Back in November, Hoops HQ Editor-in-Chief Seth Davis posed the question, “Is this the best freshman class ever?”
Ten weeks later, it certainly appears that way.
Duke forward Cameron Boozer and BYU wing AJ Dybantsa — the leading candidates for the Wooden Award — have stolen much of the spotlight, but this year’s crop of rookies is tremendously deep. Below is a ranking of the top 10 freshmen so far.
This list will be updated every few weeks as conference play continues.
1. Cameron Boozer, 6-foot-9 forward, Duke
Last installment: No. 1
23.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.8 steals, 58.6 FG%, 37.7 3FG%
Boozer hasn’t just been the best freshman this season — he’s been the best overall player, regardless of class. He ranks third in the nation in scoring and leads the Blue Devils in every major statistical category except blocks. Through less than three months of action, he has already won ACC Rookie of the Week seven times. The do-it-all forward has scored 30 or more three times (including in Saturday’s dominant win over Stanford), registered nine double-doubles and tallied at least five assists in six outings.
2. AJ Dybantsa, 6-foot-8 wing, BYU
Last installment: No. 2
22.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 54.7 FG%
Dybantsa struggled in a loss to Texas Tech on Saturday, but he has been arguably the most dominant player in the country since early December. Prior to the weekend, he had scored at least 20 points in 10 straight outings. He has had some of the best individual performances of the season, including an all-around masterpiece against Clemson in the Jimmy V Classic, a 35-point game against Abilene Christian and a ridiculous triple-double (33 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) against Eastern Washington.
3. Caleb Wilson, 6-foot-10 forward, North Carolina
Last installment: No. 3
19.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 1.4 blocks, 57.7 FG%
At least once a game, the uber-athletic Wilson does something sensational. His team has lost three of its last four, but the big man has continued to put up big numbers. Among freshmen, Wilson has registered the most double-doubles (11) and ranks second in rebounding. He also leads the Tar Heels in points, rebounds, steals and blocks. With his explosiveness, motor and versatility, the 19-year-old is projected to be a top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
4. Darius Acuff Jr., 6-foot-3 guard, Arkansas
Last installment: 4
19.8 points, 6.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 48.6 FG%, 40.8 3FG%
Acuff hasn’t received enough national attention for what he’s been doing this season. He became the first player ever to win SEC Freshman of the Week in five straight weeks and just the 13th in conference history to earn the honor at least five times in a single season. Everyone knew the highly rated guard out of IMG Academy could score the ball, but his passing has been particularly impressive. In a 108-74 victory over South Carolina last week, Acuff had 13 assists and zero turnovers.
5. Ebuka Okorie, 6-foot-2 guard, Stanford
Last installment: No. 10
22.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals, 44.1 FG%
If you didn’t know Ebuka Okorie before last week, you definitely do now. On Wednesday, the four-star prospect, who received limited interest from high-major programs coming out of Brewster Academy, erupted for 36 points (the most by a Stanford player since 2005) and 9 assists in an upset win over No. 14 North Carolina. He has carried the Cardinal to a 14-5 start, including four Quad 1 wins, and scored at least 30 in four of his last eight outings.
6. Kingston Flemings, 6-foot-4 guard, Houston
Last installment: No. 5
15.6 points, 5.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 51.9 FG%, 38.2 3FG%
No one expected Kingston Flemings to be the best player on the 2025-26 Houston Cougars through January, but here we are. The 19-year-old from San Antonio has scored in double figures while registering at least five assists in seven straight games. In matchups against ranked opponents, Flemings has averaged 22.8 points and 5.0 assists. He is coming off a dominant performance against Arizona State over the weekend: 20 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks.
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7. Keaton Wagler, 6-foot-6 guard, Illinois
Last installment: No. 7
16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 45.9 FG%, 42.1 3FG%
Wagler didn’t crack the top 100 in the 2025 class (per the 247Sports Composite), but he has been more impactful than nearly every player ranked above him. A dynamic, highly efficient wing, he leads the 15-3 Fighting Illini in points and assists. His draft stock has skyrocketed since November, with several mocks now placing him in the lottery. Wagler has scored in double figures in 10 straight games, including a 22-point performance in a win over Northwestern a week ago.
8. Hannes Steinbach, 6-foot-11 forward, Washington
Last installment: No. 6
17.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 55.1 FG%
A former pro in Germany, the 19-year-old Steinbach has been the most impressive of a talented crop of international freshmen. He is one of just 14 players in Division I with at least 10 double-doubles and became the first Husky to record five in a row since the 2007-08 campaign. If his current averages hold, Steinbach would be the first rookie in program history to average a double-double.
9. Brayden Burries, 6-foot-4 guard, Arizona
Last installment: N/A
22.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 50.4 FG%, 40.6 3FG%
The undefeated, No. 1-ranked Wildcats have a pair of stellar freshmen in Burries and forward Koa Peat. Last installment, we gave the nod to Peat. This time, we’re spotlighting Burries, who has been outstanding since finding his rhythm in late November. For a 10-game stretch between Nov. 24 and Jan. 7, Burries averaged 18.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals while shooting 57.9 percent from the field.
10. Darryn Peterson, 6-foot-6 guard, Kansas
Last installment: N/A
22.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 50.4 FG%, 40.6 3FG%
If he was fully healthy, there’s little doubt that Peterson would be in the top three of these rankings. Alas, he has missed significant time due to injury and been on a minutes restriction since returning to action. That said, Peterson — the potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft — has been unstoppable when on the floor. He’s appeared in five straight games for the Jayhawks, averaging 24.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in just 27 minutes. He put up 26 points on 11 of 13 shooting in a 80-62 win over Baylor on Friday.
Meet your guide
