Babatunde Oladotun Reclassifies to 2026, Was No. 1 CBB Recruit in Class of 2027

The 2026 men's college basketball recruiting class got much better Thursday.

That is because Babatunde Oladotun, who is a 5-star prospect and was the No. 1 overall recruit in class of 2027, per 247Sports' composite rankings, told ESPN's Paul Biancardi he will reclassify and join the 2026 class since he is graduating high school in the spring.

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

While Oladotun won't turn 17 years old until December, this is a continuation of a pattern with recent elite prospects.

Cooper Flagg reclassified before going to Duke, while AJ Dybantsa did the same before going to BYU. 

Reclassifying will only speed up the timeline on his recruitment, and Biancardi noted the plan is to visit Maryland and Virginia Tech first even though programs such as Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, Arkansas and Gonzaga will be "heavily involved."

Oladotun checks in at 6'9" with the ability to shoot from the outside, attack off the bounce and facilitate when opposing defenses collapse on him. That makes him a matchup nightmare at his size, and he figures to only improve once he enters a top collegiate program.

Given that scouting report, Biancardi suggested reclassifying makes Oladotun "an immediate candidate for next year's McDonald's All-American game" and someone who "has a chance to become a top-10 lottery draft pick in 2027."

NBA teams will surely be paying attention once he reaches the collegiate level, but some of the nation's top programs will first be focused on his recruitment.

And whichever program lands him will have an elite playmaker to anchor its 2026 class.