Had a great time talking with Drake Darnell who’s a coach at Viewmont and runs the Pharm Boys AAU circuit on the RecruitLook Circuit. We had a great chat and I hope you can tap in for the full 54 minutes!

Check out the site at rankings.utahbasketball.net

BallerCam still has the promo code for $25 off an accessory using VIPADAM - won’t last long!

Here are some show notes generated by Gemini:

Episode Show Notes: 2028 & 2029 Rankings with Drake Darnell

Host Adam Peek is joined by coach Drake Darnell of Pharm Boys Basketball and Viewmont High School to break down the newly released 2028 and 2029 player rankings. They discuss Drake’s coaching journey, the volatility of ranking young players, and highlight key prospects in both classes.

Guest Introduction: Drake Darnell (01:25 )

* Drake Darnell joins the show.

* He runs Farm Boys Basketball, a club program that recently joined the Recruit Look circuit.

* Drake is also an assistant coach at Viewmont High School.

* He gives a shout-out to Drez Jensen (now at Eastern Wyoming) for helping build the program.

The “Hot Garbage” of Early Rankings (04:15 )

* Adam and Drake discuss the difficulty and “huge range of outcomes” when ranking 14, 15, and 16-year-old players.

* They share anecdotes about absurdly high national rankings for 6th graders, including a story about Carlo Mulford (2026, Herriman/CSI).

* Adam refuses to rank the 2030 (8th grade) class, calling the practice “hot garbage.”

Class of 2028 Rankings Breakdown

Top 10 Discussion (15:45 )

* #10 Jack Layton (Olympus): Drake, who coached Jack, says he has expanded his game and is learning to dominate. He is an offensive “walking mismatch” and a key defensive communicator.

* #8 Owen Barney (Davis): The host praises his “pure shot.” Drake notes that while he hasn’t coached against him, Owen is known as a “workhorse.”

Players 11-20 (19:45 )

* #11 Alen Hadzialijagic (Cyprus): The host highlights his high-IQ, “Jokic-ish” passing, and footwork.

* #15 Knox Westenskow (Brighton): The host notes his connection to Intermountain Christian School (ICS). “Knox” is described as long, athletic, and a good shooter.

* #14 Bryson Landis (Bonneville): Drake praises him as a great player who averaged nearly a double-double as a freshman. He has “incredible touch around the rim” and great defensive timing.

Players 21-30 (22:30 )

* #22 Kobe Ross (American Leadership): Host gives a shout-out for his recent offer from Cal.

* #25 Kalou Ruot (Judge Memorial): The host identifies Kalu as a sleeper prospect who D1 coaches are already asking about. He’s 6’5”, athletic, and still growing.

* #26 Brett Tovey (Viewmont): Drake calls him an “elite competitor” who refuses to make excuses. He shares an anecdote about Brett being furious after giving up points while up by 40.

Players 23-40 (26:10 )

* #23 Kekani Manuia (Orem): A “flamethrower” who impressed at the Great Western Classic.

* #24 Brady Peterson (Bingham): Another player who stood out at the Great Western Classic.

* #27 Cam Tingey (Cyprus): Hit several big shots in the Colorado tournament.

* #30 Hyatt Thomas (Whitehorse): The host highlights him for making All-State as a freshman in 1A, emphasizing the difficulty and grind of 1A basketball.

* #33 Drew Faddis (Westfield): Talented player with good wing attributes.

* #32 Graham Moultrie (Davis): “Can shoot the crap out of the ball.”

* #35 Kaysan Afridi (Herriman): A high-motor player.

* #34 George Smith (Bountiful): Drake notes the strong combination of the Bountiful system and the Smith name.

* #36 Malik Allen (Provo): Brother of Makai Allen.

Class of 2029 Rankings Breakdown (28:50 )

Top 10 Discussion

* #1 Kiir Naang (Anthem Prep): Host and Drake agree he’s a “matchup nightmare.”

* #5 Ben Waner (Anthem Prep): The host has known Ben since 5th grade, noting he played on a middle school team at ICS with Adam Peek (2026) and Isaiah Drisdom (2029).

* #2 Brayden James (Anthem Prep): Incredibly talented for his size.

* #3 Xavier Mulford (Herriman): Drake: “I’ve been getting buckets given to me by Mulfords for as long as I can remember... Xavier might be the best one.”

* #4 Ty Kozlowski (Corner Canyon): Ridiculous size and skill for his age.

* #11 Kip Taylor (Davis): The host knows the family and describes Kip as an intense “hate to lose” competitor.

Players 11-25 (32:45 )

* #15 Lincoln Chandler (Farmington): Drake notes he is finding his own identity apart from his brother (Colin Chandler). He “can shoot the crap out of the ball” and will be dangerous as he grows.

* #17 Liam MacDonald (Farmington): (Spelling corrected live on air). Drake says not to be fooled by his 5’5” frame, as he’s an elite worker who can fill it up.

* #18 Charlie Cummard (Olympus) & #24 Ayden Lobendahn: The host mentions he was told these two players are “unicorns” to watch.

* #23 Lincoln Labrum (Farmington): Drake praises him as a smart, high-upside point forward.

Teams to Watch (37:15 )

* Viewmont (6A): The host has them #8 in his preseason rankings. Drake says the team is a tight-knit group with high expectations. He highlights Carson Tovey (2026) as a “matchup nightmare” and Lukas Toner (2026) as one of the best facilitators in the state, potentially averaging 6-7 assists.

* Riverton (6A): Drake identifies them as a solid, well-coached, physical team. He highlights players like Beckham Rees and sophomore Bennett Atwood.

Plugs & Takeaways (41:45 )

* Drake Darnell:

* Instagram: @PharmBoysBasketball

* Twitter (X): @FarmBoysBasketball

* Personal Instagram: @DrakeDarnell5

* Host’s Advice: Players must be on Twitter (X) to manage their own recruiting. It’s where college coaches are.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.utahbasketball.net