Counting down the 5-stars in On3's final top-150 rankings

Following the culmination of the postseason all-star circuit and the end of the high school basketball season this spring, On3 is releasing its final On3 150 rankings for the 2024 recruiting cycle.

There were a number of significant moves in the final update, though the top two players in the class remained the same from earlier this spring.

On3’s rankings use a baseline of first projecting for the NBA Draft, with a career in the league being a secondary projection tool. In this cycle, 14 prospects earned five-star rankings in the closing update, highlighted by a few earning that status for the first time. On3 heavily prioritized how players finished their seasons, looking at their career’s developmental arcs and how their games project forward.

Ahead of the full rankings release, here are the five-stars in the On3 150 rankings:

1. SF Cooper Flagg – Duke signee

School: Montverde (Fla.)
Scouting Summary: “Cooper Flagg is a lengthy forward prospect with a straight-line burst and a high basketball IQ. His instincts on the defensive end stand out immediately. He understands angles and rotations and has excellent anticipation both in passing lanes and as a weak-side shot-blocker. His hips are loose, and he can open up and slide or recover. Flagg is a good spot shooter with a consistently high release point. The shot can be a bit slow at times which can call for some inconsistencies off the bounce. He is a smart off-ball cutter and can handle the ball well in open space. I would like to see him tighten the handle some, especially in tight spaces. The passing has really started to pop. At the NBPA Top 100 Camp, he showed comfort on the ball, initiating the pick-and-roll. Throughout the summer, he showed excellent passing ability with both hands, multiple angles, off-live dribble, and on target. High-level prospect, tracking among the top nationally, in his class. Mom was a team captain at the University of Maine.”

2. SF Ace Bailey – Rutgers signee

School: McEachern (Ga.)
Scouting Summary: “Ace Bailey has good size, great length, and plays with a lot of explosive pop. His game is at the rim as he gets up high in traffic and looks to get on the rim at any time. He is at his best when he is attacking the front of the rim. He has perimeter skills, some handles, some range, and a nice release on the jumper. The perimeter aspect needs to tighten up, as it is raw at this point. He also needs to go through some time to figure out who he is. He is at his best, playing 15 feet and heading toward the rim. The upside here is high, a lot of natural tools that many just don’t have. There is some upside on defense; he is twitchy and is explosive with nice timing.”

3. CG Dylan Harper – Rutgers signee

School: Don Bosco (N.J.)
Scouting Summary: “It is the feel of the game that really pops for Dylan Harper. The lefty is a big guard; he has a strong frame with good length. While he lacks top-end burst, he always gets to his spots. Harper has a supreme feel for angles and footwork, and he does a great job of using his body and his hips to put defenders in ‘jail.’ His pace is never rushed; he always has a plan with the ball in his hands. He is more of a scorer than a shooter. While he can knock down a spot three, he does need to clean some things up there. Harper has a crafty handle with an array of hesitates and counters. He is great with angles around the basket and can score through contact without playing above the rim. He has great balance in the paint and – again – uses his body really well. At 6-foot-5, he really competes and plays with the utmost confidence. Harper is a good team defender. His father is 5x NBA Champion Ron Harper, and his brother, Ron Harper, Jr., has spent time in the league.”

4. SG VJ Edgecombe – Baylor signee

School: Long Island (N.Y.) Lutheran
Scouting Summary: “When watching VJ Edgecombe, it’s the feel for the game that really pops. He never seems to force any of the action, making the right play, the right pass, the right read. Edgecombe is an explosive athlete, which helps him in transition as well as on the defensive end. He is a good shooter and forms a good base with consistent release. The jumper can be somewhat of a set shot, and he is more comfortable off the catch than shooting (from three) off the bounce. He is very instinctive on the defensive end, shooting the passing lanes aggressively. He moves his feet well on defense, guarding on the ball. He has good length and quick hands. Good vision and processes the game well. He gets a lot done in an efficient manner, you like that moving forward—lots of natural instincts. Not afraid of the moment. Comfortable on the ball as a secondary initiator type. NIBC and New York State Player of the Year.”

