Since our launch of New England Basketball Journal in 2024, we've watched the 2028 class grow up.
This class, mostly — save for instances of reclassifications — was entering their freshman seasons in 2024. It will ultimately be the first class in which we will see their full high school cycle. Now, they're entering upperclassman status. And for the first time, it's time to rank them.
New England's rising juniors are impressive. Many have already made significant impacts already as underclassmen, and some are already generating national recruiting momentum. It's going to be very exciting to track this group this winter. Many will assume even greater responsibilities on their high school and prep teams as they continue their development tracks. That means that these rankings will eventually see significant changes as we track their improvements, production and college interest. But we have a good baseline to start with.
Like we explained in our 2027 rankings, these rankings aim to project college impact. Of course, this class is still two years away from entering college, so these projections will change. We've made our own evaluations and are constantly learning about what colleges value at the next level. Outlier traits, unique skillsets, consistent production, leadership traits and winning intangibles all part of the calculus.
An important note: To be eligible for our Best of New England rankings, a prospect must be a native of the region or must have completed at least one scholastic season at a school based in the region. That means that non-New Englanders at New York-based NEPSAC schools are ineligible. It also means that out-of-region newcomers to prep schools, even if they debuted at June’s Scholastic Showcases, are not eligible yet.
Here's our first rankings for New England's boys Class of 2028.
1. Kevin Wheatley
6-6 guard
Masters Academy International/PSA Cardinals
Hometown: Rahway, N.J.
2. Derek Swartz
6-5 guard
New Hampton/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Portsmouth, N.H.
3. Malachi Odugbela
6-6 guard
St. Andrew's/BABC
Hometown: Providence, R.I.
PROSPECT WATCH: Why Odugbela is among New England's top 2028 talents
4. Luka Kuqo
6-9 forward
Newman/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Ridgewood, N.J.
5. Kyle Delves
6-3 guard
Mount St. Charles/Team New England
Hometown: Providence, R.I.
6. Kingsley Rogers
6-6 guard
Williston Northampton/PSA Cardinals
Hometown: Bay Shore, N.Y.
7. Brayden Buckley
6-4 guard
Masters Academy International/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Dorchester, Mass.
8. Adriel Cantave
6-3 guard
St. George's/BABC
Hometown: Carver, Mass.
9. Modu Abdulrahman
6-7 wing
Mount St. Charles/Team New England
Hometown: Borno, Nigeria
10. Owen Earle
6-3 guard
Wilbraham & Monson/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Hadley, Mass.
1-10 notes: Wheatley, who spent last season at Brewster, occupies the No. 1 spot and headlines a top five that each holds multiple high-major offers. The guard play is superb in this group. Abdulrahman is a do-it-all wing who had a monster summer and picked up several high-major offers. Earle is one of my favorite players in the class; he returned from injury this spring and looked great. He can score in bunches and can dominate in both ends with his physicality.
11. Michael Parris
6-5 guard
South Kent/City Rocks
Hometown: Lakeville, Conn.
12. Salim Diaby
6-10 center
Tilton/BABC
Hometown: Guinea, Africa
13. Wiji Dak
6-4 guard
Tilton/BABC
Hometown: Bedford, N.H.
14. Cole McClure
6-4 guard
Phillips Exeter/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Stratham, N.H.
15. Isaac Olaniba
6-8 forward
Mount St. Charles/Team New England
Hometown: Nigeria
16. Jackson Perri
6-0 guard
Kimball Union/Mass Rivals
Hometown: West Roxbury, Mass.
17. TJ Allen
6-2 guard
TBD/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
18. William Nunes
6-4 guard
Austin Prep/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Danvers, Mass.
19. Maxxwell Thorpe
6-9 forward
Northfield Mount Hermon/Expressions Elite
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
20. Josh Charlot
5-10 guard
Cushing/NY Rens
Hometown: Fairfield, Conn.
11-20 notes: Parris could be one of the most underrated prospects in this class; he was the only 2028 class member to earn All-NEPSAC recognition in Class AAA last season. Diaby, whose raw skillset has improved immensely in the last six months, and Dak, a powerful, athletic guard, were immense in BABC's big July. Olaniba could be the most athletic prospect in this New England 2028 class; he's raw but intriguing.
21. Braylon Washington
6-3 guard
Darrow/BABC
Hometown: Easton, Mass.
