Babatunde Oladotun, the No. 1 high school basketball player in the ESPN class of 2027, is reclassifying to the class of 2026 and will graduate in the spring from Blake High School in Maryland.
Still just 16 years old, Oladotun follows in the footsteps of top prospects such as A.J. Dybantsa and Cooper Flagg, who reclassified after strong showings in summer play. Oladotun won’t be 17 until December, much like Flagg’s timeline when he reclassified to the class of 2024.
Expect Oladotun to rank within the top 10 prospects of the class in ESPN’s next ranking update.
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“First and foremost, I am ahead of schedule academically and will graduate next year,” Oladuton told ESPN. “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.”
The 6-foot-9 forward with a 6-foot-11 wingspan and 9-foot standing reach added 20 pounds over the past year and recently starred for Team Durant’s 17U squad.
Oladotun becomes an immediate candidate for next year’s McDonald’s All American boys’ game and has a chance to become a top-10 lottery draft pick in 2027. The 2026 NBA draft class is not as strong as either of the previous two classes, which will only help his profile, if he can sustain collegiate production to go along with an NBA frame and emerging perimeter game.
Oladotun is a legitimate three-level scorer. When he gets inside the arc, he demonstrates the ability to rise and shoot over defenders with balance and touch, and he converts at an impressive 52% clip, according to Synergy Sports. He’s unique because he has true versatility and NBA size. Oladotun’s passing and playmaking took a step forward this summer when he dished out the ball for 29 assists despite playing up. He’s both productive and full of potential.
Going even deeper, Oladotun has sound shooting mechanics with impressive range, and he is a balanced shooter both off the catch and dribble. His length allows him to drive or cut and finish inside with body control, touch and plenty of dunks. His production is improving as he gets more comfortable playing on both ends of the floor, but it’s his long-term future that captivates coaches, evaluators and NBA scouts.
His dad, Ibrahim Oladotun, finished his career at Virginia Tech in the early 1990s. Babatunde’s recruitment is expected to intensify with schools such as Arkansas, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and Gonzaga already heavily involved.
Among those schools, he plans to visit Maryland and Virginia Tech first. 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.”
