College basketball has steadily become more global over the last decade, but the 2025-26 season will witness an explosion of international imports. Players who have excelled overseas are taking advantage of the opportunity to make money in the States, and the schools that are recruiting them are taking advantage of the ability to buy out their pro contracts.
The heavy dose of international flavor makes it harder than ever for fans to keep track of which new players will have an impact next season. Once again, Hoops HQ is here to clear things up. Today, we are presenting a list of the top 10 international newcomers in the Big 12 for the 2025-26 season, and over the next several weeks, we will be breaking out rankings for all the power conferences as well as the mid-majors. We have already unveiled the ACC, Big East and Big Ten lists.
1. Tounde Yessoufou, 6-foot-5 freshman small forward, Baylor (Benin)
A top-15 recruit in the 2025 recruiting class, Yessoufou is on track to become the first Beninese-born NBA player when the 2026 NBA Draft rolls around. Yessoufou first moved to the United States his freshman year of high school, settling with a foster family in Santa Maria, Calif., where he would play out his prep career. In his first game at St. Joseph’s High School, Yessoufou scored 20 points and prematurely ended the game with a third-quarter backboard-shattering dunk. He would round out his freshman year averaging 26.4 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.9 blocks and 2.3 steals per game.
From there, Yessoufou only improved, leading St. Joseph’s to back-to-back California state championship games in his sophomore and junior seasons while averaging 31 points, and then being named a McDonald’s All-American in 2024-25.
Yessoufou is a dominant physical specimen with a muscular, explosive build and sky-scraping vertical leap. He also possesses the guard skills coaches desire, with a highly-developed jump shot, good range and a serviceable bag of dribble moves. Yessoufou should make an immediate impact at Baylor and possibly serve as the primary scoring option at some point in his freshman season.
2. Ivan Kharchenkov, 6-foot-7 freshman guard/forward, Arizona (Germany/Russia)
Possibly the top 2006-born German forward, Kharchenkov has excelled — and won — at every level. At the 2024 U18 EuroBasket, Kharchenkov averaged 17.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2 steals en route to Germany’s first-ever gold medal in the event’s history. In 2024-25 Kharchenkov was the youngest Bundesliga basketball champion with Bayern Munich, participating in 39 games and averaging 12.5 minutes per contest (he debuted for the club’s senior squad at 16 years old back in 2022-23).
His father, Alexander Kharchenkov, was a Soviet Basketball star, playing 22 seasons with clubs across the U.S.S.R., such as CSKA Moscow. Alexander was a part of the 1974 FIBA World Cup gold-medal Soviet team and his experience led him to be a trainer at Bayern Munich, where young Ivan began training with the team at 12 years old.
Ivan chose Arizona due to Tommy Lloyd’s history of developing top European talents such as Pelle Larsson and Ąžoulas Tubelis for the next level.
3. Samis Calderon, 6-foot-8 freshman forward/guard, Kansas (Brazil)
The only Latin American-born freshman entering the Big 12 this season, Calderon hails from Espirito Santo, Brazil, and is a product of the NBA’s Global Basketball Academy in Mexico City. Calderon was the 84th-ranked player in the 2025 recruiting class by 247 Sports and is seen as a high-upside prospect. The forward has a 7-foot-3 wingspan, massive 10-inch hands and is incredibly speedy — skills that got him invited to the NBA’s 2023 BWB Global camp, where he took home Defensive MVP.
Calderon has spent his last two seasons playing for Overtime Elite, where he tested as the fastest player on his entire team. In 2024-25, Calderon averaged 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game, elevating to 14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 blocks in the OTE Playoffs.
His effortless bounce, top-notch speed and spatial awareness give Calderon the ability to guard positions one through four, providing unique versatility. His biggest area of growth is in his ball-handling and shooting. Should those be unlocked, Calderon has the potential to be a first-round pick.
4. Dwayne “Tita” Aristode, 6-foot-8 freshman forward, Arizona (Netherlands)
A 5-star recruit in 247 Sports’ composite system, the Dutch forward received offers from 12 high-major schools such as Duke, Kansas, USC, Alabama and Michigan State before settling on the Arizona Wildcats. Aristode is one of the most developed defenders in the 2025 recruiting class and he averaged 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game as a junior at Brewster Academy in 2023-24.
He officially broke out in the AAU circuit during the summer of 2024 with Expressions Elite. During that same summer, Aristode made headlines after debuting for the Dutch National Team in an international friendly versus Serbia where he led the Netherlands with 13 points.
