College basketball has steadily become more global over the last decade, but the 2025-26 season will witness an explosion of international imports. Players who have excelled overseas are taking advantage of the opportunity to make money in the States, and the schools that are recruiting them are taking advantage of the ability to buy out their pro contracts.
The heavy dose of international flavor makes it harder than ever for fans to keep track of which new players will have an impact next season. Once again, Hoops HQ is here to clear things up. Today we are presenting a list of the top 10 international newcomers in the ACC for the 2025-26 season, and over the next several weeks we will be breaking out rankings for all the power conferences as well as the mid-majors.
1. Neoklis Avdalas, 6-foot-8 freshman guard, Virginia Tech (Greece)
A surefire one-and-done prospect, Neoklis Avdalas is one of the most prolific prodigies in Greece’s history. When Neo was 15, he set the record for the youngest player to score in a EuroLeague game. He became a Greek Basketball League All-Star at age 17 and was named the GBL’s best young player in 2023-24 and 2024-25. Avdalas also took home the 2024-25 GBL’s most improved player award despite being named an all-star the season prior, and he added an impressive U20 EuroBasket tournament run for Greece, in which he recorded the seventh triple-double in the competition’s history.
Avdalas is already NBA-ready. He withdrew his name from the 2025 NBA Draft and committed to Virginia Tech due to not receiving a guarantee of a first-round pick. Avdalas, with his extensive professional experience, will likely be the top player on the Hokies’ roster on Day 1 and will compete with the Boozer twins and Nicolas Khamenia for the 2025-26 ACC Freshman of the Year award.
2. Dame Sarr, 6-foot-8 freshman guard/forward, Duke (Italy)
Overshadowed by yet another top-ranked Duke recruiting class orchestrated by Jon Scheyer’s staff, Dame Sarr is one of the most promising international prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Born in Odenzo, Italy, to Senegalese parents, Sarr pairs incredible physical gifts with the best coaching that Europe can provide. Graduating from the FC Barcelona system in Spain, Sarr is considered the crown jewel of what is being referred to as the golden generation of Italian basketball.
Sarr’s nearly 7-foot wingspan and above-average hand size lend themselves well to the measurements NBA teams are looking for. The Italian possesses highly developed guard skills with the ability to handle the ball on most possessions if needed, and after shooting 44 percent from three-point range last season for Barcelona, he projects nicely as a secondary option alongside Cam Boozer.
Last season, Duke had all five of its starters drafted to the NBA. There is a solid chance the Blue Devils could repeat that this year with Sarr projecting inside the first round.
3. Mouhamed Sylla, 6-foot-10 freshman center, Georgia Tech (Senegal)
The 2025 Final Four saw two great NBA Academy Africa products (Khaman Maluach & Rueben Chinyelu) compete and produce at the highest level of college basketball. That program’s newest dominant big is Mouhamed Sylla, a Senegal native who is unanimously ranked as an upper 4-star recruit, with On3 Sports rating him the best center in the class.
Sylla possesses incredible raw talent and athleticism. He has a sturdy and muscular build, which he uses to bully in the post and on the boards. However, his most developed skill set is in rim-protection with speed and vertical leaping that can patrol the paint, providing help in the blink of an eye. Sylla is already 20 years old and will likely go pro before serving his four years of eligibility. When paired with fellow Senegalese big Baye Ndongo, the Yellow Jackets may have one of the top frontcourts in the nation.
4. Roman Siulepa, 6-foot-6 freshman forward, Pittsburgh (Australia)
An unorthodox natural-born athlete, Roman Siulepa was a late addition to the Panthers recruiting class, as he held out on committing due to a promising rugby career before finally signing in late July. In this summer’s FIBA U19 World Cup Siulepa averaged 18.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for Australia, taking home second-team all-tournament honors. His most impressive performance came against Team USA, in which he collected a 19-point,12-rebound double-double.
Although standing shorter than your average power forward, he brings an incredibly muscular frame and a deep bag of fadeaways and post moves. Siulepa’s closest comparison is 2021-22 Mountain West Player of the Year David Roddy. A powerful slashing scorer, he should contribute to the Pittsburgh offense immediately and should become an instant fan favorite.
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5. Mouhamed Camara, 6-foot-8 freshman forward, Louisville (Senegal)
Another NBA Academy Africa product, Mouhamed Camara is likewise an impressive physical specimen. Muscular and speedy, the upper 3-star recruit provides valuable positional versatility and an ideal lob threat for 5-star freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr. Camara possesses an impressive defensive skillset with the ability to anticipate and mirror opponents before shutting them out with a block. He’s already accomplished plenty for the Senegalese national team, representing the country in their AfroBasket qualifiers, where they went a perfect 6-0.
Offensively, his dunking ability is extraordinary, but the rest of his game leaves much to be desired. His ball handling and shooting stroke are underdeveloped and rarely utilized, but Pat Kelsey’s crew will work to fix that in his time at Louisville. Overall, Camara’s athletic potential is unlimited. He could make an amazing small-ball center if the Cardinals ever decided to go that way.
