Reclassification, also known as “reclassing,” refers to the practice of changing a student-athlete’s expected high school graduation year, either by repeating a grade or graduating early. The practice has existed in some form for decades, but it has drawn increased national attention as NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) money reaches the high school and even middle school level.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported on the growing practice of parents holding back academically strong eighth-grade boys to gain a physical advantage in high school sports, with the prospect of future NIL earnings as a motivating factor. The report noted that this approach carries potential social, academic, and mental health risks for the students involved.
Here is what reclassifying actually involves, how it has played out at the highest levels of basketball, and what the practice means for the broader youth sports landscape.
Key Takeaways
- Reclassification means changing a student-athlete’s expected high school graduation year, either by repeating a grade (reclassing down) or graduating early (reclassing up). Reclassing down is far more common, per NCSA.
- Cooper Flagg reclassified from the Class of 2025 to 2024 in August 2023, played one season at Duke, and was selected first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft at age 18, signing a four-year, $62.7 million rookie contract (per Amsterdam News and Sports Illustrated).
- AJ Dybantsa reclassified from the Class of 2026 to 2025 in October 2023, committed to BYU with a reported NIL deal of $5 to $7 million (per CBS Sports and Adam Zagoria), and is averaging 24.4 points per game as a freshman in 2025-26 (per College Sports Network).
- More than 40 states and Washington, D.C. now allow high school athletes to earn NIL income (per CNS Maryland), and average family spending on each child’s primary sport has increased 46% since 2019 (per Aspen Institute).
- NCAA eligibility does not reset with reclassification. The clock starts when a student enters ninth grade full-time, per NCSA.
- Only about 1% of male high school basketball players reach Division I, and 0.03% make the NBA (per Amsterdam News). Approximately 2% of high school athletes earn a college athletic scholarship in any given year (per CBS News/TD Ameritrade).
- Most public school districts do not allow grade repetition for athletic purposes. Families pursuing reclassification often turn to private schools or sports academies, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars per year (per A1A Prep Academy). Brookings has reported the practice is more common among higher-income and white or Asian households.
How Reclassifying Works: Definitions and Key Differences
Reclassifying means changing a student-athlete’s expected high school graduation year. It takes two forms:
- Reclassing Up (Accelerating Graduation): An athlete moves their graduation year earlier, finishing high school sooner than originally scheduled. For example, a student in the Class of 2026 reclassifies to the Class of 2025 and graduates a year ahead of schedule. The word “up” refers to moving up the timeline, not the class number. This path is less common but has produced some of the most high-profile examples in recent years, particularly in basketball.
- Reclassing Down (Delaying Graduation): An athlete repeats a grade, most often 8th grade, to enter high school a year older and more physically developed. For example, a student in the Class of 2027 repeats a year and becomes part of the Class of 2028. According to NCSA (National Collegiate Scouting Association), this is the more common form of reclassification, and it is most prevalent in football, basketball, and hockey, where size and physical maturity directly affect recruiting outcomes. The word “down” refers to pushing the timeline back, not the class number.
- Why the terminology is confusing. Cooper Flagg and AJ Dybantsa are a useful example. Flagg was born December 21, 2006. Dybantsa was born January 29, 2007. They are only five weeks apart in age, as ESPN noted in July 2023. However, because of school birthday cutoff dates, Flagg was placed in the Class of 2025 and Dybantsa in the Class of 2026, putting them a full grade apart despite being nearly the same age. Both reclassified “up,” meaning both graduated a year earlier than their assigned class. Flagg moved from 2025 to 2024. Dybantsa moved from 2026 to 2025. Even after reclassifying, they remain one draft class apart because their original class assignments were one year apart to begin with.
Reclassification is not the same as a college redshirt. As NCSA notes, reclassing happens before college enrollment, while a college redshirt involves sitting out a season after enrolling at a university.
How NCAA Eligibility Rules Apply to Reclassified Athletes
Reclassification does not reset NCAA eligibility timelines. According to NCSA, for NCAA Division I and II, a student-athlete’s eligibility clock starts when they enter ninth grade full-time. From that point, they have eight semesters to complete 16 core courses and meet GPA and test score minimums. Delaying graduation does not extend this window.
