Phones were beeping and ringing across Minnesota this week as college basketball coaches were allowed starting Sunday to make their first calls to student-athletes entering their junior year of high school.
Some recruits in the state were getting early calls, having jumped up the prospect rankings with strong spring performances. Prep Hoops Minnesota is on the verge of releasing its latest update to the 2027 rankings. Which Minnesotans have made the biggest jumps? Here are five names on the rise:
Isaiah Asuma
Cherry / 6-1, point guard
Here is everything about Asuma’s last 12 months you should know: he is taller, stronger, looks even quicker and more explosive and has flourished playing the point guard spot (for both Cherry High and the Minnesota Comets spring/summer team). Asuma scored 19 points a game for the Class A state runner-up using that outstanding first step to get to the paint, and his strength, skill and body control allowed him to finish consistently against help defenders.
Gavyn Lorenson
Lake City / 6-5, guard/wing
Lorenson played point guard for Lake City this past winter, leading his team to 19 wins and an appearance in the section championship game (a loss to Caledonia). He has the size to rebound (six per game), and he can score from the arc, mid-range and at the cup. This led to 21 points a game, all with Lorenson also being the best Tigers ball handler and creator. When you have that level of skill plus agility and size, you are the type of versatile prospect that college coaches love.
Ahmed Nur
Hopkins / 6-10, power forward
This young man has the highest ceiling of any rising junior in the state. He is 6-10, agile and has a nice shooting touch with improving range. Nur scored in double figures for the second best team in Class 4A. He has an offer from Arizona State and high-major schools will be watching him closely this weekend at the MBCA Camp. Nur had a solid spring playing with the D1 Minnesota 16U team coached by former Gophers player Jonathan Williams.
Kamar Thomas
DeLaSalle / 6-5, wing
The Islanders were back in the state tournament yet again in 2025 and a big reason for that was the play of Thomas. He has length, strength and good size at 6-5. The Islanders used him all over the court, with Thomas scoring just under 15 points a game. He’s turned his play up to an even higher level this spring with Gain Elite, which has been a top 16U team in Minnesota.
Gavin Walter
Champlin Park / 6-4, guard/wing
Picking a position for Walter is difficult. Why? Because he is used at four different spots by both his high school team and his spring/summer team (Hoop Habits, coached by former Minnetonka standout Anthony Tucker). Walter was used as a primary ball handler and playmaker for the Rebels all winter, and this spring Walter has been scoring and creating at a high rate. Walter was recently offered by Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson.
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