College basketball’s 20 best men’s players right now

| Getty Images One of the bigger storylines entering the upcoming season of men’s college basketball is that the 2027 NBA Draft class is quite a bit weaker than the 2026 and 2025 classes that preceded it. Don’t confuse that for believing this will be a “down” year for the talent throughout college basketball. Even if this year’s incoming freshman class lacks surefire superstar freshmen like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Cameron Boozer, and A.J. Dybantsa, there’s a ton of veteran talent throughout the sport thanks to the increased spending of NIL dollars flooding through the country. At this point, the big spenders in college basketball are paying at least $20 million per season for their rosters. The money has kept some top players in the sport who would have otherwise entered the NBA already. I counted as many as 13 possible first-round picks who chose to come back to college this year rather than pursuing their professional dreams, mostly because the money was better. College basketball is finally back. Let’s rank the 20 best players in the country entering the 2026-27 season. This list doesn’t include Duke super freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje or UCLA’s Nikola Kusturica only because they are still 17 years old and not even draft eligible until next year. Those guys are so good that they might prove me wrong for leaving them off by the end of the season. For now, here are the best players in men’s college hoops. 20. Braden Huff, F/C, Gonzaga: Huff has remarkable touch inside the arc for a big man. He shot 77% at the rim and 62% on non-rim two-pointers last year before a dislocated kneecap ended his season in early January. If he’s fully healthy this year, he should be one of the best frontcourt scorers in the sport. 19. Malachi Moreno, C, Kentucky: Moreno is another sophomore leap candidate this season despite his struggles finishing over length at the rim. The 6’11 big man can crush the offensive glass, make plays as a passer all over the floor, and protect the rim defensively. His combination of great feel and mobility should make him one of the better bigs in the country. 18. Silas Demary, G, UConn: Demary’s tenacious on-ball defense and dependable outside shooting off the catch helped serve as the foundation of the Huskies’ Final Four run last year. He has great hands, a sturdy frame, and consistently makes extra efforts to get back into plays. It will be interesting to see if he can improve his scoring inside of the arc this season. 17. Elliot Cadeau, G, Michigan: The Final Four MOP was always a shifty ball-handler with amazing live-dribble passing ability, but his improvement as an outside shooter helped take him to the next level. It’s going to be odd seeing him in Ann Arbor this year without Yaxel, Mara, Morez, and Dusty May, but Cadeau is good enough to keep Michigan humming. 16. Juke Harris, F, Tennessee: Harris is oozing with talent as a 6’7 wing who can rip shots from deep and play with physicality going to the basket. His off-ball scoring, connective passing, and defensive upside makes him one of the most complete wings in the country. 15. Najai Hines, F, UConn Hines entered Seton Hall outside of the top-100 incoming recruits according to the RSCI. A year later, he was one of the most coveted players on the transfer market and should be set up for a breakout sophomore year as he takes over for Tarris Reed in the middle of UConn’s whirling attack. Hines’ numbers don’t look like anything special at first glance (6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds per game), but there’s a reason the best coaching staff in America targeted him aggressively. He put up stunning shot-blocking numbers on a per-minute basis, and should be one of the best defensive anchors in the sport. Hines has plenty of physical advantages with a huge frame and long arms, which he uses to play with power on both ends of the floor. He’s masterful on the offensive glass to generate extra possessions, and he’s a one-man wrecking crew in the paint defensively with his ability to protect the rim (16.3% block rate) and gobble up defensive boards. He should bring plenty of interior gravity to the UConn offense from day one while single-handedly lifting up its defense. 14. Aden Holloway, G, Alabama Holloway’s weed arrest just before the 2026 NCAA tournament doomed Alabama’s chances of making a Cinderella run through the bracket (the Tide still reached the Sweet 16). Now he’s been officially reinstated after a two-game suspension to start the season. Holloway should be one of the best offensive players in the sport with a rare combination of quickness off the bounce, deep shooting range on self-created three-pointers, and the ability to push the pace without recklessly turning the ball over. He ripped 43.8% of his threes last year on high-volume 11.5 attempts per 100 possessions from deep, which fueled his super efficient 64.3% true shooting, a spectacular number for a small guard. Holloway’s defense is a limiting factor, but he’s the top returning player in the country in adjusted-plus-net-rating and the fourth-best returner in offensive BPM. That’s good enough for me. 13. Nigel James, G, Marquette James barely snuck into the end of the RSCI coming out of high school as the No. 96 overall recruit in his class, but he was immediately an instant impact freshman for a bad Marquette team. With an improved roster around him this year, James is set for an obvious sophomore leap that should launch him into the stratosphere as one of the best players in America. Size has always been the knock for the 6-foot point guard, but he makes up for it with rare power going in and out of dribble moves to attack the basket. His combination of shiftiness and explosiveness in tight spaces makes him one of the most gifted shot creators in the sport, and he knows how to deliver passes on time and on target with a 37% assist rate as a freshman. James’ three-ball still has plenty of room for improvement, but his shot is far from broken. With some modest improvements to his shot and ability to draw fouls, there won’t be many better players in college basketball. 