25 players to watch at the 2025 De La Salle Martin Luther King Jr. Classic high school basketball event

Future college and possibly even professional talent will run up-and-down the hardwood throughout Monday's all-day event at De La Salle including the likely state's career scoring leader

De La Salle senior Alec Blair (33) is ranked California's No. 4 2025 recruit, according to 247Sports. / Photo: Dennis Lee

The list of all-time greats to have played in the Martin Luther King Jr. Classic presented by De La Salle include current NBA standouts Aaron Gordon (Archbishop Mitty) and Jalen Green (San Joaquin Memorial).  

The list of current standouts to play in the 27th event in 2025 is deep and skilled. 

The Classic is scheduled for seven games starting at 9 a.m. on Monday at De La Salle. See graphic below.

Schedule for the 27th De La Salle MLK Classic in Concord / Graphic: Jesus Baca

Here’s the best of the best, with the ranking based on what they’ve done thus far in high school, where they project at the next level and simply interest in watching them play. 

• 27TH DLS MLK CLASSIC | Game-by-game preview

This is a completely subjective ranking, and please beg to differ by emailing mitch@scorebooklive.com.  

1. Tounde Yessoufou (St. Joseph)

Tounde Yessoufou has been one of the nation's top recruits since his freshman season at St. Joseph of Santa Maria. / Photo: Dennis Lee

This is somewhat easy only because the 6-foot-6 senior may very well end his career as the state’s all-time career scoring leader. Through the first 11 games of the 2024-25 season, the Baylor-bound five-star standout has 3,114 career points, which is 348 behind state leader DeMarcus Nelson of Vallejo and Sheldon-Sacramento. His career scoring average is 28.8, but if he just continues at his current season average of 27.1, and plays in every game, he’ll break the scoring record on Feb.4 in the team’s 27th of 29 games versus Templeton. Besides scoring, Yeessoufou has averaged 10.6 rebounds per his 108 career games, 2.8 steals and 1.7 blocks. Perhaps most important, as of Jan. 7 he’s led his team to 100 career wins against just 16 losses. 247sports composite ranks him the 13th best senior in the country, No. 3 in California and the No. 2 small forward nationally. 

2. Alec Blair (De La Salle)

De La Salle's Alec Blair during his season season at the Vontoure Classic. Blair is an Oklahoma signee and one of the nation's top 50 players. / Photo: Dennis Lee

Also 6-6, the do-everything senior wing is ranked the 48th top senior recruit in the country by 247Sports, No. 6 in California and the No. 9 small forward in the country. . Remarkably he’s ranked similarly nationally as a baseball player and will play both sports at Oklahoma in 2025-26. On the court, he’s long and quick, can score from all three levels, is a wicked good passer and an elite defender. Like Yessoufou, the fourth-year starter has done nothing but win, leading the Spartans to an 83-22 through his first 105 games. He’s averaging better than 18 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists per game his senior year. 

3. Semetri Carr (Redwood)

Semetri Carr (2), the MCAL Player of the Year in 2024 for Branson, now leads Redwood in Larkspur. He's already signed to Cal. / Photo: Greg Jungferman

The 6-foot senior guard is lightning in a bottle and fearless distributor as the No. 19 California recruit from the Class of 2025. With 16 offers, Carr, a transfer from Branson, signed with Cal during the early signing period. He was the Marin County Athletic League Player of the Year last season, averaging better than 18 points and six assists per game. 

4. Gavin Sykes (Modesto Christian)

Modesto Christian 2025 guard Gavin Sykes (11) during the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 championship win over Lincoln of Stockton at Golden 1 Center. / Photo: Ralph Thompson

The 6-4, 190-pound senior guard can flat out fill it up and why he garnered 11 college offers, but signed with Long Beach State on Nov. 20. Through 12 games, Sykes averaged 22.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, twice breaking the 30-point barrier including a season high 38 in a season-opening 79-75 loss to Moreau Catholic. A scorer at all three levels, he made 99 of 198 attempts (50 percent) and 80 percent from the foul line (53 of 66). 

5. Julius Price (St. Joseph)

St. Joseph-Santa Maria junior guard Julius Price started the 2024-25 season with quite a 3-game stretch in the Philippines with 78 points, 26 rebounds and 24 assists as the Knights scored triple digits in each victory with its top player. He's one of the top 2026 prospects from the Central Section. / Photo: Dennis Lee

The 6-2 junior guard has offers from Minnesota and Washington and is a third-year starter. Through 14 games of the 2024-25 season he averages 20.4 points, 6.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. He’s increased his skill, shooting range and overall game each season, starting at 13.0 ppg as a freshman and last year, he chipped in 19.7 points per game along with 7.0 assists and 4.2 rebounds. 

6. DeVaughn Dorrough (Monterey Trail)

SBLive Sports/High School on SI's Tarek Fattal ranked the 6-6 frontcourt player the second best freshman in the state earlier this month, while averaging 19.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game through his first 13 games. He led his team to an 11-2 start. Dorrough received his first Division 1 offer on Oct. 14 from the University of Washington. 

