The impact of NIL reached its peak this offseason, with more than 2,000 players hitting the transfer portal and several NBA prospects opting to return to school. As a result, college basketball is loaded with talent for the 2025-26 campaign, including a sophomore class that is filled with possible breakout stars.
We highlight 10 candidates to make significant leaps in their second seasons.
1. Tahaad Pettiford, 6-foot-1 guard, Auburn
A lightning-quick guard with elite shotmaking ability, Pettiford thrived in the sixth man role last season. Bruce Pearl gave him the ultimate green light and Pettiford took full advantage, averaging 11.6 points in just 22.9 minutes per game. He earned SEC All-Freshman honors and helped the Tigers win the conference regular-season title and advance to the Final Four.
Pettiford tested the NBA Draft waters but ultimately decided to return to Auburn and try to improve his stock for 2026. As the program’s top returnee, he’ll transition from sixth man to centerpiece. With as much talent as any guard in the country and ample opportunity to shine, Pettiford has All-American potential.
2. Jayden Quaintance, 6-foot-9 forward, Kentucky
Quaintance is still rehabbing from a torn ACL, but when he returns, the 18-year-old will be a focal point of Kentucky’s stacked roster. An athletic, two-way forward who was the youngest player in college basketball last season, Quaintance averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 24 games for Arizona State before suffering his injury in February.
The former five-star recruit is expected to be back on the court before the start of the year. When healthy, he has as high a ceiling as any big man in the country. He will have a better supporting cast at Kentucky, which should lead to more easy opportunities. All signs point toward Quaintance putting up All-American numbers for Mark Pope next season.
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3. Flory Bidunga, 6-foot-9 forward, Kansas
The former McDonald’s All-American and two-time Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year came off the bench for a majority of the 2024-25 season, logging just 16.3 minutes per game behind seniors Hunter Dickinson and KJ Adams Jr. But Bidunga still led the Jayhawks in total blocks, and he averaged 8.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.0 rejections in six starts. He showed flashes of brilliance, including a 19-point, 7-rebound performance against Houston and a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds) with 5 blocks against UCF.
This season, Bidunga will step into the starting lineup and should thrive alongside highly touted freshman Darryn Peterson, a 6-foot-6 guard who is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. That one-two punch has the ability to turn things around in Lawrence following a discouraging 21-13 season that ended with a loss to Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
4. Isaiah Evans, 6-foot-6 guard, Duke
A knockdown shooter with unwavering confidence, Evans provided a huge spark off the bench for last year’s Blue Devils. The 2023-24 Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year averaged 6.8 points in just 13.7 minutes and connected on 41.6 percent of his attempts from behind the arc. Evans hit at least four threes in nine games and buried 6-of-8 in a win over Auburn in December.
With top scorers Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor leaving for the NBA, Evans will slide into a starting role and carry a much heavier offensive burden. Fortunately, a few more stellar freshmen are on the way, including a dominant interior force in Cameron Boozer, who should create plenty of open looks for Evans. His three-point efficiency might dip slightly with higher volume, but Evans is poised to put a lot of points on the board next season.
5. Ian Jackson, 6-foot-4 guard, St. John’s
Rick Pitino is trusting Ian Jackson to take over as the Red Storm’s starting point guard. The former five-star prospect is a proven scorer — he averaged 11.9 points on 45.6 percent shooting from the field and 39.5 percent from three for North Carolina last season — and certainly has the potential to evolve into an elite floor general as well.
He’ll be running the show for a loaded St. John’s team that should open the season ranked in the top 10. At UNC, he had eight 20-plus point performances and was voted to the ACC’s All-Freshman Team. Jackson’s numbers should rise across the board given his new role. And if all goes well, he could be the leader of a national championship contender.
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6. Kanon Catchings, 6-foot-9 forward, Georgia
After a solid freshman year at BYU, Catchings transferred to Georgia this offseason. The 19-year-old is known for his versatility, athleticism and perimeter shooting. He averaged 7.2 points and sank 35 percent of his threes for the Cougars.
Catchings should have an expanded role with the Bulldogs, especially since coach Mike White plans to utilize more four-out lineups. White knows that the four-star recruit has barely scratched the surface of what he’s capable of. “He’s got to continue to round out his game offensively to compliment his ability to shoot the three,” White told Hoops HQ. “And then defensively, his ceiling is very high too, with his length, speed, quickness and switch-ability.”
7. Derrion Reid, 6-foot-8 forward, Oklahoma
Reid, who was the fourth-highest rated recruit in Alabama men’s basketball history, dealt with a recurring hamstring injury last season. Plus, he had to battle for playing time with an abundance of talented wings and forwards. In 24 games, he averaged 6.0 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 45 percent from the field.
Expect the former McDonald’s All-American — known for his versatility on both ends — to blossom next year at Oklahoma, where he should have a bigger, more consistent role. It certainly helps that Reid is already familiar with the level of competition in the SEC.
8. Moustapha Thiam, 7-foot-2 center, Cincinnati
Thiam had a very productive freshman campaign at UCF, starting all 34 games and averaging 10.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks (seventh in the nation, first in the Big 12). His 88 total rejections were the second most in a single season in program history.
With his size, athleticism and mobility, the former five-star prospect is already a defensive stud and continues to expand his offensive skill set. After signing a solid transfer class, Cincinnati is aiming to end a six-year NCAA Tournament drought. Thiam’s development will be a crucial factor in whether or not that happens.
9. Jalil Bethea, 6-foot-5 guard, Alabama
Expectations were sky high for Bethea coming out of Archbishop Wood High School, where he was a McDonald’s All-American and the 2023-24 Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year. But the Hurricanes had a disastrous 2024-25 season, going 7-24 and finishing last in the ACC after coach Jim Larranaga’s resignation in December. Bethea averaged 7.1 points on just 36.8 percent shooting.
Alabama is an ideal fit for the former five-star recruit. With his athleticism and impressive scoring ability, Bethea has the tools to thrive in Nate Oats’ system. The Tide are returning guards Labaron Philon, Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and Aden Holloway, but Bethea should still play a significant role with Mark Sears and Chris Youngblood gone.
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10. Jacob Cofie, 6-foot-10 forward, USC
USC had to rebuild most of his roster this offseason. Cofie was one of the major additions to the frontcourt. As a freshman at Virginia, the 2023-24 Washington Gatorade Player of the Year started 16 of 32 games, averaging 7.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals.
The signings of Rodney Rice and Chad Baker-Mazara grabbed the headlines, but Cofie could be the X-factor for the Trojans. The 19-year-old has great mobility for his size and can operate both inside and out. He’ll slot into the starting lineup and should fill the stat sheet for coach Eric Musselman.