12. Thomas Haugh, F, Florida Haugh was projected as a likely lottery pick when his junior season ended at Florida, but he decided to come back to school for a potentially record-breaking $8 million NIL bag. He’ll be one of the biggest names and best players in the sport for the upcoming season, but his best role might be something of an overqualified role player. Haugh is a big, physical wing at 6’9, 210 pounds, but he’s not exactly an elite creator, a great shooter (32.6% from three 8.7 attempts per 100 possessions), or a truly dominant defender. Instead, Haugh is well-rounded in every aspect of the game, and should serve as the glue guy on arguably the country’s most talented roster. I always thought Haugh was a bit overrated as an NBA prospect by the mainstream consensus, so returning to school could actually help him if he can raise his offensive skill level or take a leap defensively. 11. Alex Condon, C, Florida Condon’s combination of size, mobility, and developing touch is the key to Florida’s supersized front court. Condon’s open floor speed and fluidity produces some highlight finishes, and also helps him recover to ball handlers in the half court. Offensively, he’s shown nice touch away from the paint and the early signs of developing three-point stroke. He’s also a skilled passer who allows Florida to run half court actions through him in the high post. It’s hard to find bigs who can move like this with some level of ball skills, and it makes Condon one of the country’s most complete centers. 10. Pryce Sandfort, F, Nebraska Sandfort left Iowa for rival Nebraska and immediately helped lead the Cornhuskers to its first NCAA tournament win in program history before coming harrowingly close to an Elite Eight run. The 6’7 wing is a perfect fit for Fred Hoiberg’s spread-n-shred offense, draining 41.6% of his threes on ridiculous volume by taking 15.9 three-pointers per 100 possessions. Sandfort isn’t just a spot-up shooter, he also made 61.5% of his two-pointers and 85.5% of his free throws. While he doesn’t rebound or defend particularly well, his ability to limit turnovers also gives him some extra hidden value on offense. Sandfort is a top-five returning player in the country in RAPM net-rating and he’s the second-best returner in BPM. Keeping him on campus for this year gives Nebraska the chance to compete in the Big Ten and make another deep tournament run. 9. Ivan Kharchenkov, F, Arizona Kharchenkov is a tank for a wing, and he puts his physicality to great use on the defensive end. He was immediately one of the better perimeter defenders in the sport as a freshman at Arizona last year, hounding ball handlers far away from the basket, disrupting drives with his hard digs into the paint, and blowing up plays before they ever started with his activity. The jump shot remains the big question in his offensive skill set, but he still has ways to impact the game while it develops. Kharchenkov is a physical driver who can body opponents on his way to the rim. He makes quick decisions as a passer to keep the ball moving. I also like the way he can attack closeouts even without the most respect as a shooter yet, showing the ability to put the ball on the floor and play off of two feet near the basket. Arizona doesn’t have a ton of depth this season, but Kharchenkov is a big part of why their top level talent is as good as anyone’s. 8. David Mirkovic, F, Illinois Mirkovic is the brightest member of Illinois’ Balkan invasion, turning into an instant impact freshman on a Final Four team last season one year after playing pro ball in the Adriatic League. The 6’9, 255-pound forward looks like a typical bruiser at first blush as a physical rebounder on both ends of the floor, but he also has a lot more skill than initially meets the eye. Mirkovic can run pick-and-roll as a ball handler, stroke pull-up threes, and make crafty dump off passes to Illinois’ fellow giants inside. He’s dealing with a foot injury entering the season, but he should be ready for a big “sophomore” leap (he turns 21 in January) if he can get healthy. With Mirkovic at the top of his game, the Illini have a reasonable claim for No. 1 in the preseason polls. 7. Rueben Chinyelu, C, Florida Chinyelu has never been a big scorer, but he has a case as the best defender and best rebounder in college basketball, which helps him serve as the foundation of Florida’s preseason powerhouse. A hulking 6’11, 245-pound big man, Chinyelu put up a monstrous 30.7% defensive rebound rate as a junior, tops among all high-major players. He offers solid rim protection (4.2% block rate) with quick enough feet on the perimeter to contain the ball when switching onto guards. Mostly, Chinyelu is excellent because he’s impossibly long and strong with an absurd 7’8 wingspan, plus he always seems to know where to be. Other bigs have more name recognition, but few impact winning on Chinyelu’s level. 6. Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt It felt like no player in college basketball took a bigger year-over-year leap in production last season than Tanner, who exploded into one of the best guards in the country as a sophomore at Vanderbilt. There’s natural skepticism that Tanner is an elite talent at under 5’11 barefoot with a sub 170-pound frame, but his game is far more physical than it has any right to be at his size. His 18 dunks were twice as many as Darryn Peterson had last season, and his 2.4 steals per game were top-10 in the country. Tanner gets to the rim at will with blazing open floor speed and advanced handle, and he finishes with touch or power way better than he has any right to give his lack of size. He’s still not a great three-point shooter, and showing improvement there could convince the NBA to give him a real chance this time. 5. Tyran Stokes, F, Kansas Stokes could be the super freshman this class is missing, but questions about his motor and emotional regulation will linger until he answers them definitively. Stokes looked like he was close to Flagg and Dybantsa’s level a few years ago, but it feels like he lost some momentum at the end of his high school career after transfers and disciplinary issues. Think of him as a point-forward with a huge 245-pound frame who can bully his way to the rim and whip passes to teammates on the way there. The outside jumper will be question to start the season, but his ceiling might lie in his ability to turn up the defensive intensity. At his best, Stokes is a two-way wrecking ball — and he’s going to be an instant star for a Kansas team that again feels a little less talented than it should be. 4. Flory Bidunga, C, Louisville Bidunga is the bounciest rim protector in college basketball, and it earned him a pretty penny to transfer from Kansas to Louisville over the offseason. The rising junior doesn’t have ideal size for a five man at 6’9, but he makes up for it with a nearly 7’4 wingspan, elite leaping ability, and fantastic timing on his shot blocking attempts. Bidunga has a nearly 10% block rate through his first two college seasons, making him one of the best rim protectors in the sport. His offensive game is similarly streamlined, with lobs, put-backs, and agile finishes around the rim as the main part of his package. He dunked 82 times in 35 games last year, and he could be even tougher in the ACC if Louisville’s guards can find him for alley-oops. In another era, Bidunga would already be in the NBA, but the Cards will be thrilled to have him in college for another year thanks to that sweet, sweet NIL money. 3. Patrick Ngongba II, C, Duke Ngongba has a convincing case as the most well-rounded big man in college basketball. The rising junior is an impact player at both ends of the floor by protecting the paint, cleaning the glass, slinging dimes as a passer, and improving as an outside shooter. At 6’11, 250 pounds with a 7’4 wingspan, Ngongba has impressive mobility for a big man and can execute a variety of different coverages. He’s a good leaper for his size to stay vertical on contests, and just as importantly, get off the ground quickly for rebounds at both ends. He also has very good hands, which help him disrupt ball handlers before they can ever get the play started. I’m even more intrigued by Ngongba’s offense. He’s an excellent high post facilitator who will throw some incredible dimes, he shows soft touch on interior finishes and putbacks, and I believe he’s going to continue to make progress on his three-ball. Just about the only issue with Ngongba is his durability and history of foot injuries, but that might be why he’s back at Duke for a third season. The Blue Devils are the team to beat this year. 2. Jeremy Fears Jr., G, Michigan State Fears watched his younger brother go one-and-done to the NBA as a top-10 pick, then put together one of the greatest playmaking seasons in recent college basketball history. His 53% assist rate was 10 percentage points higher than the next best high-major player, and his +3.9 assist-to-turnover ratio is a killer number for such a high usage guard. While he’s not the biggest or most explosive guard, Fears is in complete control of the game every time he’s on the court. He’s picked up his own scoring by mastering the dark arts of foul baiting, and his mid-range pull-up is a real weapon defenses have to prepare for. Fears looked bouncier in the preseason so far, which might be exactly what he needs to keep growing as a bucket-getter. Teams always want a great point guard in March, and there’s no one better than Fears. 1. Motiejus Krivas, C, Arizona Krivas is a mountain of a man at 7’2, 260 pounds, with a 7’4 wingspan, and it helps make him the best defensive anchor in college basketball. Krivas’ rim protection is a one-way ticket to an elite defense, putting a lid on the rim in drop coverage with enough mobility to recover when smaller players get a step on him. His 7.5% block rate last season isn’t the most eye-popping number, but his pristine verticality helps deter so many shots from going up in the first place that it doesn’t fully capture his defensive impact. Krivas is also one of the best rebounders in the sport, crushing the offensive glass and holding down the defensive glass enough to allow for smaller players with more skill to play next to him. His offense is a bit of an unfinished product right now, but there’s still a lot to like. He’s a solid post scorer at the college level, and he’s made 77% of his free throws for his career, which hints at possible future shooting development. To me, Krivas is an instant floor raiser who lowers the opponent’s scoring efficiency while being a huge boost in the possession game and allowing for maximum lineup versatility around him. If I had to build a college basketball team around any player in the country this year, I’d take Krivas.

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