Top 10 Position Battles to Watch for in 2026-27

2. Oregon Ducks – Point guard

• 6-foot-5 sophomore guard Jerry Easter II (4.4 points, 1.1 assists) 
• 6-foot-5 sophomore guard Jasper Johnson (4.9 points, 1.6 assists)

Another point guard battle out west features two rising sophomores who had smaller roles at their previous stops. Both Easter and Johnson are former top-50 prospects who didn’t have the opportunity to have the ball in their hands, but with 6-foot-3 senior guard Jackson Shelstad gone, both will be in line for the minutes at point guard.

3. Purdue Boilermakers – Center

• 7-foot-4 junior center Daniel Jacobsen (5.5 points, 3.0 rebounds)
• 6-foot-11 sophomore center Raleigh Burgess (1.9 points, 1.3 rebounds in 2024-25)
• 7-foot freshman center Sinan Huan (four-star prospect)

Few teams have as lengthy and distinguished a history at the center position than Purdue, which has always relied on veteran big men. Jacobsen, the backup big last year, has the first chance at being the lead center in 2027. But Huan has received praise and could have an immediate impact, while Burgess is back after redshirting last year due to offseason leg surgery. Considering how much production the Boilermakers lost, it’s more important than ever for there to be production inside for them to remain viable.

4. UCLA Bruins – Point guard

• 6-foot-1 sophomore guard Jaylen Petty (9.9 points, 2.2 assists) 
• 6-foot-2 sophomore guard Azavier Robinson (6.1 points, 2.5 assists)

The loss of 6-foot-2 senior guard Donovan Dent meant that UCLA needed to find a new lead guard, so Mick Cronin brought in a pair of transfers. Petty started 22 games at Texas Tech last season, while Robinson shot 43 percent from deep on 30 attempts at Butler. There’s a chance we could see them on the court together alongside 6-foot-4 junior guard Trent Perry in smaller lineups, but for the most part, they’ll compete to see who is the lead ball-handler.

5. Auburn Tigers – Center

• 6-foot-10 senior center Owen Freeman (5.0 points, 4.0 rebounds)
• 7-foot-1 senior center Bukky Oboye (7.9 points, 4.1 rebounds) 
• 7-foot junior center Narcisse Ngoy (international newcomer)

The development of Ngoy getting picked late in the second round of the NBA Draft and opting to return to school has brought more attention to the junior. But will he even start at Auburn? Freeman is coming off an injury-plagued down year at Creighton but is still a capable post scorer, while Oboye started 34 games at Santa Clara at nearly 18 minutes per game. There’s a chance that all three get minutes in the rotation, but it’ll be interesting to see which of them stands out.

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6. Iowa State Cyclones – Shooting guard

• 6-foot-3 sophomore guard Killyan Toure (8.6 points, 2.3 assists)
• 6-foot-3 sophomore guard Jamarion Batemon (6.6 points, 1.2 rebounds)

This is operating under the assumption that Iowa State’s two key transfers, 5-foot-11 junior guard Jaquan Johnson and 6-foot-5 senior wing transfer Ryan Prather Jr., both end up as starters. If that happens, Toure and Batemon, two players who showed flashes as freshmen, will compete for minutes at the two. Ideally, both become breakout players for the Cyclones and Toure can handle the ball, so the path is there for both to get 25-plus minutes in the rotation.

7. Duke Blue Devils – Combo guard

• 6-foot-5 senior guard Caleb Foster (8.3 points, 2.8 assists) 
• 6-foot-4 sophomore guard Cayden Boozer (7.7 points, 3.0 assists) 

With 6-foot-8 sophomore wing Dame Sarr returning and 6-foot-4 senior transfer guard John Blackwell in the fold, minutes for both Foster and Boozer won’t be as readily available. Foster is the senior and veteran ball-handler, while Boozer had quality performances when Foster was out with a foot injury. Both will be in the rotation, but there are scenarios where one’s minutes could come at the expense of the other.

8. LSU Tigers – Center

• 6-foot-9 international forward/center Marcio Santos
• 7-foot international center Michael Ruzic 
• 6-foot-11 international center Brice Dessert

While most of the eligibility concerns lie with the backcourt additions to the Tigers roster, there are questions surrounding the new frontcourt players, as well. All of these guys come from the international pipeline with legit talent, but will any of them become all-league-caliber guys in the SEC? That could be the difference between LSU making the NCAA Tournament and being in the bottom tier of the conference.

9. Providence Friars – Shooting guard

• 6-foot-2 senior guard Ryan Sabol (18.8 points, 3.3 assists at Buffalo)  
• 6-foot-4 junior guard Devin Vanterpool (15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds at Florida Atlantic)
• 6-foot-7 junior guard Dink Pate (G League newcomer)

There are a number of newcomers to the Friars roster under first-year coach Bryan Hodgson. Assuming 6-foot-1 senior guard Malik Mack and 6-foot-7 senior wing and former Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year Miles Byrd are starters, that leaves the two-spot with several candidates. Vanterpool and Sabol were leading scorers at their previous schools, while Pate is a former top-20 prospect who went the G League route before coming back to college. 

10. Miami Hurricanes – Power forward

• 6-foot-8 junior forward DeSean Goode (15.2 points, 8.7 rebounds at Robert Morris)
• 6-foot-8 freshman forward Caleb Gaskins (four-star prospect)

Returning 6-foot-6 sophomore forward Shelton Henderon and 6-toot-10 junior center Somto Cyril are penciled in as starters for the Hurricanes. The four-spot is more open, with top-20 prospect Gaskins and former Horizon League Player of the Year Goode vying for the starting role. If Goode, who shot 57 percent from deep on 63 attempts last year, can have his game translate to the high-major level, look for him to start and provide Miami some needed floor spacing next to Cyril.