Every season, a handful of players leap from promising contributors to household names. An expanded role, offseason development, and new opportunities have these 10 players ready to take the next step in 2026-27. Here are the college basketball players you need to keep an eye on heading into the new season this fall.
Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
After a promising freshman season, Amare Bynum has the chance to become one of the Big Ten's top frontcourt players this year. He has the chance to strengthen his NBA Draft stock. At times, Bynum struggled defending quicker players in space and was targeted in certain matchups. Improving his lateral quickness and defensive positioning will be critical if he wants to become a complete two-way player.
The Big Ten is a physical league, and Bynum needs to come ready this year as a strong player. He possesses great size that will allow him to take this help that'll benefit the team on both ends of the floor. With an expanded role and additional minutes, he should have more opportunities to impact the game on the glass. Improving his three-point shooting could significantly elevate his NBA outlook.
Modern big men who can stretch the floor create more spacing offensively, making them much more valuable at the next level. A lot of NBA scouts look for bigs who can stretch and space the floor. Bynum shot just 30% from three this past year. Bynum's first NCAA tournament game reminded fans why they should remember his name. He dropped 12 points while shooting 5-8 from the field with 9 rebounds. He was a crucial piece in that game who helped the Buckeyes stay in the game.
With the departure of Bruce Thornton , Bynum will likely be asked to expand his scoring role. If he can become a more consistent perimeter shooter while continuing to develop defensively. He has the tools to emerge as one of the Big Ten's breakout players and boost his NBA Draft stock.
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Although Kentucky missed on several top transfer portal targets, they still landed one of the portal's most impactful additions. They added sophomore guard Alex Wilkins from Furman, who has the potential to become one of the SEC's best guards. Wilkins earned himself the M.V.P. in the Southern Conference Tournament. This led to his team getting a bid into the Tournament this past year.
The sophomore is a combo guard who excels at changing speeds to get downhill and create scoring opportunities. His tight handle and ability to change speeds consistently allow him to create separation off the dribble. Wilkins will be a true threat in the pick-and-roll. We've seen him time and time again make the correct reads. He will be able to thrive in this position as he will be able to generate a ton of assists from Milan Momcilovic , who shot close to 50% from three.
The biggest area for Wilkins to improve is his shot-making ability. Shooting 32% from three doesn't yet project him as an NBA-level shooter. He'll have every opportunity to improve in a lead role this season.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
After a few down years, Virginia turned things around last season by reaching the ACC Tournament championship game. They also earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. With their young core returning this year, they will be a dangerous team. The key to Virginia taking another step this season starts with sophomore point guard Chance Mallory. The sophomore has an excellent feel for the game and has the potential to be an elite floor general.
Last season, Mallory was thrown into the fire under first-year head coach Ryan Odom. Mallory responded with remarkable poise, often looking like an upperclassman despite being a freshman. He uses his tight handle and change of pace to consistently get to his spots, whether creating his own shot or setting up teammates.
Mallory is capable of shooting it from deep; he shot it at 34.5% last season. If this number rises to the high 30s and low 40s, defenders will have an extremely tough time containing him. With another offseason of development, Mallory will have an increased role this season. Mallory will have more opportunities to control the tempo and put his playmaking ability on full display. With Thijs De Ridder returning this season, the two have the potential to be on the best duos in the country.
Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; A detailed view of the UConn Huskies logo in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
The numbers do not jump out when looking at Naji Hines stats from the previous year. However, the potential is there for him to take a leap in his sophomore year under Dan Hurley. The last time Hurley landed a transfer like this was Tarris Reed Jr., who became one of the best bigs last season.
This is a testament to what Dan Hurley can do when developing players. Reed and Hines' stats are fairly similar. After leaving Michigan after his Sophomore season, Reed averaged 9,7.2, and 0.6 per game. Similarly, Hines averaged 6.5,5.5, and 0.6 per game last season. While Hines' averages are lower than Reed's, he still has all the potential in the world to be one of the Big East's most dominant players.