This fall, Aristode will be playing for the first time in nearly a year after a lower leg injury cost him his senior season at Brewster. He believes the injury only made him stronger, however.
“When you’re injured like that for a long time, all the hard work you put in, you start thinking about that,” Aristode told 247 Sports. “So that also motivated me even more. It pissed me off in a good way.”
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5. Paul Mbiya, 7-foot freshman center, Kansas (DR Congo)
Standing 7-feet with a 7-foot-8 wingspan, Mbiya dominated French competition the past two years, averaging 15.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3 blocks per game with ASVEL’s U21 squad. He debuted with the senior team in 2024 and helped lead the squad to the LNB Elite semifinals. In 2022, Mbiya was selected as an All-Star of the NBA’s African Basketball Without Borders youth camp and spent time training at the NBA’s Africa Global Academy before turning pro.
The 4-star center’s extreme physical gifts and 260-pound frame allow him to control the paint, according to some of the nation’s top coaches.
“Mbiya has the potential to be one of the best rim protectors and rebounders in college basketball, but also has a great offensive skill set,” NC State coach Will Wade said. “The sky is the limit for what he can become.”
Kansas head coach Bill Self was also impressed.
“(Mbiya) is an immediate impact guy, and he gives us much-needed size to go along with Flory (Bidunga) and Bryson (Tiller),” Self said.
6. Andrej Kostic, 6-foot-5 freshman small forward, Kansas State (Serbia)
One of the most intriguing European imports this year, Andrej Kostic excels at two things: taking shots and making shots. The Serbian wing is rated as a 4-star recruit by 247 Sports and arrives as the highest-ranked prospect in Kansas State’s freshman class. Last season, “AK47” excelled for Dynamic VP of the Serbian league, averaging 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists across 29 domestic matches while shooting 37.7 percent from deep.
This summer, Kostic stood out during the FIBA U19 World Cup, posting 24, 2, and 22 points in Serbia’s classification matches while shooting 17 for 33 from three-point range throughout. Kostic is a lethal shooter with range for days. You will routinely see No. 47 pulling up from NBA range to drill catch-and-shoot opportunities. He’s a near-automatic bucket when left unguarded and causes headaches for any defense playing perimeter zone coverage. Kostic’s dribbling skills and ability to make his own shots are somewhat rudimentary, but his shooting prowess can compete with anybody in college basketball today.
7. Ben Ahmed, 6-foot-10 freshman center, Oklahoma State (Nigeria)
The 77th-ranked recruit in the class of 2025 by On3, Ahmed is battle-tested and ready to make an impact for Oklahoma State in his freshman year. Ahmed comes from Kogi State, Nigeria, and possesses an elite physical skillset with a southpaw stroke.
Ahmed spent his high-school years playing for the nationally ranked Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut. There, he set the school’s career scoring and rebounding records with more than 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds across three seasons, two of which saw Putnam Science Academy take home the National Prep Championship. Ahmed was named MVP of the 2025 title-winning squad, posting a 20-point double-double in the championship game.
Although Ahmd received many high Division-I offers, he selected Oklahoma State after seeing coach Steve Lutz steer fellow Putnam big man Abou Ousmane to success in his system. Lutz believes Ahmed could follow a similar path.
“(Ahmed is) a hard worker and a relentless rebounder who understands what it takes to prepare, compete and win at the highest levels,” Lutz said.
8. Maikcol Perez, 6-foot-8 freshman forward, Baylor (Italy)
Perez has proven to be a key piece of Italy’s “golden generation” of rising basketball talent. In last year’s FIBA U17 World Cup, Perez averaged 14.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists, ranking inside the top 15 in all three categories throughout Italy’s silver medal run. His most impressive performance came in the gold medal match, where Perez scored 18 points, pulled down 8 rebounds and dished out 8 assists against Team USA on the biggest stage.
Perez was rated as a 4-star talent by 247 Sports due to his impressive coordination and court vision. His biggest space for growth right now is his shooting range; during the aforementioned U17 World Cup, Perez did not make a single three-pointer, going 0 of 5 from deep. This limits his potential as a stretch-forward inside the Baylor system, though Scott Drew is still excited to have Perez.
“He is a great fit for us moving forward,” Drew told the press, “so we are looking forward to adding him to the mix this season.”
