Rankings Review: The 2026 Power Forwards

Next up in our Positional Breakdown series are the power forwards. Another deep group in New England, we've ranked 68 prospects at this position in this update, including three in our Top 10 and seven that make the Top 25 overall.   At the top is New England's only McDonald's All-American, the Newman School's [player_tooltip player_id='1532640' first='Quinn' last='Costello']. The 6'10" forwards rise last summer was meteoric and he capped off his high school career with a NEPSAC Class AAA title and a National Prep Championship!   Below are five power forwards that stood out in our latest rankings update:    Richmond, a forward out of the Newman School in Massachusetts, checks in at #10 among the power forwards and #40 overall. Richmond played his role admirably for Newman this winter, proving to be a high level glue guy and two-way rebounder that was capable of scoring 15+ points per game when needed. At 6'8", he has good size for the position and plays with a strong base both as a low post scorer and paint defender. He rebounds it at a high level, showing a good understanding of angles and how to hold his box outs. Offensively, he cleans up as a finisher around the rim, while also showing the ability to stretch the floor as a shooter in catch and shoot situations. Richmond will continue his academic and athletic careers at Columbia.     Baptiste, a forward out of Tabor Academy in Massachusetts, checks in at #20 among the power forwards and #66 overall. Baptiste is a powerful, 6'7" athlete that has really developed his ability to play off the bounce from the perimeter. He does a nice job of playing off his pivot foot in the post, knows how to carve out space with his back to the basket, and can elevate for powerful finishes around the rim in space. On top of that, he even shows the ability to space the floor as a shot maker. Defensively, when his motor is going, he's a high level rebounder that defends in the post without fouling and has enough foot speed to stay in front of guards on the perimeter. Baptiste has yet to announce his future plans.     Francis, a forward out of Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, checks in at #36 among the power forwards and #125 overall. A good athlete with a plus wingpsan, Francis is a talented 6'8" forward that displays some versatility on the offensive end of the floor. He does a nice job of getting out and scoring in transition, where his athleticism is an asset around the rim. He's an instinctive cutter, has the ability to finish over either shoulder, and makes shots in catch and shoot situations. Defensively, he has the ability to high point defensive rebounds, both in traffic and in space, makes plays in passing lanes, and also shows the ability to alter shots when coming from the help side. Francis has yet to announce his future plans.     Gray, a forward out of Burlington High School in Massachusetts, checks in at #58 among the power forwards and #232 overall. An athletic 6'6" forward, Gray is a two-way playmaker that has good burst and fluid movement patterns. He has a plus wingspan and covers ground quickly, both of which help him defensively as a shot blocker and playmaker in passing lanes. Offensively, he has the ability to create off the bounce, finishes with creativity around the rim, and does a nice job of making shots from behind the arc, both in catch and shoot situations and also off the bounce. His best basketball is clearly still in front of him. Gray has yet to announce his future plans.     Cloninger, a forward out of Bridgton Academy in Maine, checks in at #64 among the power forwards and #267 overall. Cloninger made the most of his post-graduate year, showing the ability to score it at multiple levels, while also making plays on the defensive end of the floor. At 6'7", he has good positional size, moves well in space, and even shows some versatility on the defensive end of the floor. He can get out and score around the rim in transition, puts the ball on the floor as a straight line driver, and makes shots in catch and shoot situations from behind the arc. Beyond that, he has good instincts as a passer and shows plus vision when operating from the high post. Cloninger has yet to announce his future plans.    Keep an eye out this week as we'll continue our rankings coverage with a look at the centers, prospects on the Watch List, and some unsigned gems.

Next up in our Positional Breakdown series are the power forwards. Another deep group in New England, we've ranked 68 prospects at this position in this update, including three in our Top 10 and seven that make the Top 25 overall.