5. C Jayden Quaintance

School: Word of God (N.C.)
Scouting Summary: “The physical nature of Jayden Quaintance‘s presence is what pops immediately. Listed at 6-foot-10, he has long arms and a very strong frame. He moves very well for a player his size. He can open his hips and has no problem sliding his feet. A good rebounder, in and out of his area. He plays tough, and he plays with confidence. He tries to dunk everything within 10 feet. Establishes a good position. Very explosive. Can put the ball on the floor, like to see him tighten the handle. Can knock down a jump shot, but would like to see him tighten up the mechanics and the footwork. He is very young for his grade, will graduate at 16. Started for USA Basketball 16U. Quaintance’s dad, Hamin Quaintance graduated from Kent State. He scored over 1,350 career points and 904 rebounds.”

6. PF Donnie Freeman – Syracuse signee

School: IMG Academy (Fla.)
Scouting Summary: “You immediately notice the basketball frame with Donnie Freeman. He has the long arms with the wide-set shoulders, a frame that should immediately add weight once it gets in a college weight program. Freeman has natural shot blocking timing. He does a good job contesting without fouling. You’d like to see him rebound it more consistently, but there is natural athleticism and fluidity in his movements. Offensively, Freeman can knock down a catch and shoot/pick and pop three. He has good form on his shot with a consistent release. He has also developed a one/two dribble pull up, comfortably getting to the elbows and mid range. Like to see him finish better in traffic. All in all, there are a lot of natural, projectable tools here.”

7. SG Tre Johnson – Texas signee

School: Link (Mo.) Academy
Scouting Summary: “Tre Johnson is as natural a scorer as there is in the class. Standing at a lengthy 6-5, he’s able to get the shot off over defenders. What really stands out is his ability to create space. His balance is great and I can’t talk enough about the footwork. He still needs to continue working on the strength and distinguishing between a shot you can get and a good shot. Johnson has a smooth jump shot, with a repeatable form and release, no matter the level. He averaged 24.0 points on 40.7% 3P in Phoenix.”

8. SG Jalil Bethea – Miami signee

School: Archbishop Wood (Pa.)
Scouting Summary: “It is the scoring with Jalil Bethea that you walk away talking about. He scores it in an efficient manner at each level of the floor. He has a good frame, nice length, positional size, and a projectable frame. Bethea is a good athlete and has some quick-twitch and straight-line burst when he is heading toward the rim. His jump shot form is good – albeit his release can be inconsistent at times – he knocks down shots off the catch (off movement) and off the bounce. His handle is at its best when he plays within two or three dribbles, I would like to see him tighten things up beyond that. He can be a good defender, with the length and the athleticism, but I would like to see him continue to stay engaged on that end. He plays with a lot of confidence and has a smooth demeanor about him. Shot 40.8% from three and averaged 1.17 point per possession for Team Final during Nike’s EYBL Circuit.”

9. C Khaman Maluach – Duke signee

School: NBA Academy Africa
Scouting Summary: “Khaman Maluach has a lengthy frame athletic fluidity that intrigues. Listed by the NBA Academy Africa at 7-2, he has good length and is a natural rim protector. He uses both hands, controlled around the basket to affect the play. Malauch has solid timing off ball and is developing the strength on ball, defensively. His movement can be a little clunky at times when asked to slide laterally and/or change direction. He is a good vertical athlete. He switches ends off the floor quickly and is a long-strider in transition. Currently, he is at his best as a roll man or in the dunker spots, attacking the front of the rim. He does have touch on his shot and that is something that could develop as he is confident in taking the three off the catch. He needs to continue tightening his overall offensive game. He has comfort catching the ball on the left side of the floor and scoring over his left shoulder. Would like to see him expand that go-to move as well as develop counters. He needs base and core strength as he can be pushed off his spot by smaller players and has a tendency to fall a good bit with contact throughout the course of a game. Immense upside here. Continued added strength will be paramount, and could enhance and develop his average athleticism. His frame and length are top 1 percent, even looking toward the NBA. There are a lot of tools in play here with sharpening necessary.”

