For the last several years, the best players in college basketball have all been frontcourt stars. The most recent AP Player of the Year was 6-foot-9 freshman forward Cooper Flagg, with 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey claiming the two before him. Going back even further, the last seven AP winners have all been frontcourt players.
That takes us to this upcoming season, where the combination of returning stars and incoming top-tier prospects will again provide college basketball with some quality frontcourt pieces. But which teams will have the best bigs? Here’s a list of the top 10 frontcourts, using players who can play at the traditional power forward and center positions.
*Rankings for freshmen are via 247sportsComposite.
1. Florida Gators
Alex Condon, 6-foot-11 junior forward, 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game; Thomas Haugh, 6-foot-9 junior forward, 9.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game; Reuben Chinyelu, 6-foot-11 junior center, 6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game; Micah Handlogten, 7-foot-1 senior center, 2.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game; Viktor Mikic, 6-foot-11 sophomore center, 0.0 points and 0.5 rebounds per game; Olivier Rioux, 7-foot-9 redshirt freshman center
Does Florida have an All-American big man on its roster like some of the other teams on this list? No. But the Gators are the definition of “depth,” with four frontcourt players who could start for most teams. That includes Handlogten, a starter two years ago who has fully recovered from a severe broken leg injury. Look for Florida to utilize some big lineups, including some that feature Condon at the three.
2. Houston Cougars
Joseph Tugler, 6-foot-7 junior forward, 5.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game; Cedric Lath, 6-foot-9 junior center, 0.7 points and 1.3 rebounds per game; Jacob McFarland, 6-foot-11 redshirt freshman center; Chase McCarty, 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman forward; Kalifa Sakho, 6-foot-11 senior forward, 7.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game at Sam Houston; Chris Cenac Jr., No. 7 overall prospect
One of the most underrated returnees for the upcoming season is Tugler, the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Joining him in the frontcourt is Cenac, Houston’s highest-rated commit out of high school and an early projected lottery pick. One of the more underrated portal pickups was Sakho, a big presence who should help continue Houston’s vaunted interior defense.
3. Purdue Boilermakers
Trey Kaufman-Renn, 6-foot-9 senior forward, 20.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game; Raleigh Burgess, 6-foot-11 sophomore forward, 1.9 points and 1.3 rebounds per game; Daniel Jacobsen, 7-foot-4 redshirt freshman center, 6.5 points and 3.5 rebounds (2 games); Oscar Cluff, 6-foot-11 senior center, 17.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per game at South Dakota State; Liam Murphy, 6-foot-7 senior forward, 13 points per game at North Florida
Kaufman-Renn is the second-leading returning frontcourt scorer from last season (behind Northwestern’s Nick Martinelli) and had a case for being an All-American in his own right. Joining him in the frontcourt is Cluff, one of the nation’s top rebounders who produced 22 double-doubles in the Summit League. Jacobsen was the starting center last season before suffering a broken tibia just two games in. The pickup of Murphy is underrated, as he can play both the three and four spots and is coming off a campaign that saw him shoot 42 percent from three-point range at North Florida.
4. Michigan Wolverines
Will Tschetter, 6-foot-8 senior forward, 6.4 points and 2.4 rebounds; Oscar Goodman, 6-foot-7 redshirt freshman; Yaxel Lendeborg, 6-foot-9 senior forward, 17.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game at UAB; Aday Mara, 7-foot-3 junior center, 6.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game at UCLA; Morez Johnson, 6-foot-9 sophomore forward, 7.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game at Illinois; Patrick Liburd, 6-foot-6 freshman star forward, three-star prospect; Winters Grady, 6-foot-6 freshman forward, No. 81 overall prospect
The Wolverines got one of the best frontcourt players from the transfer portal in Lendeborg, a two-time AAC Defensive Player of the Year who also dished out more than four assists per game. The other two notable newcomers include Johnson, a physical big man from Illinois, and Mara, a skilled big whose development has been slower than expected. Still, his second half at UCLA last season shows potential. Based on how well coach Dusty May used last year’s frontcourt, there’s a good chance this new group will be just as potent.
5. Duke Blue Devils
Maliq Brown, 6-foot-8 senior forward, 2.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game; Patrick Ngongba, 6-foot-11 sophomore center, 3.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per game; Ifeanyi Ufochukwu, 6-foot-10 redshirt junior center, 2.0 points per game in 25 career games at Rice;
Sebastian Wilkins, 6-foot-8 freshman forward, No. 47 overall prospect; Nikolas Khamenia, 6-foot-8 freshman forward, No. 15 overall prospect; Cameron Boozer, 6-foot-9 freshman forward, No. 3 overall prospect
Duke’s history of elite forwards will likely continue with Boozer, the son of Blue Devils great Carlos Boozer and a potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team also returns two key pieces in Brown, a standout defender, and Ngongba, a former 5-star prospect who showed real flashes and is a consensus breakout candidate.
6. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Graham Ike, 6-foot-9 senior forward, 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game; Braden Huff, 6-foot-10 junior forward, 11 points and 3.4 rebounds per game; Emmanuel Innocenti, 6-foot-5 junior forward, 1.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game; Ismaila Diagne, 7-foot sophomore center, 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per game; Steele Venters, 6-foot-7 junior forward, 13.5 points per game in three years at Eastern Washington; Tyon Grant-Foster, 6-foot-7 senior forward, 14.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game at Grand Canyon; Parker Jefferson, 6-foot-9 freshman center, No. 237 overall prospect.
Gonzaga’s run of having elite interior play continues with Ike, one of the best low-post scorers in the country. Huff had seven games of 15+ points last season and showed that he can play alongside Ike in the frontcourt. There are a couple of factors to watch here, as Venters has missed each of the last two seasons with ACL and Achilles injuries, while Grant-Foster, a former WAC Player of the Year, is still reportedly in need of a waiver from the NCAA to be eligible next season. If both things work out in the Bulldogs’ favor, few teams will be able to rival their frontcourt depth.
7. UConn Huskies
Alex Karaban, 6-foot-8 senior forward, 14.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game; Tarris Reed, 6-foot-10 senior center, 9.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game; Jaylin Stewart, 6-foot-7 junior forward, 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game; Jayden Ross, 6-foot-7 junior forward, 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds per game; Dwayne Koroma, 6-foot-8 senior forward. 11.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game at Le Monye; Jacob Furphy, 6-foot-6 freshman forward, No. 99 overall prospect; Eric Reibe, 7-foot freshman center, No. 36 overall prospect
Karaban is easily the most decorated player in college basketball as a two-time national champion. And while he didn’t have that breakout junior campaign as the go-to option, he’s still a quality stretch forward. Reed, the former Big East Sixth Man of the Year, is now set to start, while Reibe is viewed as one of the top international prospects in college basketball. Potential breakout campaigns from Ross and Stewart would give the Huskies even more capable depth this season.
8. St. John’s Red Storm
Zuby Ejiofor, 6-foot-9 senior forward, 14.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, Sadiku Ibine Ayo, 6-foot-7 senior forward, 1.9 points and 1.4 rebounds per game, Ruben Prey, 6-foot-10 sophomore forward, 1.6 points and 1.5 rebounds per game, Bryce Hopkins, 6-foot-6 senior forward, 17 points and 7.7 rebounds per game (3 games) at Providence; Dillon Mitchell, 6-foot-8 senior forward, 9.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game at Cincinnati; Handje Tamba, 6-foot-11 senior center, 10.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game at Milligan College (NAIA); Imran Suljanovic, 6-foot-8 freshman forward, four-star international prospect
Ejiofor was a breakout performer for the Red Storm and will be a favorite for Big East Player of the Year next season. Hopkins has dealt with injuries the past two years but is a proven scorer at this level. Mitchell is a quality defender, and having him and Ejiofor on the floor together will keep St. John’s as one of the top defensive units in the country. Plus, reports have Mitchell expanding his game into being a key facilitator, which is key since the team doesn’t have a true point guard on its roster.
9. Auburn Tigers
Keyshawn Hall, 6-foot-7 senior wing/forward, 18.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game at UCF; KeShawn Murphy, 6-foot-10 senior forward, 11.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game at Mississippi State; Emeka Opurum, 7-foot sophomore center, 9.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game at Butler Community College (JUCO); Elyjah Freeman, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward, 18.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game at Lincoln Memorial University (D-II); Filip Jovic, 6-foot-9 freshman forward, four-star international prospect; Sebastian Williams-Adams, 6-foot-8 freshman forward, No. 52 overall prospect
It’s an entirely new frontcourt for coach Bruce Pearl and the Tigers, led by Hall, a versatile offensive weapon who dropped 40 points in a game against Arizona State last season. Murphy is a proven SEC performer already, while Freeman is an elite Division-II transfer who can score the basketball. There’s a ton of depth with this group, and they should be able to replace the production left behind by All-American Johni Broome.
10. Texas Tech Red Raiders
JT Toppin, 6-foot-9 junior forward, 18.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game; Luke Bamgboye, 6-foot-10 sophomore center, 3.8 points and 3.3 rebounds at VCU; Josiah Moseley, 6-foot-6 sophomore forward, 1.9 points and 2.3 rebounds at Villanova; Marial Akuentok, 6-foot-10 redshirt freshman forward
Toppin has a case for being the best returning frontcourt player in the country, coming off both All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year honors. After sharing some of the spotlight with outgoing 6-foot-6 senior forward Darrion Williams, look for Toppin’s production to grow even more. There’s not a ton of proven depth behind him, but shot-blocker Bamgboye should be an effective newcomer to the Big 12. Moseley’s production will be key to making sure Toppin won’t have to do it all for the Red Raiders.
Honorable mentions include Arkansas, BYU, and NC State