6. Sananda Fru, 6-foot-11 junior power forward, Louisville (Germany)
The only first-year junior on this list, Sananda Fru is already a polished product. Considered a 4-star recruit by 247 Sports, the German big man played professional basketball the past four seasons for Loewen Braunschweig of the Bundesliga. Last season in the Bundesliga, Fru averaged 12.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and shot 66.5 percent from the field while leading Loewen Braunschweig to their best Bundesliga finish in the last 14 years. For this, Fru took home the 2024-25 Bundesliga Best Young German Player of the Year award.
In the past Fru would have been unable to play college basketball, but with new NIL codes he is allowed to suit up after sacrificing his first two years of eligibility, a trade Louisville will happily take. Pat Kelsey did a great job developing Croatian big Ante Brzovic into a two-time first team All-CAA selection at College of Charleston; Froh fulfills a near-identical niche and should be an immediate impact player for the Cardinals.
7. Kristers Skrinda, 6-foot-10 freshman forward, Stanford (Latvia)
Stanford big man Kristers Skrinda is the ACC’s newest “unicorn.” No doubt influenced by the departure of French center Maxime Raynaud to the NBA, Kyle Smith has found another multi-talented European big man. Like his Latvian predecessors, Skrinda is an extremely talented shooter despite his nearly 7-foot frame. In the 2024 U18 EuroBasket, Skrinda averaged 17.7 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists, but his most impressive accomplishments were in his splits. Skrinda shot 43.9 percent from three-point range and 96.3 percent from the free-throw line, both of which were Latvian bests and the latter of which led all participants by nearly eight percent.
On3 ranked Skrinda the 93rd-best prospect in the Class of 2025, and it’s clear to see why. Skrinda’s shooting prowess instantly makes him one of the most unique wings in the ACC. Kyle Smith plans to utilize the 6-foot-10 Latvian in both the small and power forward positions.
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8. Johann Grünloh, 7-foot freshman center, Virginia (Germany)
Not the most exciting inclusion on this list, Johann Grünloh nonetheless makes the hard stuff look easy. The 7-footer is a seeming one-and-done prospect with projections putting him in the second round of next year’s NBA Draft. Grünloh, like Fru, came through the Bundesliga Basketball League in Germany, also taking home the Best Young German Player of the Year award for 2023-24. Grünloh is your prototypical high-level European center: He has soft hands, great footwork and versatility from beyond the arc, shooting 35 percent from deep last season.
Last year, Grünloh averaged 7.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for RASTA Vechta, posting the second-most blocks in the BBL. His shot blocking is his strongest attribute, allowing him to compete for ACC All-Defensive first team in his freshman campaign. He will likely start for the Cavaliers from Day 1.
9. Luke Fennell, 6-foot-6 freshman shooting guard, Syracuse (Australia)
Another Aussie, Luke Fennell brings professional basketball experience to Syracuse after choosing the Orange over Florida and Louisville. The 4-star scoring guard possesses a highly useful skill set being most coveted for his shooting stroke and basketball IQ; in the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, Fennell averaged 10.6 points per game while shooting at an impressive 48.5-percent clip from beyond the arc on almost five attempts per game. His invitation to the prestigious 2024 NBA Basketball Without Borders global camp speaks volumes to the potential scouts see in him.
Primarily a catch-and-shoot three-point threat, expect Fenell to claim an auxiliary but impactful role in his freshman year. He should supplement a Syracuse shooting attack that ranked 246th in Division I in three-point efficiency last season.
10. Timotej Malovec, 6-foot-7 freshman small forward, Miami (FL) (Slovakia)
There has been a large shakeup all over the Miami Hurricanes program since the midseason retirement of long-time head coach Jim Larranaga. Not a single player on the 2024-25 roster is returning to Miami for this season, so Jai Lucas has been hard at work bringing in whoever he can from wherever he can. Along with seven transfers and four domestic freshmen, Lucas has pulled in three international freshmen: 6-foot-10 freshman center Salih Altunas from Turkiye, 6-foot-5 freshman guard Noam Dovrat from Israel, and 6-foot-7 freshman forward Timotej Malovec from Slovakia. Malovec shows the most promise of the lot.
Malovec is a product of the KK Mega Basket system, the same which produced top Serbian talent such as Nikola Jokic and 2020 WCC Player of the Year Filip Petrusev. Despite being just 21, Malovec not only kept up but proved he belongs, averaging 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists per contest on the senior team. In international play he has fared even better: In 2027 EuroBasket qualifiers this summer he’s been the focal point of Slovakia’s offense, averaging 21 points and nine rebounds per game.
Honorable Mentions:
Thijs De Ridder, 6-foot-8 forward, Virginia (Belgium)
Thomas Bassong, 6-foot-8 forward, Florida State (France)
Davi Remagen, 6-foot-3 guard, Georgia Tech (Germany)
Kieren Mullen, 7-foot center, Pittsburgh (Canada)
Salih Altunas, 6-foot-10 center, Miami (FL) (Turkiye)
Vangelis Zougris, 6-foot-8 power forward, Louisville (Greece)
Luka Bogacac, 6-foot-5 guard, North Carolina (Montenegro)
Oskar Giltay, 6-foot-10 power forward, Stanford (Belgium)
Noam Dovrat, 6-foot-5 guard, Miami (FL) (Israel)
