No. 1 Hoops Prospect Babatunde Oladotun Reclassifies To 2026

Babatunde Oladotun, the No. 1 high school basketball player in the class of 2027, told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi on Thursday that he will reclassify to the class of 2026 and will graduate in the spring from Blake High School in Maryland.

“First and foremost, I am ahead of schedule academically and will graduate next year,” Oladotun told Biancardi. “Most of my life, I have played up in age and after playing in the 17U division for Team Durant, I felt comfortable.

Babatunde Oladotun Could Become 2027 NBA Draft Pick

This latest news is a continuation of a pattern with recent elite prospects.

Cooper Flagg reclassified before going to Duke, while AJ Dybantsa did the same before committing to BYU. Reclassifying will only speed up the timeline on his recruitment.

Oladotun, who turns 17 in December, is a 6-foot-9 forward with a 6-foot-11 wingspan and 9-foot standing reach. The 5-star prospect packed on muscle over the past year and recently starred for Team Durant’s 17U squad.

“I have gained 20 pounds over the last year, and it never felt like I was playing up. Lastly, I am staying and graduating from Blake High School. It is a great environment, and I have a lot of support.”

Biancardi suggested reclassifying makes Oladotun “an immediate candidate for next year’s McDonald’s All-American game” and a recruit who “has a chance to become a top-10 lottery draft pick in 2027.”

Oladotun Intends To Visit Maryland, Virginia Tech

Biancardi also noted that Oladotun’s plan is to visit Maryland and Virginia Tech first even though programs such as Arkansas, Gonzaga, Kentucky, Duke, and Kansas will be “heavily involved.”

Oladotun also unofficially visited UCLA and USC last year.

“We are looking for a coach that has a long history of teaching and winning,” his father, Ibrahim, told ESPN. “Someone who knows how to use a big guard and has a history of coaching big guards. A coach that also plays an NBA-style offense with quick actions.”

NBA teams are expected to evaluate his talent and assess his pro potential once he reaches the collegiate level, but the nation’s top college programs will first be prioritizing his recruitment.