7. Rob Croy (Riverside Poly)

The 6-4 senior combo guard has offers from Stanford, Washington State, Stetson and High Point. The son of Cal Baptist coach Rick Croy, JRob Croy is long, skilled and a lethal scorer. 

8. Elias Obenyah (Salesian)

The 6-5 junior guard led the Pride in scoring as a sophomore and continues to improve from the perimeter. A great driver to the basket and finisher, a better defender and relentless rebounder. 

9. Myles Jones (Modesto Christian)

Committed to Cal, the 6-3 junior guard is averaging 15.4 points per game, 4.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He’s been a model of consistency, scoring in double figures 11 of 13 games, with a season high 32 in a 65-54 win over Central Section power Buchanan. 

10. Kellen Hampton (Moreau Catholic)

The 6-7 wing returned to Moreau after a one-year stint at Southern California Prep. He played two seasons for Knight at Moreau, as a sophomore he averaged 20.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Hampton has nine college offers, including Mississippi State, Cal, Arizona State and Creighton but signed with the University of Pacific on Nov. 20. 

11. Luke Isaac (San Ramon Valley)

The 6-4 combo guard is a UC Irvine signee after averaging 17 points per game for the 2023-24 Northern California Division 1 champion. At the 2024 Section 7 tournament against the best competition in the Western United States he averaged 24 points and 9.3 rebounds. “Luke is a tough-minded scorer who has a real passion for getting better and lives in the game,” Irvine coach Russell Turner said at the time of Isaac signing. “He brings size and shooting to our backcourt along with a competitive mentality. …” 

12. Alvin Loving (Salesian)

A fourth-year starter who has led the Pride to nearly 100 wins is a 6-4 guard who can handle the ball, post up, shoot the 3 and defender. Also known for his clutch performance, Loving is headed to Yale. 

13. Darius Wabbington (Sunnyslope)

The 6-10 post is one of the top sophomores in Arizona and has offers from Arizona State, Cal, Washington, LSU and Maryland. A good touch from the mid-range, Wabbington also has excellent hands to go along with being a superb rim protector.  

14. Carlton Perrilliat (Salesian)

One of the very best all-around athletes at the Classic, the 6-5 junior is relentless around the basket both as a driver and rebounder. He came off the football field where he caught 17 touchdown passes to hit the ground running and emerge as Pride’s leading scorer.  

15. DJ Stickman (Clovis West)

The  6-3 guard, has signed to Fresno State as an absolutely do-everything player. For the Golden Eagles he averages 13.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 3.5 steals per game. 

16. Chris Holland (Riverside Poly)

The 6-4 senior shooting guard can fill it up but isn’t afraid to mix it up inside either. Quick, wiry and strong, Holland averages in double figures scoring and sometimes pulls down double-digit rebounds. 

17. Jace Kellogg (Clovis West)

A 6-foot junior guard is averaging 18.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He scored in double figures in all but one game of his team’s first 17 games with a high of 45 in a wild 88-85 loss to Inderkum. He made 15 of 25 shots in that game and for the season he shoots 48 percent, including 18 of 58 on 3-pointers and 53 of 68 from the free-throw line. 

18. Elliott Conley (San Ramon Valley)

The 6-4, 195-pound senior guard is smooth, tough and a high flyer. A third-year starter for the Wolves can score at all three levels and is a tough defender.

19. Abdoul Bare (St. Joseph)

A rapidly improving and rising prospect, the 6-8, 200-pound junior is a strong inside presence, especially on the defensive end.

20. David Balogun (De La Salle)

The rugged and relentless 6-6 senior is a huge force inside, great offensive rebounder and strong defender. He averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds in three games at the HoopHall West Classic, leading the Spartans to a second-place finish. 

21. Braddock Kjellesvig (De La Salle)

A do-everything 6-6 forward is a versatile defender with the ability to guard multiple spots. Offensively, besides beautiful interior moves, footwork and scoring tough buckets, he’s developed a midrange and outside game. His best trait might be as a passer. 

22. Rider Portela (Sunnyslope)

The 6-5 junior combo does it all for the Vikings. The third-year starter averaged 11.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.8 steals and even 1.1 blocks per game as a sophomore which were about spot on to his freshmen numbers.  

23. Ibrahim Monaware (De La Salle)

The second-year starting 6-3 point guard for the Spartans is extremely versatile, can light it up from 3-point land or be a strong facilitator. He had a team-high 17 points in Friday's upset loss at Dougherty Valley.

24. Josh Green (Bishop O'Dowd)

A tremendous outside shooter and 3-point threat is also a superb passer as shown in a nine-assist performance last week in a loss to Alameda. The 6-foot senior guard has been a strong contributor for three seasons.

25. Dominic Walker (Moreau Catholic)

The 6-4 senior is the second leading scorer at 11.0 per game for the Mariners (13-2) showing a strong ability to go inside or outside. He's made 32 3-pointers through his first 14 games and shooting 38 percent from distance.