandon McCoy is not there yet, and by no means are we crowning him the next coming, the early indicators of McCoy’s game speak volumes as we continue to watch the most valuable aspects of today’s game.