Ahead of the summer travel season, NY2LA Sports updates its class of 2026 rankings for the state of Wisconsin…
1. Vaughn Karvala – SF – Oregon/Team Herro
Karvala took off in the spring and is the clear cut No. 1 prospect in Wisconsin’s 2026 class. Adding offers from Marquette and Wisconsin, Karvala is an elite leaper, shot blocker, and rebounder for his position. He’s also a consistent 3-point shooter with an all-around game and capable of impacting winning across the board.
2. Andrew Jensen – F/C – Kaukauna/All-Wisconsin
The signs are there to move Jensen to No. 2 on this list. He’s always been an exceptional athlete, but now the skills are starting to catch up. By no means has Jensen arrived, but he’s starting to shoot it consistently from 3-point range and playing more physically with his back to the basket. At 6-foot-9, you can’t teach Jensen’s mobility and ability to run the floor. At the very least, he’ll block shots at a high rate, but his hands and post footwork are starting to come along. Marquette, Illinois, and West Virginia have all offered early.
3. Deuce Burkes – PG – Milwaukee Academy of Science/Team Herro
Burkes can flat out go. The 6-foot-2 guard is a terrific scorer with a killer instinct. He can handle it in the halfcourt and get it done from all three levels. When he’s out on an island, Burkes can shake a defender, play with their eyes, and just get where he needs to be. When you put talent around him, Burkes shows a willingness to become more of a facilitator and floor general.
4. Yusef Gray – G/W – West Allis Central/Team Herro
Gray is a unique prospect. He can play three different spots and has an unorthodox approach to the game. The 6-foot-4 junior is a great offensive rebounder and also plays with his back to the basket. He’ll use his blend of length and athleticism to be a defensive stopper as well. Iowa State has made an early offer here and appears to be pushing hard.
5. LaMont Hamilton – PG – Racine St. Catherine’s/Power 5
Man, if this kid were 6-foot plus. we’d be talking about him as the No. 1 player in the state. Have seen Hamilton go head-to-head with the best and he doesn’t shy away from the smoke…in fact, he plays his best against the top players in the Midwest. An outstanding isolation scorer who also flies in transition, Hamilton is a shot making point guard who can take over games. Despite his 5-foot-10 stature, Hamilton is fearless at the rim and will finish while taking a hard shot.
6. Thian Riak – SF – Madison LaFollette/Wisconsin Playground Club
Riak is a strong, athletic wing who shows a lot of big flashes. The 6-foot-5 junior is really tough to keep out of the paint. He’s a slasher first, but when Riak has to put the ball on the deck, he shows some ridiculous handles and ability to play low at times for his size/muscular build. An effortless leaper above the rim too, Riak really carries that weight well.
7. Josh Manchester – G – Mount Horeb/Davis Bros. Elite
Arguably the best shooter on this list, Manchester can make and take tough shots. The 6-foot-4 combo guard makes it look too easy at times. Not the biggest, fastest, or strongest, Manchester’s learned to cope with being hounded defensively, but he has so many tools to get the ball in the hole and isn’t limited to any particular area on the floor. Manchester can extend his range beyond the arc, score falling away from the basket, and adjust his shot mid-air to play among the trees.
8. Chris Pohl – F – Marshfield/Wisconsin Playmakers
The player most likely to rise on this list over the next year? Pohl. A prototypical stretch forward, Pohl can be utilized in a lot of different systems. The 6-foot-7 forward is a terrific pick n’ pop threat with a sweet stroke. He can play inside and out, move all over the floor within the flow of the offense, and defend both the ‘3’ and ‘4’ positions. At the very least, Pohl is going to give his team excellent floor spacing and he’s a very underrated passer as well, particularly when he has to play under duress in the middle of the zone.
9. Michael Wilson – G – Madison West/Denard Bros.
Wilson is a strong, athletic guard who loves to get downhill and constantly put pressure on the defense. The 6-foot-2 junior has explosive handles and gets to the cup without using a ton of dribbles. He’s going to go hard to the rack, take a bump, hang in mid-air, and finish at a high level. When his jumper is falling, Wilson has the potential to really make defenses pick their poison.
10. Ethan Joling – G – Hortonville/All-Wisconsin
Toughest guy to read right now, because Joling is still developing and sort of dabbles in various roles. If he can play it long-term, I love Joling as a point guard. He’d have excellent positional size at 6-foot-4 and sees the floor really well. However, he’s in a small forward’s body and is starting to show some really good flashes as a jump shooter, particularly when he’s playing off the ball and shooting on the move. Defensively, Joling has a chance to be really good. There’s a noticeable want-to on that end of the floor and Joling can defend four positions with his length.
Also in the running: Wes Rahn (Lakeside Lutheran), Amare Hereford (Beloit Memorial), Zavier Zens (Wisconsin Lutheran), Kayden Schultz (Plymouth)