Hines is a physically imposing and intriguing prospect to watch. He stands at six feet 10 inches, weighing in at 265 lbs. He has the potential to be a good rebounder and rim protector if he uses his size correctly this year. Hines is an extremely versatile defender who adds value to this year's UCONN squad. The big man has the ability to drop, switch, hedge, and switch on screens. The quickness he possesses for a guy his size can allow him to recover quickly off screens to be a rim protector.
Hines' IQ is high as he has good positioning, and he has a solid understanding of rotations. His size will allow him to cut off easy finishing angles when at the rim. On offense, Hines relies on his strength and aggressive mentality to get deep positioning in the post. This helps to create mismatches and an advantage. While he does have the ability to shoot over both shoulders, he only shot 52% from inside.
The bread and butter of his game is his offensive rebounding skills. He possesses great instincts in this area of the game. Hines is known for getting good positioning and boxing out his defender to create second-chance opportunities for his team
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Since joining Rick Pitino's St.John's program last season, Ian Jackson took a step in the right direction to become a better player. In Pitino's system, Jackson was able to adjust when either starting or coming off the bench. Pitino is known for getting the most out of his players to help them to reach to their full potential. Last season, Pitino transformed the games of Dillon Mitchell and Zuby Ejiofor , who was the Big East player of the year.
In two out of the three seasons he has been coaching in the Big East, he has produced two Big East Players of the Year. With just one season playing under Pitino, Jackson was able to increase his assists average from 0.9 to 1.3. With tremendous coaching resources on his side, Jackson must utilize every ounce of it to become one of Coach Pitino's next great players.
Ian Jackson possesses all the traits necessary to position himself as one of the best players not only in the Big East. One of the biggest strengths in his game is his speed. This is crucial when creating fast-break opportunities. With his speed, Jackson will be able to push the pace and create easy offense for his teammates around him. His speed mixed with his outstanding vertical will make him an athletic specimen teams could fear.
Jackson does an excellent job of driving the ball downhill. This is where his change of speeds allows him to score off easy baskets. This will be key for them this season will be looking for a consistent scoring option with the loss of Donnie Freeman. He is able to create his own shots off the bounce, which is key in his progression to the NBA.
Even though his shooting numbers took a slight dip last season, dropping from 39.5 to 34.3%, Jackson is still believed to be a capable outside shooter. The Sophomore needs to be smarter about his shot selection, and he needs to be a better off-ball defender. Being a stronger defensive side, Jackson needs to improve his lower-body strength to prevent stronger guards from attacking him.
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Coming into last season, Kentucky had all the tools to be one of the more feared teams in college basketball. One of the key pieces coming into that team last year was a five-star McDonald's All-American in Jasper Johnson . Johnson, a Lexington native, brought a lot to offer as a six-foot-five combo guard. Mark Pope and Kentucky were in need of strong guard play after losing Jaxon Robinson and Lamont Butler the year before.
Johnson saw himself fall out of the rotation during his time in Kentucky, which ultimately made him lose some of his confidence. There is promise that Jasper Johnson can return to his old form, with him set to play for Oregon this season.
Even though Jasper Johnson only averaged 4.9 points per game last season, there is still a lot to like about the sophomore's game. One of his best traits is his ability to be a three-level scorer. Johnson has no fear of shooting the ball from anywhere on the floor. This limitless range he possesses will be key for him at Oregon as a shot creator. Johnson is also fairly confident in his mid-range ability by using his soft touch for floaters around the basket.
Unfortunately, the numbers do not jump out after he shot 34.1% from three last year. With a new start this year under Dana Altman, people are expecting Johnson to shoot the ball at a higher clip this year. The Sophomore guard excels at being a shifty ball handler who is able to get to his spots to create shots for himself. The main thing is that he is able to generate his own shots without needing set plays to be run for him.
