NY Rens big man Najai Hines weighing college decision after breakout Peach Jam
By ADAM ZAGORIA
After a breakout performance at Peach Jam, NY Rens big man Najai Hines is weighing his college decision.
The 6-foot-11 Hines from Plainfield (NJ) High School is ranked the No. 4 center in the Class of 2026, but could reclassify back to 2025 and head to college this fall.
“He’s weighing his options,” Oz Cross, the NY Rens Director, told ZAGSBLOG Monday by phone after his team reached the Peach Jam finals and fell to Brad Beal Elite, 77-55.
“A few schools are looking at him for now and a few are looking at him for 2026,” Cross said. “He says he’s going to wait until after Peach Jam [to decide].”
Seton Hall head coach Shaheen Holloway was at Peach Jam and The Hall has been heavily linked to Hines — with one industry source saying it is “done” to Seton Hall.
“Seton Hall is definitely in the mix but it’s not 100 percent,” Cross said.
Hines also holds offers from Kansas, Indiana, NC State and Rutgers, Cross confirmed.
Hines went for 28 points, 11 boards and 5 blocks in a win over the Florida Rebels at Peach Jam.
Zach Smart of ZAGSBLOG watched Hines play that game and came away impressed.
6'10" and 250 pound big man Najai Hines just went off in the NY Rens 87-74 win over the FL Rebels.
— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) July 16, 2025
28 PTS
11 REB
5 BLK@NajaiHines @NikeEYB @NYRhoops pic.twitter.com/xEBKwO8qH8
“(Hines) is as talented a big as there is in the country, his performance was indicative of that,” Smart said. “His ability to be a defensive stonewall, score in the post with his back to the rim, score at point blank and with his off hand definitely caught a lot of people’s attention. He’s a powerful big but also mobile and agile at 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds. Good hands. Difficult to guard between the basket. Peach Jam definitely bolstered his stock, significantly.”
Said Cross: “He was playing JV a couple years ago in North Carolina. For him to come from playing JV to being probably the best big prospect in the country in a short period of time, the sky’s the limit.
“He’s very coachable, he’s ambidextrous and he doesn’t have any bad habits.”
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