Future Starts Now

Some of the brightest basketball prospects set to take the stage at SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 8

The Summer Slam Classic Vol. 8 will bring some of the brightest basketball prospects to New York’s Rucker Park.

Ali Jawad, for NBA.com

August 17, 2026 1:20 PM

The SLAM Summer Classic has featured some of the nation’s best high school talent over the years.

The future of basketball will be on full display once again in the Big Apple as the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 8 takes the court on Monday, Aug. 17.

The SLAM Summer Classic brings some of the nation’s top boys and girls high school basketball prospects to compete at New York City’s iconic Rucker Park, celebrating the city’s rich basketball culture through showcase games.

The girls game tips off at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the boys game at 7:45 p.m. ET and will be streamed on NBA.com, NBA TV and the NBA Mobile App.

SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 8 loading… meet the hoopers 🏀

Watch live on @NBATV beginning tomorrow at 6pm/et! pic.twitter.com/oHxevv3AEu

— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) August 16, 2026

Top prospects on the men’s side include ESPN’s No. 1 ranked player of 2027, Beckham Black, who recently starred in the 2026 Nike EYBL Peach Jam in July, New York’s No. 1-ranked player Moussa Kamissoko, five-star recruits Paul Osaruyi and King Gibson and Duke commit Kager Knueppel, the brother of one of the top rookies from the 2025-2026 NBA season, Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets.

Notable players on the women’s side include Tatianna Griffin, the top-ranked high school junior, and the No. 1 ranked girls player in ESPN’s 2028 class, Ryan Carter, who returns to the event for a second time, University of Texas commit Jayla Forbes, and Crystal Thomas, who will compete alongside these top players at 15 years old.

Over the years, the event has featured several notable participants who are now young rising stars at both the collegiate and pro levels.

Past participants from recent classics now making an impact on NBA rosters include Cooper Flagg, Jared McCain, Matas Buzelis, VJ Edgecombe, Dylan Harper and, most recently, the No. 1 pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa.

From hitting the 2023 SLAM Summer Classic game-winner, to being the named @Kia NBA Rookie of the Year…@Cooper_Flagg's journey to the NBA (a thread): pic.twitter.com/IRUI14ZXbg

— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) April 28, 2026

Additionally, some of the top current women’s college basketball players have participated in the showcase, including USC standout JuJu Watkins and Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo, both of whom were part of the event in 2022.

Here is a look at the 2026 rosters for Summer Classic Vol. 8.

Boys Roster | ESPN Rankings