The West has got something to say.
“I definitely feel like we have the best players right now,” Inglewood native Christian Collins, the No. 4 player in the class of 2026, says. “I do feel like [the] East Coast plays with more grit. But don’t get it twisted, because they think we not tough. We tough, fa sho.”
“West Coast players aren’t soft,” Riverside’s four-star forward Cydnee Bryant chimes in.
“We tough. We dawgs,” Christian adds.
“That’s facts,” Brandon McCoy Jr., the No. 7 player in the class, adds.
“That’s why we have the best players right now, Christian says. “Word.”
Pull up ESPN’s 2026 NEXT Rankings and you’ll see why the three players on the latest SLAM HS digital cover are talking their ish. The state of California is producing hardwood dominance like a factory. Five out of the top eight boys in the nation reside in the Golden State. For the ladies, 12 out of the top 100 players in the class of 2026 call California home. Home cooking, for real.
Jared ebanks 