Additional rules vary by state and governing body:
Many state high school athletic associations limit athletes to four consecutive years of varsity eligibility and enforce age cutoffs. For example, a student cannot turn 19 before a certain date in their senior year, though specific rules differ by state.
Most public school districts do not allow students to repeat a grade for athletic purposes, according to multiple recruiting and sports academy sources. Families pursuing reclassification for athletic reasons often transfer to private schools or sports academies, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars per year, as noted by A1A Prep Academy, a homeschool-based program that facilitates reclassification.
The NAIA and NJCAA offer more flexibility, but families should verify eligibility requirements with the specific school and program, per NCSA.
Cooper Flagg: From the Class of 2025 to No. 1 NBA Draft Pick
Cooper Flagg, born December 21, 2006, was originally in the high school Class of 2025. In August 2023, after his sophomore year at Montverde Academy in Florida, he reclassified to the Class of 2024, according to ESPN.
The move followed a standout summer on the Nike EYBL circuit. At the 2023 Peach Jam, Flagg averaged 25.4 points, 13 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 6.9 blocks per game, per ESPN and 247Sports reporting. He was immediately ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class.
His mother Kelly’s advice was central to the decision. As Flagg told reporters before the 2025 NBA Draft, per Sports Illustrated: “If you’re the best player in the gym, then you need to find a new gym.”
Flagg committed to Duke in October 2023 and enrolled in June 2024. As a freshman in 2024-25, he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, earned consensus National Player of the Year honors, and led Duke to the Final Four, according to ESPN and NBA.com.
He was selected first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft and signed a four-year, $62.7 million rookie contract, per the Amsterdam News. Flagg was 18 at the time of the draft, making him the youngest No. 1 overall pick since LeBron James in 2003, according to Sports Illustrated.
Because the NBA requires players to be at least 19 and one year removed from their high school class to be draft-eligible, reclassifying up by one year allowed Flagg to enter the draft in 2025 rather than 2026. According to the Amsterdam News, the central motivation for prospects like Flagg is reaching their second NBA contract sooner, when earnings jump from less than $65 million over four years on a rookie deal to extensions that can approach $300 million.
AJ Dybantsa: Reclassifying Into a Record-Setting NIL Deal at BYU
AJ Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 forward from Brockton, Massachusetts, was originally in the Class of 2026. In October 2023, he reclassified to the Class of 2025, according to Fox Sports and 247Sports.
The move came after Dybantsa led the 2023 Nike Peach Jam in scoring with 25.8 points per game at age 16, per Fox Sports. He played his senior year at Utah Prep before committing to BYU in December 2024.
CBS Sports reported that BYU, North Carolina, and Alabama all met a reported asking price of approximately $5 million in NIL money. College basketball insider Adam Zagoria reported the final BYU NIL figure was closer to $7 million. CBS Sports described it as the largest NIL deal for any college basketball player at the time.
Dybantsa also holds endorsement deals with Nike, Red Bull, and Fanatics Collectibles. Sportico reported the Fanatics deal as a multi-year agreement worth eight figures. On3 valued his overall NIL at approximately $4.4 million as of November 2025, ranking him as the highest-valued basketball player in college sports.
In his freshman season at BYU (2025-26), Dybantsa is averaging 24.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, per College Sports Network. He is widely projected as a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Dybantsa told 247Sports that the decision to reclassify was about impacting his recruitment: “Just so that my recruitment can be impacted a little bit more.”
Other Recent Reclassification Examples in Football and Basketball
The reclassification trend extends beyond Flagg and Dybantsa.
In football, Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams reclassified from the Class of 2025 to 2024. The Amsterdam News reported that Williams was the first 10th-grader to be named Alabama Mr. Football in 2022, won the honor again in 2023 as a junior (the state’s only two-time recipient), and made his college debut at the University of Alabama at age 17.
In August 2025, the No. 1 recruit in the 2027 basketball class reclassified to the 2026 class, per ClutchPoints, following the same path Flagg and Dybantsa had taken.
