Ranking the Top 100 players in college basketball ahead of 2025-26 season

With the college basketball season approaching, there will be plenty debate over the top teams in the country early in the schedule, continuing through to March. Along the way, a group of established stars and blossoming players will make a name for themself.

Ranking the top players in college basketball entering the 2025-26 season must take past performances, recruiting pedigree and season outlook into account. With several big names back for another year, there is no shortage of options for the top spots.

As the days count down to the first slate of games, it is time to learn some of the names which could define the sport. Here is a look at the Top 100 players entering the 2025-26 season, with plenty opportunity to shift their stock over the course of a 30-plus game season.

Ranking 100-71

100. Cayden Boozer, Duke
99. Jacob Cofie, USC
98. Nick Boyd, Wisconsin
97. Rodney Rice, USC
96. Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor
95. Tyon Grant-Foster, Gonzaga
94. Jeremy Fears, Michigan State
93. Coen Carr, Michigan State
92. Braylon Mullins, UConn
91. Brayden Burries, Arizona

Cracking the Top 100 is an incredibly thought task with the number of talented players in college basketball this season. This group just makes the cut with a number of factors on their side, from the ability to play a key role on a top team, to real breakout potential from young stars.

90. Jason Edwards, Providence
89. Nick Davidson, Clemson
88. Eric Dailey, UCLA
87. Morez Johnson, Michigan
86. Malik Reneau, Miami
85. Markus Burton, Notre Dame
84. Alvaro Folgueiras, Iowa
83. Mo Dioubate, Kentucky
82. Seth Trimble, North Carolina
81. Keyshawn Hall, Auburn

A great list of established contributors fall within this range, looking to turn big-time numbers into winning basketball for their team over the coming season. Whether in a new location or returning with a new cast around them, finding their place in the pecking order could determine their ability to rise.

80. Dedan Thomas, LSU
79. Desmond Claude, Washington
78. Silas Demary, UConn
77. Paulius Murauskas, St. Mary’s
76. Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State
75. Dame Sarr, Duke
74. Dailyn Swain, Texas
73. Ryan Conwell, Louisville
72. Latrell Wrightsell, Alabama
71. Jackson Shelstad, Oregon

With no shortage of winning contribution over past seasons in this group, taking the numbers to another level could help several players raise their stock when compared to their peers. Others hope to double down in locations.

Ranking 70-41

70. Michael Rataj, Baylor
69. Malik Thomas, Virginia
68. Koa Peat, Arizona
67. Owen Freeman, Creighton
66. Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
65. Tomislav Ivisic, Illinois
64. Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois
63. Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
62. Ian Jackson, St. John’s
61. Henri Veesaar, North Carolina

A great range for high-level bigs across the country, they can certainly hold an over-sized impact on results within the college game. Others falling in this range show big potential to be go-to options on the perimeter, with potential to expand their game in a new role.

60. Baye Ndongo, Georgia Tech
59. Anthony Robinson, Missouri
58. Flory Bidunga, Kansas
57. Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA
56. Adrian Wooley, Louisville
55. Lamar Wilkerson, Indiana
54. Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
53. Wesley Yates, Washington
52. Jaland Lowe, Kentucky
51. Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State

A great landing spot for some of the top specialists in college basketball, whether changing the game on offense or defense, there is no question about impact. For multiple plays in this range, rounding out other areas could lead to a massive leap up the board.

50. Obi Agbim, Baylor
49. Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
48. Patrick Ngongba, Duke
47. Bryce Hopkins, St. John’s
46. Isaiah Evans, Duke
45. Tarris Reed, UConn
44. Isaac McKneely, Louisville
43. Josh Dix, Creighton
42. Xaivian Lee, Florida
41. Boogie Fland, Florida

As the margins continue to get smaller, the Top 50 players all combine the potential to become a top option for their teams with the established pedigree to believe in success. The only question for some of these stars is the ability to get and stay healthy.