Johnson's ability to change different speeds will be key for him this year as he looks to restore the confidence he lost after last season. In order to improve this season, Johnson will need to be able to show that he got stronger after lacking physical strength. At times, he can be left-hand dominant, which makes it easy for defenders to guard him as they can force him right. The potential is there for Johnson to succeed. In SEC play, he scored 12 points while shooting 5-for-6 from the field against a very good Tennessee team last season.
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With Buzz Williams coming to the University of Maryland last season, the expectations were high after the Terps reached the Sweet 16 the year before. The season did not go as planned, and Maryland had one of their worst seasons in program history, going 12-21 and 4-16 in conference play. These stats are not the standard that Maryland holds for its program.
After redshirting during his freshman year at Texas A&M, Andre Mills, a former top 100 prospect, decided to follow his coach Buzz Williams to the Big Ten. This was a huge get for Maryland this past season, as he was one of their only positive pieces of the team last season. Mills has all the tools to become an All-Big Ten player this year.
Entering this season, there are plenty of flashes for Mills to build off of coming into this season. Mills was able to be Big Ten Freshman of the Week last season during February. During the month of February, Mills averaged 30, 4, and 3 in games against Northwestern and Washington. His best game last season came against Northwestern, where he dropped 39 points in this stretch. Mills is known to be an extremely athletic guard who brings the energy every time he steps onto the court.
Mills possesses great strength that will make him a problem for other defenses this year. The Redshirt-Sophomore guard does an excellent job of using his frame and athletic ability to drive the ball downhill in order to bully his defender to create easy scoring chances for himself. Mills is extremely effective when using his dominant hand, his left, to drive downhill and beat defenders off the bounce.
Mills is known to be extremely relentless in getting himself paint touches, which leads to easy offense for both himself and his teammates. This forces the defense to collapse and have more rotations. Mills is also known for having a great motor on defense. He is able to use his high vertical leap and length to block shots. He is known to be one of the better shot-blocking guards in the Big Ten.
The guard is an active rebounder who crashes the glass consistently on both ends of the floor. For Mills to become a bigger threat, he will need to become a better shooter from outside the arc. Last season, he shot 34.6% from deep. If he is unable to develop an outside shot this year, defenses will be able to guard him better. Even though Mills does a great job of using his speed to get downhill, his high-paced playstyle results in him forcing difficult shots over defenders inside. This also comes with the concern that his lack of awareness can lead to him picking up unnecessary fouls. In the end, there is a lot to like about his game, and people should be on the edge of their seats waiting for his breakout year.
Feb 4, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats forward Tre Singleton (8) drives past Illinois Fighting Illini forward David Mirkovic (0) during the second half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Coming into this season, Iowa State lost many of their key contributors like Joshua Jefferson and Tamin Lipsey . This year, there are a lot of shoes that need to be filled in order for Iowa State to retain their dominance in Big 12 play. During this specific time in college basketball, coaches must utilize the portal, which is exactly what head coach T.J. Otzelberger did. Otzelberger was able to get one of the most slept-on portal additions in former Northwestern forward Tre Singleton. The sophomore's play style is a great match for the Cyclones this season.
Singleton put together a solid freshman campaign where he averaged 7.6, 4.8, and 1.5 per game last season. The Sophomore guard excels at scoring inside. Singleton scored 47.7% from inside scoring opportunities last season. For a six-foot-eight forward, Singleton possesses great ability to see the floor to get his teammates involved. Singleton is known for utilizing his size to be a tough, strong defensive rebounder. This will be key for the Cyclones as they will look to grow his rebounding skills to make him a threat on the offensive glass. Last season, the Cyclones finished 15th in the country for offensive rebounding with a rate of 37.8%. Year in and year out, Iowa State is known for being relentless on the glass as they are always looking to push the pace and create second-chance attempts on offense.
