""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."
"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."
Three top high-school basketball prospects from California — Christian Collins, Cydnee Bryant and Brandon McCoy Jr. — claim the West Coast currently has the best players while rejecting stereotypes about softness and lack of defense. California dominates national rankings with five of the top eight boys and 12 of the top 100 girls in the class of 2026. The West Coast style blends flashy offense and scoring with demonstrable toughness, athleticism, fast-break play, rebounding tenacity and long wingspans that challenge opponents and reshape perceptions of California basketball.
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