22. Lorcan Bailey Morrow
6-8 wing
St. Andrew’s/PSA Cardinals
Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
23. Jack Charchaflian
6-1 guard
Nobles/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
24. Sonny Dellasanta
6-11 forward
Milton Academy/Team New England
Hometown: Westminster, Mass.
25. Mikey Chiara
6-4 guard
Cushing/New Heights
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
26. Darien Rudder
6-0 guard
MacDuffie/BABC
Hometown: Springfield, Mass.
27. Quintin Eason
6-5 wing
St. Paul’s/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Scarborough, Maine
28. Franklin Okeke
6-11 center
Mount St. Charles/Team New England
Hometown: Nigeria
29. Damien Sanu
6-1 guard
Portsmouth/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Portsmouth, N.H.
30. John Ramos
6-2 guard
Central/Team New England
Hometown: Providence, R.I.
21-30 notes: Prospects with Division 1 potential continue into the 20s; Washington, Charchaflian are Chiara are high-impact guards who bring different skillsets to the table. Chiara had a monster summer and picked up a Div. 1 offer. Charchaflian has faced the injury bug over the last seven months but remains one of the most promising guards in the region, a high feel player who continuously makes the right plays. Bailey Morrow is dominant on the glass, and Dellasanta is a skilled big who can shoot.
31. Thomas Quinlan
6-3 guard
Dexter Southfield/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Dorchester, Mass.
32. Leo Fauver
6-8 forward
Hotchkiss/SLT Hoops
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.
33. Jonzel Contreras
6-2 guard
Haverhill/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Haverhill, Mass.
34. Jordan Maxson
6-2 guard
Tilton/BABC
Hometown: Salem, Mass.
35. Patrick Costello
6-4 guard
Rivers/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Natick, Mass.
36. Luca Balducci
6-0 guard
Loomis Chaffee/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Monroe, N.Y.
37. Jordan Torres
6-4 guard
Holderness/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Manchester, N.H.
38. Ja Bennett
5-10 guard
St. Sebastian’s/Expressions Elite
Hometown: Raynham, Mass.
39. Jayden Gibson
6-3 guard
Worcester Academy/Team Sims
Hometown: Stoughton, Mass.
40. Will White
5-10 guard
Dexter Southfield/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Brookline, Mass.
31-40 notes: There are a handful of very underrated prospects in this group who I could see rising up ranking updates in the future. Quinlan is a tough, hard-nosed, two-way guard who had a strong summer with the Magic's 16U UAA team. Contreras was a reliable point guard for Rivals' 16U 3SSB squad and Costello is a 3-point threat who has improved other parts of his game. Gibson was consistent for Team Sims all season as their point guard and heartbeat; I'm excited about his move to Worcester Academy.
41. Dereon Medina
5-11 guard
Concord Academy/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Lawrence, Mass.
42. Maddox Dobson
6-5 guard
Wilbraham & Monson/The House We Built
Hometown: Lowell, Mass.
43. Ryan O'Rourke
6-6 forward
Bedford/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Bedford, N.H.
44. Marcus Magloire
6-2 guard
St. John's Prep/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Lynn, Mass.
45. Zion Robinson
6-11 forward
Hopkins/NY Rens
Hometown: Hamden, Conn.
46. Tysen Teixeira
6-2 guard
Pomfret/Team New England
Hometown: New Bedford, Mass.
47. Drew Herren
6-0 guard
Worcester Academy/BABC
Hometown: Portsmouth, R.I.
48. Zerek Johnson
6-4 guard
South Kent/JH5 Elite
Hometown: Pawtucket, R.I.
49. Elkin Pena
6-3 forward
Central Catholic/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Lawrence, Mass.
50. Drew Carlson
6-0 guard
Thayer/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Braintree, Mass.
41-50 notes: The 40s is where things get a little bit more wide open, but these are the most intriguing prospects to me right now. Keep your eye on Robinson, a two-sport standout who also plays baseball at Hopkins. He's long and skilled at 6-foot-11, was an All-NEPSAC Class B Large honorable mention selection last winter and actually snagged his first Div. 1 offer from UT-Arlington two weeks ago. ... Several top public school 2028s in O'Rourke, Magloire and Pena are in this group.
Among other prospects I considered in the Top 50: Owen Adams (BC High/Middlesex Magic; Jack Rye (Worcester Academy/City Rocks); King Tiah (St. Paul's/BCRI); Ryan Trimboli (St. Thomas More/Dribble Drive); Daniel Wheeler (MacDuffie/Team Sims).