10. SG Ian Jackson – North Carolina signee

School: Our Savior Lutheran (N.Y.)
Scouting Summary: “Ian Jackson is a high-level athlete. He has long arms, broad shoulders, and explosive athleticism in the paint. Jackson has confidence with the ball in his hands; he is decisive in getting downhill to the rim. He can rise up and finish above the rim and pull up in the mid-range with an assortment of floaters and pull-ups. Jackson is a capable shooter from three, but he still needs polish with this part of his game, especially when shooting off the bounce or off movement. His shot selection can get a little wild at times. He is comfortable on the ball but would like to see him see the floor better. Jackson is an alpha. He is a competitive defender, both on the ball and off. He wants to guard the other team’s best perimeter threat, and he has great tools with his size and athleticism. He has natural athletic tools and the utmost confidence.”

11. PF Asa Newell – Georgia signee

School: Montverde (Fla.)
Scouting Summary: “Asa Newell is a lengthy forward with a projectable frame. The frame is what you notice from the second he walks on the floor. The lefty has soft touch with range that extends beyond the three-point line, especially off the catch. The jump shot can get inconsistent, would like to see him get the balance right. He is comfortable driving left aggressively. He is an instinctive offensive rebounder, and he is not afraid to mix it up in traffic and hunt put-back dunks. Newell will need to continue developing the right hand and progressing with his middle game. Strength will also be a thing with the 6-foot-9 forward. However, with his size, skill set, and quick-twitch athleticism, when his motor runs hot, there is a lot of production he brings to the court.”

12. SF Bryson Tucker – Indiana signee

School: Bishop O’Connell (Va.)
Scouting Summary: “Simply put, Bryson Tucker is a basketball player. He has great size to go with a natural basketball IQ. Nothing in his game seems to ever be rushed; he plays at his own pace. He understands change of pace, and he makes good decisions with the ball. He is good on the ball in the half-court, makes solid decisions, and doesn’t put the ball in trouble off the bounce. Tucker has good length, and he is a good athlete. He can make shots with a confident pull-up. Tucker’s dad, Byron, is 6-10 and scored over 1,000 points at NC State/George Mason. You would like to see Bryson’s jump shot to become more consistent. He is really good in the mid-range, one to two dribble pull ups from the elbows. An explosive athlete, he is good in transition. He has a great work ethic and is one to continue watching as a five-star.”

13. PF Carter Bryant – Arizona signee

School: Centennial (Calif.)
Scouting Summary: “Carter Bryant has a lengthy frame, very projectable. He plays with a bounce to his step and some pop. He plays his best in transition. He plays with good balance in straight lines. He is explosive around the basket. A solid rebounder in the 6-foot-8 range, he can go out of his area to secure possessions. Bryant can face up and play off two and three dribbles in the half-court. He gets to the rim with long strides and explodes with a burst. Did not see a jump shot; he preferred to get toward the rim. Would like to see him develop his counter-dribbles when his path gets cut off. There is an upside on the defensive end of the floor. He is twitchy with a great frame. Once he gets his footwork and angles down, he has the fluidity and the lateral ability to guard the ball. He also has the length to get in the passing lanes. Bryant is still raw, but there is an intrigue with his athleticism, frame, and size, and his confidence continues to grow.”

14. SF Liam McNeeley – UConn commit

School: Montverde (Fla.)
Scouting Summary: “Liam McNeeley can shoot the basketball. That is probably his feature tool, but he is more than just a shooter. With good positional size, 6-foot-7, he can straight line drive a sloppy close-out, knock down a one, and two-dribble pull-up, and is a smart off-ball cutter. McNeeley is a good team defender; he understands footwork and angles well. He also rotates properly and is not afraid to step in and take a charge. While there will be on-the-ball questions, he is good with deflections and defending off the ball. His hips appear a little stiff, which comes into play with some change of direction situations. Mom played D-1 basketball, and so did two uncles and grandfather.”