Cooper Flagg vs. Cameron Boozer: The race for 2025's No. 1 prospect

On3 released its updated 2025 rankings on Monday and extended the list from 50 to 75. With this second update of the 2025 cycle came a new No. 1 player, Cameron Boozer. The Miami (Fla.) Christopher Columbus High power forward overtook the now-No. 2 player, Cooper Flagg.

As we have said extensively, this is a conversation that will continue for the foreseeable future. Not only are these two the top two prospects in this class, but they are also widely considered the top two overall prospects among On3’s rankings, regardless of class.

With these players’ sophomore seasons coming to an end, the pool of players in the 2025 conversation has grown extensively since the last update. A season of growth and production has been documented and studied extensively.

While this conversation is far from over, let’s go through why Cameron Boozer got the nod for this cycle.

Cameron Boozer vs. Cooper Flagg

It is hard to ignore the production. Cameron Boozer‘s Nightrydas team lost only one game on Nike’s EYBL 15u Circuit this summer. Boozer averaged 20 and 10 on the circuit. He carried this over to the Team USA October Junior National Team Minicamp, where they brought in players from across the country and split them into age groups.

Boozer, who will not turn 16 until July, was widely considered as the best player in attendance among the 2025 and 2026 age groups.

This high school season, Boozer played the best of the best across the country with a bullseye firmly planted on his shoulders. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 21.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.0 blocks and shot 63 percent from the field and 41.6 percent from three.

Cooper Flagg started all season for the No. 1 ranked Montverde (Fla.) Academy team. With nine other high major players on the roster, Flagg finished top three on the team in points (9.8), rebounds (5.2), and assists (3.0) while leading the way in steals (1.6) and blocks (2.2) for the 26-2 program.

Flagg was not at the Team USA October Junior National Team Minicamp, but he did play for the u17 USA Junior National Team that won a gold medal last summer at the FIBA Worlds in Spain. As the second-youngest player on the team, Flagg led the gold-medal winners in rebounds (10.0), steals (2.4), and blocks (2.9). He chipped in 9.3 points and shot 42.9 percent from three in 19.6 minutes for the event.

As you can see, this was a tough decision. Both players are deserving of the No. 1 spot as the high school season winds down and the travel ball starts to heat up.

Boozer’s game

Smooth is one word to describe Boozer’s game. Efficient is probably the second word that comes to mind. The 6-foot-8 forward understands what his game is and plays within the confines of what he is able to do.

Rebounding is the skill that I walk away talking about with the new No. 1 player in the class. Boozer has excellent instincts around the glass, both in and out of his area. He has long arms and big, strong hands that collect boards in traffic and does not let go. He is a good outlet passer and is also able to push the break, be under control, and make a play with the ball.

Boozer is a solid pick-and-pop shooter and is a threat beyond the arc when his feet are set. When the defender brings a sloppy closeout, he is capable of attacking the paint straight lines and getting on the rim in traffic.

Boozer is an excellent passer, and his team is capable of running sets through him in the half-court. Boozer is a high-IQ defender. He understands angles, and – at this level – he has great timing both in the passing lanes and around the rim.

Boozer is the son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer.

The next tier

At this point in the cycle, Boozer and Flagg are in a top tier of their own. However, that does not mean that, in time, the next tier of prospects could not make a move.

Meleek Thomas is a 6-foot-3 guard out of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. He is an electric player with the ability to create off sense and score, in bunches, from all over the floor.

Joson Sannon is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard out of Vermont. He plays a simple, and mature game that ends with big stats across the board.

Jalen Haralson is a 6-foot-7 wing out of Fishers, Indiana who has a strong frame with length, athleticism, and the ability to put the ball through the net.

Each of these three players are five-stars and they all have ceilings left to continue growing as prospects. While they are in a clearly defined second tier as this article is written, their development will be worth monitoring as we continue to move forward.