To some degree, all college basketball players face some level of “pressure” during the season. Whether it’s an incoming five-star prospect with a ton of hype coming out of high school, one of the top players who switched teams via the transfer portal, or even a returning player with more expectations for their respective teams, they all feel it.
Here’s a look at the 10 players under the most pressure coming into the 2026-27 season.
1. Tyran Stokes, 6-foot-7 freshman forward, Kansas
2025-26 stats: N/A
Being the No. 1 overall prospect automatically applies a ton of pressure to a player. But there are unique circumstances with Stokes. One was the longtime recruitment he had that involved Kentucky, along with playing for a coach, Bill Self, who could be on retirement watch. As the early expected No. 1 NBA Draft pick in 2027, Stokes not only needs to have a big individual campaign, but also lead the Jayhawks to a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
2. Nikolas Khamenia, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward, UConn
2025-26 stats (Duke): 5.7 points, 3.3 rebounds
Khamenia is a former five-star prospect who averaged around 20 minutes per game as a freshman at Duke. Other former five-star players have left the Blue Devils after limited roles, but this player didn’t have to. And making matters worse for Duke fans, he left for the program that came back to beat them in the Elite Eight. Khamenia will be on plenty of “breakout player” watchlists, but there will be plenty of Duke fans hoping he comes up short.
3. Robert Wright III, 6-foot-1 junior guard, BYU
2025-26 stats: 18.1 points, 4.6 assists
Wright posted plenty of stats in his first year at BYU but entered the portal this offseason. He did decide to return to the Cougars, but without 6-foot-9 freshman star AJ Dybantsa, the nation’s leading scorer, it’s going to be on Wright to lead the team back to the NCAA Tournament. Whether the junior ball-handler is capable is the key question.
4. Alijah Arenas, 6-foot-6 sophomore guard, USC
2025-26 stats: 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds
After nearly dying in an offseason car accident, Arenas played in 14 games and showed he can be a prolific scorer. But he also shot just 34 percent from the field and was highly inefficient overall. With 20-point-per-game scorer and 6-foot-4 senior guard Rodney Rice back along with other scorers, Arenas won’t have as much of a green light. Still, Arenas is the team’s top NBA Draft prospect and the son of former NBA player and notable internet personality Gilbert Arenas. His individual campaign will be one of the most watched of the upcoming season.
5. Neoklis Avdalas, 6-foot-9 sophomore guard, North Carolina
2025-26 stats (Virginia Tech): 12.1 points, 4.6 assists
Avdalas was one of the top international prospects coming to college basketball a year ago, and while he showed flashes, the big guard had his ups and downs as a freshman. That still won’t stop folks from hyping him up with the Tar Heels, where he’ll be playing for former NBA champion and new head coach Michael Malone. If Avdalas doesn’t have a big campaign next season, he probably won’t be a true NBA Draft prospect.
Big 12 Roster Reshuffle: The State of the Conference, Part 2
Hoops HQ’s Big 12 correspondent takes a deep dive into the roster changes for every team in the league, from Kansas to Utah
6. Boogie Fland, 6-foot-2 junior guard, Florida
2025-26 stats: 11.6 points, 3.5 assists
Fland is another former five-star prospect whose play has been “okay” but not great. He was a double-digit scorer in his first year at Florida but also had some rough individual outings. But with all three star frontcourt pieces back, the expectations are sky-high for the Gators next season. As the guy who will be viewed as a potential weak spot for the team, Fland will face high expectations and pressure to be more consistent from game to game.
7. Kiyan Anthony, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, Syracuse
2025-26 stats: 8.0 points, 1.4 rebounds
Being the son of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony already puts a high level of pressure on you. Kiyan had 11 double-digit scoring games off the bench as a freshman, shooting 40 percent from the field. With a new coaching staff and a roster that should allow him more opportunities to break out, the younger Anthony has plenty of pressure to show that he’s a capable focal point for the Orange.
8. Miikka Muurinen, 6-foot-11 freshman forward, Arkansas
2025-26 stats: N/A
Among the class of 2026 freshmen, only Stokes has a more high-profile name than Muurinen. He’s a consensus top-10 prospect with a ton of potential but also has been in the headlines for not-so-flattering news, including a difficult past season overseas, along with accusations that his attitude is an issue. Playing for John Calipari and Arkansas, he’s set up to succeed (once cleared by the NCAA).
9. Omer Mayer, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, Purdue
2025-26 stats: 5.5 points, 1.2 assists
Following last year’s Big Ten Player of the Year and the NCAA’s all-time leading passer (6-foot guard Braden Smith) automatically puts pressure on the next ball-handler for Purdue. Not only does Mayer have to deal with that, but there’s also 6-foot-1 freshman guard Luke Ertel providing competition in the backcourt, as well. The Boilermakers need good point guard play to avoid too much of a drop-off, and Mayer will have the keys to the offense to open the year.
10. PJ Haggerty, 6-foot-3 senior guard, Texas A&M
2025-26 stats (Kansas State): 23.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists
Haggerty has been one of the best pure scorers in the country for the last few years, ranking fourth nationally last season. However, he was on one of the most disappointing teams in the country at Kansas State, finishing next-to-last in the Big 12 standings. Haggerty now goes to the SEC and Texas A&M, which made the NCAA Tournament despite not having an elite individual scorer. If Haggerty can’t succeed here, he’ll have a reputation as an empty-calorie scorer.
Meet your guide