Singleton uses his size to get good positioning when rebounding. Already being a good rebounder will allow for Tre Singleton to fit into the play style that T.J. Otzelberger likes to have. Singleton also utilizes his strength and high IQ to create a wall against his offensive matchup to create tough chances inside the paint. He does this by also limiting second-chance opportunities from happening on defense. In the 2025-26 season, Iowa State ranked 4th in the nation in defensive efficiency while holding their opponents to 65.5 points per game.
The physical tools that Singleton has will allow him to fit right into this defensive system to make an immediate impact for the Cyclones. The biggest are for improvement needs to be his outside shot. Singleton shot the ball at just 16.7% from three last season. Even though the number is low, Singleton was not a high-volume shooter from beyond the arc last season. The Cyclones may not need him to be a stellar shooter, but developing an outside shot will be helpful for him if he wants to become more of a complete player or progress to the NBA. Singleton's combination of size, physicality, rebounding, and defensive versatility should allow him to make an immediate impact and become an important piece of Iowa State's success this season.
Feb 7, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Bryson Tiller (15) reacts after scoring during the first half against the Arizona Wildcats at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
After a solid freshman campaign where Bryson Tiller averaged 7.9,6.1, and 1 per game on a solid Kansas team, Bryson Tiller felt it would be best to transfer to Missouri. The potential is there for Tiller to blossom, considering he was a five-star prospect coming out of high school. Part of the reason Tiller was unable to play to his full capabilities last season was that Kansas threw him in the corner. Tiller thrives off of his inside game rather than being a wing threat. Defenders did not see him as a threat, as he only made 27.5% of catch-and-shoot threes last season. With the more difficult times behind him, Tiller is set to have a bounce-back season this year.
When watching Tiller play, he possesses great size that allows him to be a strong, physical forward. His frame allows him to stand his ground and not get pushed around inside. Tiller does a great job of running the floor in transition that allows for easy scoring chances for his team to convert on. This season, Dennis Gates should look to use Tiller as a lob threat given his great vertical and athletic ability. When watching Tiller play, he possesses great size that allows him to be a strong, physical forward. His frame allows him to stand his ground and not get pushed around inside. Tiller does a great job of running the floor in transition, creating easy scoring chances for his team. This season, Dennis Gates should look to use Tiller as a lob threat given his great vertical and athletic ability.
Tiller also has the ability to face up defenders and attack openings off the dribble. Around the basket, he uses his strength and footwork to create good positioning and finish through contact. He is also a strong rebounder, willing screener, and capable passer when the defense collapses on him. Defensively, Tiller moves his feet well for his size and has the length and athleticism to recover when beaten. However, his jump shot and touch around the basket still need to become more consistent. He can also be overly aggressive defensively, leading to late rotations and closeouts. If Tiller can become more disciplined defensively and develop a reliable jumper, he has the tools to become a very impactful player for Missouri.
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With last year's Big East player of the year, Zuby Ejiofor, leaving for the NBA this season, the pressure will turn to Junior big man Ruben Prey. In a somewhat crowded frontcourt, Prey was challenged with playing more minutes. With the starting center position open, Prey will need to make the most of the offseason in order to gain more trust from Rick Pitino. His combination of size, mobility, and skill allows him to take a significant step forward this season. If Prey can become more consistent on both ends of the floor, he could emerge as an important piece of St. John's frontcourt and earn a much larger role.
There is a lot to be excited about when watching Prey play. He displays great measurements, standing at six feet eleven with a seven-foot-two wingspan. The wingspan will come in key as Prey will be disruptive in passing lanes. As the season progressed last year, we saw Prey turn into a reliable catch-and-shoot three-point shooter. In their Sweet 16 game against Duke, Prey shot 4-for-4 from three, and he ended the game with 12 points. In only 13 minutes in this game, Prey showed he can impact the game when his number gets called. The big man also possesses a great IQ and feel for the game. This allows him to be a key playmaker in the offense, as he will be able to connect the offense.
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