The first live base season of 2024 is officially in the books, and college coaches have returned home after scouring the country to check out high school prospects from coast to coast.
National rival analyst Rob Cassidy followed the brisk recruitment movement over the weekend and delved into some of the period’s most intriguing developments live below.
NORTH CAROLINA OFFERS BRAYLON MULLINS
North Caroline distributed a handful of offers over the weekend, but none are more intriguing than the one made to the four-star guard Braylon Mullinsan Indiana-based star and high-priority target for the Hoosiers.
Mullins caught a lot of people’s attention in the weeks leading up to the live period and is a sure bet to move up the ranks in the next update. Now it seems Mike Woodson will find himself in a familiar location, fighting with a powerful blue blood for a national recruit. Woodson hasn’t had much success winning these battles so far in his Indiana term, so there will likely be enormous pressure to keep Mullins, who lives less than 80 miles from the Indiana campus, in the state.
Mullins also lists program offerings such as Purdue, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa and others.
RYDER FROST ANNOUNCES HIMSELF
Currently unranked in Class of 2025, New Hampshire-based wing Ryder Frost had a monster run live and announced himself to college scouts and coaches while running with the Middlesex Magic on the Under Armor circuit. The 6-foot-4 Frost went unnoticed until this weekend and held mid-range offers until he broke out in Cincinnati, surprising college coaches with his length, rebounding ability and long-range jump shot.
The versatile Frost has the skills to be a top 100 prospect in the future and now lists program offers as Syracuse, NC State, Awake Forest, Minnesota, Georgia Tech It is Nebraska.
Frost is shooting 45 percent from long range in seven games on the UA circuit and averaging 26 points per game. He’s likely to receive additional offers as time goes on, but for now he seems particularly interested in visiting Syracuse, which is about a five-hour drive from his home in New Hampshire.
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ARKANSAS, CALIPARI PRIORITIZING MALEEK THOMAS
Arkansas head coach João Calipari He has long been celebrated for his prowess on the recruiting trail, and he returned to work over the weekend, logging long flights and late nights scouting talent. One of the most telling moves he made, however, was the late Friday flight he boarded from an adidas event in central Texas to Indianapolis in order to be present at the five-star guard’s event. Maleek Thomas‘ 8am Nike EYBL game on Saturday.
Thomas has officially stated that he intends to make an official visit to Arkansas in the near future, and it appears that the Razorbacks staff is gearing up for an attempt to seal the deal on the aforementioned trip. Calipari and company will have to postpone programs like UConn, Baylor, Pitt It is Auburnall of whom also kept an eye on Thomas over the weekend for this.
Expect Arkansas to be a player by the end of Thomas’ recruitment, as the Razorbacks look like a good bet to be part of any future roster cuts.
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POPE, KENTUCKY FIGHTING HARD TO KEEP JASPER JOHNSON HOME
Kentucky head coach Marcos Papa made big strides in recruiting five-star Lexington-based jasper johnson since the veteran head coach took the reins of the UK program on April 12. Johnson is rumored to be considering a reclassification to 2024, so there could be a time in Pope’s pursuit of the all-state point guard if that remains in the cards.
Whatever the case, Pope is working like he has it under control when it comes to Johnson, whom he contacted immediately after taking the Kentucky job and met briefly during last weekend’s live period on Friday. UK was represented in some way at most of Johnson’s EYBL games in Indy, and assistant Alvin Brooks III I watched the talented point guard score 26 points, six rebounds and four assists during a Sunday afternoon game.
Illinois, North Carolina, Auburn, Missouri and others are also involved with Johnson, who remains in the 2025 class for now. Where Johnson lands could ultimately dictate what he does on the reclassification front.
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EARLY DUKE FOR BEST SOPHOMORE BRANDON MCCOY
Duke isn’t exactly known for throwing out early offers, so the fact that the Blue Devils haven’t yet made things official with anyone in the 2026 class shouldn’t shock anyone. Still, the head coach Jon Scheyer and company are definitely keeping an eye on the five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr.the No. 1 prospect on Rivals150 for 2026. Scheyer and top assistant Jay Lucas woke up very early in Indianapolis. And while McCoy didn’t have one of his best outings from a production standpoint, Sunday wasn’t the first time the Blue Devils staff got a look at the dynamic guard.
It seems like a foregone conclusion that Duke will eventually extend an offer to McCoy, who is playing age group for Arizona Unity at the 17U level and will have more opportunities to impress college coaches this summer. McCoy’s teammate Cameron Holmes is also on Duke’s radar and reminded the team why when he scored 26 points with Scheyer and Lucas sitting just feet away.
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