For the past few years, top basketball prospects have decided to reclassify, and the latest recruit to do so was Babatunde Oladotun, according to ESPN's Paul Biancardi. Oladotun is the No. 1 high school player in the ESPN class of 2027, but he has made the decision to reclassify to the class of 2026, graduating in the spring from Blake High School, which is located in Maryland.
The two other recent players to reclassify are Cooper Flagg, who was the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, and A.J. Dybantsa, who is a projected top pick for next season. Similar to Flagg when he reclassified to the class of 2024, Oladotun won't be 17 until December.
Oladuton spoke to ESPN about reclassifying and why he decided to make the move.
“First and foremost, I am ahead of schedule academically and will graduate next year,” Oladotun 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.”
Babatunde Oladotun reclassifies to class of 2026
Oladotun will most likely be a part of next year's McDonald's All-American game, and he has a chance to be a top-10 pick in 2027. Standing at 6'9 with a 6'11 wingspan, he has the makings of being a strong prospect if his body continues to develop and he puts in the work.
Right now, Oladotun is known as a three-level scorer and has the length to shoot over his defenders if need be. His playmaking is also something that has people excited about his game, and he'll only get better in that area of his game.
As far as his recruitment, colleges such as Arkansas, Virginia Tech, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, and Maryland are all interested in him. He plans to visit Maryland and Virginia Tech first out of all of those colleges. His father, Ibrahim Oladotun has noted that they're looking for a coach with a lot of experience.
“We are looking for a coach that has a long history of teaching and winning,” Ibrahim said. “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.”
