As the Big 12 Player of the Year, Toppin averaged 18.2 points and 9.4 rebounds in his sophomore season. At 6’9″, 225 pounds, he’s a freakish athlete who can jump out of the gym, constantly overwhelming the opposition with how easily he moves with the ball.
Smith had long been considered one of the top passers in college basketball, but he took a significant step forward in 2024 by creating his shot and being the best player on the team. While being second in the nation with 8.7 assists, he also scored 15.8 points and grabbed 4.5 rebounds, solidifying himself as a true all-around point guard.
Lendeborg is in a similar position to Haggerty. He’s focusing on the NBA Draft process right now after announcing his commitment to Michigan through the portal. If he does come back, it would immediately make the Wolverines one of the favorites to compete for a national title.
One of the top sophomores in the country a season ago, Haggerty averaged 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists and led the Memphis Tigers to a No. 5 seed in the tournament. He showed himself to be a true three-level scorer and is extremely fast at 6’3″, 191 pounds.
Dybantsa is another five-star freshman. Although he is not the top-ranked prospect, he easily enters the best situation for success of the three who find themselves in the top 10. At 6’9″, Dybantsa is extremely athletic and lengthy, making him a versatile two-way wing.
Ejiofor grew into one of the top players in college basketball last season, being named First-Team All-Big East and the Big East Most Improved Player after averaging 14.7 points and 8.1 rebounds while shooting 57.7% from the field.
After garnering second-team All-SEC honors during his junior season in which he scored 16.2 points and grabbed 4.7 rebounds, Oweh is setting up for an even bigger senior campaign. He came into last season as the Wildcats’ go-to scorer down the stretch of games, supplying multiple game-winning plays when it mattered the most.
Stirtz’s story has been well covered. The former D-II Northwest Missouri State guard excelled in his first season at the D-I level with the Bulldogs. He was named the Missouri Valley Player of the Year after averaging 19.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists while shooting 39.5% from three-point range as the team’s lead guard.
Ranked right above or below Boozer — depending on which recruiting service you look at — Peterson is an easy mover at the combo guard position and looked to be a man amongst boys at the high school level despite being just 6’5″ and 195 pounds. His talent, matched with maturity, will lead to a very successful season in 2026.
One of the top recruits in the 2025 class, Boozer enters with sky-high expectations. Standing 6’9″, 235 pounds, he already has the frame to dominate the college game much like he did at the high school and AAU level, where his eye-popping resume speaks for itself.
