Why On3 is higher than the industry with 4-star C Darius Ratliff

Darius Ratliff is an interesting long-term prospect. The 6-foot-11 center played this summer with the PSA Cardinals program on Nike’s E16 Circuit. Here at On3, we are higher than the industry on the high school junior, ranking him as the No. 36 overall player in On3’s updated 2026 On3 150.

On3 leaves nothing to question when we talk about the objective of our rankings. The goal is to assess a prospect’s long-term potential, ultimately manifested by the NBA Draft. Our ranking does not assess who had the best high school career or who will be the best college player. This is why we will shoot to end each cycle with 14 five-star prospects. We follow the lead of the NBA Draft Lottery. This can be a different methodology from others, but our vision when creating our ranking is draft night.

On3 has Ratliff ranked No. 36. He is unranked by 247 Sports, No. 59 by ESPN, and No. 52 by Rivals. Criteria can be different across the industry when it comes to players and the order in which they are ranked. So let’s break down why On3 is higher on Darius Ratliff than the industry.

Darius Ratliff’s physical tools

Each time you see Darius Ratliff, it looks like he has grown another inch. Already listed at 6-foot-11, he is pushing 7-foot-0. Ratliff has excellent length, wielding a plus wingspan. But really what sets him apart when watching him is the way he moves.

Even as an almost 7-footer, Ratliff is a fluid athlete. He changes directions quickly and is able to slide his feet. He has natural timing around the basket, affecting shots with both hands. And he runs the floor well, switching ends and long-striding to the front of the rim.

He is going to have to continue adding weight. However, that is not uncommon for a teenager who is still growing in height. As he continues to add strength, he will become more sturdy in his base and core. He has a frame that should continue to add weight as he stops growing and is able to get into a steady strength and conditioning program.

Fluid 7-foot-0 players who can run and move with fluidity and also touch are a rare breed of player. They are also a very valuable commodity as the game continues forward.

His game

Darius Ratliff is still figuring the totality of his game. Offensively, he has touch and hands. While he can step out and knock down a pick and pop, or a corner three, he seems to be more comfortable lining up in the mid-range and providing an offensive outlet in those areas. One thing I like about his mid-range, mid-post game is that whenever he flashes and receives, he always turns and faces to make himself a threat to score. He is a quick decision-maker in these areas, and his size and length oftentimes allow him clean looks toward the basket.

While the offensive aspect of his game is continuing to develop, Ratliff does have abilities at all three levels. The shooting touch is the first thing that you notice. And as he continues strengthening his base the shot mechanics should continue to become more consistent. He has an excellent release as well as consistent balance points throughout his shot.

Ratliff dives well to the rim and he is able to finish with both hands around the basket. He is also capable of setting up a target on the block and getting over his left shoulder. At this stage, a lot of his shots around the basket are falling away, as his height and lack of strength have him losing leverage. With that, there is promise moving forward here.

Defensively, Ratliff has natural instincts. He uses his athletic fluidity well, opening his hips and sliding his feet with perimeter-based forwards. While I would like to see him rebound more consistently, he has nice length and is a natural rim protector. He can still be a tick slow with his rotations, but he is active and, at this stage in his development, is still able to affect the play around the rim.

While a lot of his game right now is flashes and projection, in watching his continued development, you can see the clear long-term pathway toward his end result, carrying a high ceiling.

Ratliff’s bloodlines

Darius Ratliff, and his twin brother Adonis Ratliff, are the sons of former NBA center Theo Ratliff. The 6-foot-10 center played 16 years in the NBA, amassing 810 games, and averaging 2.4 blocked shots throughout his career. Theo Ratliff was an All-Star in the 2000-01 season and four times voted among the top 10 players in the Defensive Player of Year race. He led the NBA in blocked shots three times, including a career-high 3.7 per game in his 2000-01 All-Star season.

Originally from Alabama, Ratliff was a first-round draft pick (18th overall) in 1995 out of Wyoming.

Projecting Darius Ratliff moving forward

Good bigs are unique. While, in many cases, good NBA teams want their best players to be a playmaking wing, finding an adequate big man who is able to appropriately space the floor and fit into the defensive schemes is very rare.

For starters, there just are not that many people in the world who are 6-foot-10 and taller. When you take that small percentage of people, there is an even smaller percentage of them who can add the appropriate weight and move adequately enough to switch and protect the rim in the NBA. Then, you take into account NBA spacing, and can that small percentage of a person (6-foot-10, or more, who can move well, and put on weight) either be used as a vertical spacer out of the dunker spot or as a rim runner or can they step out and pull gravity as a shooting threat? Yes, while NBA franchises are built around wings and creation at the point of attack, the rarity of capable big men will always give them value.

Early in his development Darius Ratliff carries some intriguing markers. He already has the adequate size, pushing 7-foot-0. He has good length and natural athletic fluidity, and he is able to stretch the floor and he can play out of the dunker spots.

Right now, even as a 17-year-old, Ratliff shows flashes and they are that, just flashes right now. However, over the past year, you have seen continued development, seeing the flashes becoming more continued production. Watching the big man play, you see the tools, and you see his continued development. Looking forward, the son of a former NBA All-Star, with some unique natural tools who has consistently progressed over the last 12 to 18 months is someone that is firmly planted on my radar.

Ratliff, On3’s No. 3 overall center in the 2026 recruiting class, currently claims offers from Cal, Rutgers, Stanford, UCF, St. Bonaventure, and others.