Ranking 40-11

40. Chris Cenac, Houston
39. Miles Byrd, SDSU
38. Solomon Ball, UConn
37. Mackenzie Mgbako, Texas A&M
36. Magoon Gwath, SDSU
35. Rob Wright, BYU
34. Oscar Cluff, Purdue
33. Mason Falslev, Utah State
32. Mark Mitchell, Missouri
31. Tucker DeVries, Indiana

The health of college basketball is on full display here, as the list of potential All-Americans starts to include players this far down the board still. There is no shortage of talent, as these players all possess the kind of skillset needed to make preseason conference teams.

30. Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
29. Moustapha Thiam, Cincinnati
28. Richie Saunders, BYU
27. Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee
26. Milos Uzan, Houston
25. Labaron Philon, Alabama
24. Thomas Haugh, Florida
23. JoJo Tugler, Houston
22. PJ Haggerty, Kansas State
21. Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s

Headlined by a group of players who have already contributed to winning at the highest level in college basketball, this group combines pedigree with track record. Consider each of these players in the mix for postseason awards.

20. Alex Condon, Florida
19. Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
18. Nate Ament, Tennessee
17. Karter Knox, Arkansas
16. Otega Oweh, Kentucky
15. Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn
14. Alex Karaban, UConn
13. Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State
12. Graham Ike, Gonzaga
11. Mikel Brown, Louisville

As the countdown to the top continues, these players might fall just short of the Top 10, but remain solid choices for any list of the top talent in college basketball. As polls are taken, this range is where votes for No. 1 begin to pop up.

Ranking 10-1

10. Darrion Williams, NC State

Coming off a big season at Texas Tech, Darrion Williams now moves to NC State under new head coach Will Wade. With a team built to surround this centerpiece, look for him to take yet another jump toward the style NBA teams want as he graduates from No. 2 option to No. 1 for a full season.

9. Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue

Trey Kaufman-Renn made a massive leap forward last season, answering big questions on the future of Purdue’s frontcourt definitively. With another year of development under his belt and the best point guard in college basketball feeding him touches, there could be another leap in success.

8. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

After dominating on both ends of the floor last season for UAB in the American, Yaxel Lendeborg makes the leap to the Power Four level with a game that promises to translate quickly. Beyond that, he now plays for a head coach who has gotten the absolute most out of his center than anyone.

7. Donovan Dent, UCLA

Donovan Dent transfers to UCLA with big expectations after leading New Mexico to success last season. In the mix for All-American honors, he will now see a bigger stage with more opportunities to face top-tier opponents all season long.

6. Cameron Boozer, Duke

Coming in as the No. 3 ranked freshman in the Rivals Consensus Rankings, Cameron Boozer has a playstyle which promises to translate immediately to the college game. Placed immediately into a winning situation, he could put up huge numbers at Duke.

5. Darryn Peterson, Kansas

Already drawing massive comparisons as he looks to challenge for the No. 1 spot in the 2026 NBA Draft, Darryn Peterson enters the season as the No. 2 recruit in the Rivals Consensus Rankings for 2025. Given the chance to star with a cast of role players around him, it could be a massive season at Kansas.

4. AJ Dybantsa, BYU

Long considered one of the must-see prospects in a loaded recruiting class, AJ Dybantsa enters the season as the No. 1 ranked recruit in the Rivals Consensus Rankings. In the mix to be the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, he will have the full season to showcase his talent in college basketball.

3. Bennett Stirtz, Iowa

Once a Division II player, Bennett Stirtz continues his rise going from Drake to Iowa with head coach Ben McCollum. He has shown over and over that his game translates to any level of the sport, knocking off higher ranked opponents multiple times on his way to drawing NBA interest.

2. JT Toppin, Texas Tech

After quickly locking in his status as Texas Tech’s star player, the team was able to build around JT Toppin’s skillset all offseason to further maximize his All-American level talent. With another year of development under his belt, he can continue dominating competition for another season.

1. Braden Smith, Purdue

Braden Smith has worked his way up the pecking order at Purdue over the past few seasons on his way to becoming an All-American talent, turning himself into one of the most well-rounded players in the sport as well. He commands one of college basketball’s most organized teams and has the talent around him to maximize his game on both ends of the floor this season.