One can reasonably argue that the talent level in college basketball has never been higher than it is right now. The freshman class is loaded with future lottery picks, NIL kept many of the best upperclassmen from turning pro, and there has been a massive influx of international stars from across the globe.
As a result, we’re in for another epic National Player of the Year race. Below are the top contenders for the sport’s highest individual honor a little more than a month into the season. We’ll keep updating this list as the year progresses.
1. Cameron Boozer, 6-foot-9 freshman forward, Duke
23.0 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.7 steals, 55.9 FG%, 37.2 3P%
The former five-star prospect and projected top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has emerged as the early frontrunner for NPOY. A bruising, highly skilled forward, Boozer leads the 10-0 Blue Devils in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Over the last 10 days, Duke has toppled three ranked opponents (Arkansas, Florida and Michigan State) with Boozer averaging 27.3 points and 10.0 rebounds. The 18-year-old is aiming to become just the fifth freshman in college basketball history to claim the Wooden Award, joining Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Zion Williamson and Cooper Flagg.
2. Yaxel Lendeborg, 6-foot-9 senior forward, Michigan
15.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 blocks, 1.3 steals, 59.7 FG%, 39.0 3P%
Hoops HQ’s No. 1-ranked transfer has lived up to expectations thus far. The do-it-all forward won MVP of the Players Era Festival during Feast Week, leading Michigan to three emphatic wins with averages of 17.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks. The 8-0 Wolverines are loaded with talent, particularly in the frontcourt, but Lendeborg is their centerpiece. As he told reporters in mid-November following a 25-point, 12-rebound game against Middle Tennessee, “I didn’t come (to Michigan) to be a role player. I came here to be the man.”
3. Joshua Jefferson, 6-foot-9 senior forward, Iowa State
17.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 56.6 FG%, 45.0 3P%
The numbers speak for themselves. Jefferson has been the most consistent player on the 9-0 Cyclones, who dismantled Purdue at Mackey Arena over the weekend. A versatile forward, Jefferson ranks second in the nation in assists per game among big men and has already registered four double-doubles. After his impressive performance in the Players Era Festival (16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists), he was named to the Big 12’s weekly “Starting Five.” Iowa State went 3-0 in the tournament despite not having All-Big 12 guard Tamin Lipsey for two games due to a groin injury.
4. Caleb Wilson, 6-foot-10 freshman forward, North Carolina
19.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.2 blocks, 53.2 FG%
The uber-athletic Wilson, a projected lottery pick in 2026, has been stuffing the stat sheet for the 8-1 Tar Heels. He has grabbed at least 12 boards in six of North Carolina’s nine games and been the team’s leading scorer six times. He already has five double-doubles, tied for the fifth most nationally. In UNC’s most notable win of the early season — 87-74 over Darryn Peterson and the Jayhawks at the Dean Dome — Wilson was the best player on the floor, posting 24 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.
5. Labaron Philon Jr., 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, Alabama
21.4 points, 5.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 56.6 FG%, 40.4 3P%
With former All-American Mark Sears gone, Philon has taken over as the go-to guy in Tuscaloosa. The sophomore has proven more than capable of running the show, as Alabama is off to a 7-2 start and has another top-10 offense. Philon has shined despite Bama playing the third toughest non-conference schedule in the nation, per KenPom. He has dropped at least 24 points in three of four games against ranked opponents, delivering in the clutch in narrow wins over Illinois and St. John’s. After strongly considering jumping to the NBA last summer, Philon opted to return to improve his draft stock. Through the first month of the season, he has done just that.
Top 10 National Player of the Year Candidates for the 2025-26 Men’s Hoops Season
Will another freshman take home the Wooden Award? Or will it be one of the established upperclassmen?
6. JT Toppin, 6-foot-9 junior forward, Texas Tech
20.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.3 blocks, 53.8 FG%
No surprises here. Texas Tech’s star big man has continued to produce at an incredibly high rate, ranking 20th in scoring and fourth in rebounding nationally. The only reason he isn’t higher on this list is because the Red Raiders are 30th on BartTorvik and have yet to beat a ranked opponent. Toppin nearly carried them to a win over Illinois, registering 35 points (on 17 of 25 shooting), 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Texas Tech will face Arkansas on Dec. 13 and Duke on Dec. 20. The head-to-head matchup of Toppin and Boozer could shake up these rankings in a major way.
7. Jaden Bradley, 6-foot-3 senior guard, Arizona
14.5 points, 3.8 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 58.8 FG%, 58.3 3P%
This spot could easily go to Bradley’s teammate Koa Peat, another sensational freshman who currently leads the No. 1-ranked Wildcats in scoring. But I gave the nod to Bradley because of his propensity to dominate games in crunch time. The senior scored 11 of Arizona’s last 18 points in a 93-87 win over Florida, nailed the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:23 remaining in a 69-65 win over UCLA and hit the biggest shot of the night — a layup that gave Arizona a three-point advantage with 16.3 seconds left — in a 71-67 win over UConn. “When you have a point guard who is selfless and also a baller, and who has big enough kahunas to take and make those shots at the end of a game, it’s pretty special,” said coach Tommy Lloyd.
8. Braden Smith, 6-foot senior guard, Purdue
13.1 points, 8.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 40.0 FG%, 41.5 3P%
Purdue’s stellar floor general was the preseason favorite to claim the Wooden Award. While he hasn’t had the loudest start to the year, the senior has been the engine of college basketball’s No. 1 offense (per KenPom) and currently ranks second nationally in assists per game. His best performance of the early season came in a top-10 clash with Alabama at Coleman Coliseum, when he put up 29 points (including 21 in the second half), 7 rebounds and 4 assists to lead the Boilermakers to an 87-80 win. Expect Smith to climb these rankings during conference play.
9. AJ Dybantsa, 6-foot-8 freshman wing, BYU
19.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 54.4 FG%, 35 3P%
The highly touted freshman, who was ranked No. 1 in his star-studded class, has not disappointed. He leads the 7-1 Cougars in scoring and has been extremely efficient despite being at the top of every scouting report. When BYU has needed someone to take over, Dybantsa has stepped up. He dropped 21 points in a close win over Villanova on opening night, including several key buckets down the stretch. He also recorded a game-high 25 points (21 in the second half) against UConn in mid-November, as the Cougars nearly pulled off an improbable comeback at TD Garden.
10. Jeremy Fears Jr., 6-foot-2 sophomore guard, Michigan State
11.6 points, 9.8 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 41.4 FG%, 38.1 3P%
Fears had a nightmare shooting performance in a loss to Duke over the weekend (0-for-10), but the sophomore has been the best point guard in the country after Braden Smith. Even when he isn’t scoring, Fears can control games with his playmaking. Case in point: In Michigan State’s 83-66 win over Kentucky at the Champions Classic, Fears attempted just three shots but dished out a career-high 13 assists and had 3 steals. “That was the best Jeremy has played,” coach Tom Izzo said afterward. “That was the best he was in the huddles and running our team. That was a difference-maker to me.”
Meet your guide