Why More Families Are Holding Athletes Back a Grade
While reclassing up draws national attention, the more widespread practice is reclassing down, which involves holding children back a grade so they enter high school older and more physically mature.
The Wall Street Journal’s recent report focused on this version: parents of academically capable students choosing to hold them back, sometimes as early as elementary school, with athletics as the primary motivation.
Several factors are contributing to this trend:
- NIL reaching younger athletes. More than 40 states and Washington, D.C. now allow high school athletes to earn NIL income, according to CNS Maryland. The Aspen Institute’s Project Play report found that average family spending on each child’s primary sport has increased 46% since 2019, and that roughly two in 10 youth sports parents believe their child has the ability to play Division I college sports. The New York Times profiled an eighth-grade football player in Washington, D.C. who signed sponsorship deals with a local fashion brand, according to the same Project Play report.
- Competitive pressure on families who don’t hold back. Sports Destination Management reported that coaches at the travel and club level have noted an increase in physically larger athletes on youth rosters. Parents who choose not to hold their children back may find their kids competing against opponents who are a full year or more older.
- Cost and access barriers. Because most public school districts do not allow grade repetition for athletic purposes, families often turn to private schools or sports academies. Brookings has reported that children from more affluent, more educated, and white or Asian households are more likely to be redshirted. The practice is also more common in private schools and travel sports programs than in public schools, per Brookings.
How Likely Is a College Scholarship or Pro Career After Reclassifying?
The Amsterdam News compiled data showing the statistical odds facing high school athletes, regardless of whether they reclassify:
- Approximately 1% of male high school basketball players go on to play Division I college basketball
- Approximately 3% of high school football players reach Division I
- 0.03% of high school basketball players make the NBA
- 0.023% of high school football players reach the NFL
CBS News, citing a TD Ameritrade survey, reported that only about 2% of high school athletes earn college athletic scholarships annually, and the average scholarship amount is approximately $11,000. The same survey found that from 2016 to 2019, the percentage of sports parents whose children secured an athletic scholarship declined from 24% to 11%.
Eligibility Verification and the Role of League Administrators
For youth sports leagues and tournament operators, reclassification creates practical challenges around competitive balance and age verification.
National Sports ID (NSID), a verification platform for youth athletes, reports that reclassed athletes can create roster discrepancies when documented graduation years don’t match competitive age divisions. Without standardized verification, NSID notes that athletes may appear to qualify for younger divisions when they do not, leading to competitive imbalance and disputes among parents and coaches.
NSID and similar platforms require documentation to confirm a student’s true grade level and graduation year, regardless of whether they have reclassified.
What Parents, Administrators, and Industry Leaders Should Consider
Reclassification is neither new nor inherently harmful, but the practice carries trade-offs that vary based on the individual student-athlete’s circumstances.
For families considering reclassification, NCSA recommends starting conversations with coaches, family members, and school administrators early, ideally before ninth grade, since that is when the NCAA eligibility clock begins. The decision should account for academic standing, social development, and athletic trajectory, not just competitive advantage.
For the youth sports industry, reclassification is one of several intersecting trends, including high school NIL, rising family spending, and early sport specialization, that are changing how families approach youth athletics.
Youth Sports Business Report provides this analysis as an objective overview of reclassification in youth athletics. YSBR does not advocate for or against the practice.
YSBR provides this content on an “as is” basis without any warranties, express or implied. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability, or use of the information, including any images, videos, or licenses associated with this article. For any concerns, including copyright issues or complaints, please contact YSBR directly.
Sources: Wall Street Journal, ESPN, CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, NBA.com, Fox Sports, Sportico, CBS News, Yahoo Sports, ClutchPoints, Amsterdam News, NCSA, National Sports ID, A1A Prep Academy, Aspen Institute/Project Play, Brookings, CNS Maryland, Sports Destination Management, 247Sports, On3, College Sports Network, Wikipedia
Image: Evan Bernstein/Getty Images, Instagram @aj.dybantsa and @byumbb, Mavs Shop
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