9. Dame Salane, 7-foot-1 freshman center, Arizona State (Italy/Senegal)
The newest signing in coach Bobby Hurley’s recruiting class, which included zero returning players, Salane has the skills to contribute immediately for the Sun Devils. Considered a “unicorn” by some scouts, the 7-foot-1 big man possesses a 7-foot-7 wingspan, fluid movement and a developed three-point shot.
Salane, 20, has plentiful experience in both the American prep system and the European professional ranks. He spent his 2022-23 season at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia and spent last season playing professionally for Lugano of the Swiss top division.
Salane put up impressive numbers in 17 games in Switzerland’s top league last season, averaging 7.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 56.3 percent from the field and 78.8 percent from the charity stripe. Salane’s size allows him to elevate and protect the paint, while his ball handling is developed enough to allow him to be trusted to drive into the paint on his own, and his 3-point shot must be respected at all times. Salane possesses a pretty fadeaway shot and doesn’t mind creating his own opportunities on offense. He only weighs 205 pounds at the moment, which could be his biggest limitation when defending bulkier Big 12 bigs.
10. Killyan Toure, 6-foot-3 freshman guard, Iowa State (France/Côte d’Ivoire)
Rated a 4-star prospect by 247 Sports, Toure is a perfect fit for T.J. Otzelberger’s high-intensity scheme. Toure has seen his stock rise significantly this past year after immigrating to the United States to assume point guard duties for Brewster Academy, where he averaged 9.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game on the Nike EYBL circuit. At the 2023 BWB Europe camp, he took home Defensive MVP, a rare feat for a guard.
On offense, Toure possesses great speed and a quick first step that allows him to blow by defenders for inside layups. His explosive athleticism allows him to play far taller than his listed height and makes him a lethal asset in transition. On film, his defensive tenacity stands out. Toure can often be seen pestering opponents in the backcourt, poking and jostling to force steals, something that will fit perfectly into the suffocating Iowa State scheme which led all teams in defensive efficiency in 2023-24.
“His work habits and maturity will help him make an immediate impact on our program,” Otzelberger said.
Bonus Profile:
Aleksej Kostic, 6-foot-4 freshman guard, BYU (Austria)
Not to be confused with the aforementioned Serbian forward Andrej Kostic, Aleksej Kostic hails from the mountains of Austria. Kostic does, however, share the same ability to shoot the lights out. Playing with Traiskirchen of Austria’s top professional league in 2024-25, the 19-year-old averaged 13 points per game with efficient splits of 46.4 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from three-point range and 83.8 percent from the free throw line.
His talent was on full display in the 2023 FIBA U18 EuroBasket B tournament, where Kostic finished fourth in scoring, averaging 19.1 points per contest along with 2.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Kostic has been making waves in Austrian basketball, being named the only teenager on the nation’s 2025 EuroBasket qualification team and scoring in each contest.
“(Kostic is) a high-level shooter who can play multiple positions and gives us another ball handler and playmaker,” BYU coach Kevin Young said.
Honorable mentions:
Andrija Grbović, 6-foot-9 freshman forward, Arizona State (Montenegro)
Sidi Gueye, 6-foot-11 freshman forward, Arizona (Senegal)
Jacob Patrick, 6-foot-6 junior guard/forward, Utah (Germany)
Dorin Buca, 7-foot-1 junior center, Kansas State (Italy/Romania)
Jordi Rodriguez, 6-foot-6 freshman forward, Cincinnati (Spain)
Dominykas Pleta, 6-foot-11 freshman power forward, Iowa State (Germany/Lithuania)
Elias Rapieque, 6-foot-8 freshman guard/forward, Kansas State (Germany)
Mor Massamba Diop, 6-foot-11 freshman center, Arizona State (Senegal)
Fawaz “Tacko” Ifaola, 7-foot freshman center, Colorado (Nigeria)
Noah Meeusen, 6-foot-5 freshman point guard, Arizona State (Belgium)
Leonardo Van Elswyk, 7-foot-1 freshman center, Colorado (Italy)
Jovan Ićitović, 6-foot-8 freshman forward, Arizona State (Serbia)
Mabil Mawut, 6-foot-11 freshman forward, Arizona (South Sudan/USA)
Daniel Guetta, 6-foot-2 freshman guard, Oklahoma State (Israel)
Marial Akuentok, 6-foot-10 redshirt-freshman forward, Texas Tech (Canada)
Lefteris Mantzoukas, 6-foot-9 freshman forward, Oklahoma State (Greece)
Nginu Ngala, 5-foot-10 graduate senior point guard, Kansas (Canada) (Transfer from Canadian University)
