If you dig hard enough through the rosters of the 360-some Division I men’s basketball teams, you’ll still be able to find a few players who’ve been old enough to buy their own beer for several years. This is especially true with some coming into the game from European club teams or – duck! – the G League Ignite program.
The age of the “COVID year” is pretty much over, though.
Isn’t that a great time for the best freshman class in nearly 20 years to come along?
The Class of 2025 can ball, and you may expect to see that all across the college regular season and the 2026 edition of March Madness. The group that largely was responsible for the United States winning the FIBA U-19 World Cup now is here to conquer NCAA Division I, or at least some large portion. And by the end of the season, you can expect to see several freshmen on the 15-member All-America team selected by AllSportsPeople.
Just as, before they’ve played a game that counts, you are seeing them on our preseason All-America squad.
MORE: AllSportsPeople preseason Top 25
AllSportsPeople Preseason First-Team All-Americans
Braden Smith, PG, Purdue
Last year’s stats: 15.8 ppg, 8.7 apg, 2.2 spg,.381 3-PT
Why he’s here: Smith is on the precipice of establishing himself as one of the great point guards in college basketball history, up there with Jameer Nelson, Bobby Hurley, Phil Ford and the very short list of all-time greats. All he needs to do to reside there, really, is approximate his junior season performance. If you think that’s his goal, you’ve never watched him play. Because the competitive fire that’s made him great through three seasons with the Boilers, that included two Big Ten regular-season titles and a trip to the 2024 Final Four, is going to drive him toward trying to return to that stage, which will be established just 67 miles from the Purdue campus, just 20 miles from his home in Westfield, Ind. What a dream finish that would be, right?
MORE: Bobby Hurley on Braden Smith's path to his NCAA assist record
JT Toppin, PF, Texas Tech
Last year’s stats: 18.2 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 1.5 bpg,.554 FG
Why he’s here: Toppin has accomplished so much it seems impossible he only has played two seasons to date. His excellence as a freshman was an essential ingredient to New Mexico’s run to the Mountain West tournament title in 2024, and last year he averaged 19.3 points, 11 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in Tech’s run to the NCAA Elite Eight. Toppin may not yet be the model of the modern power forward, which requires a greater command of long-distance shooting. But he’s been working on that part of his game, and his 2-of-3 performance in the narrow regional final loss to Florida suggests he’s getting there. Toppin has the goods to establish himself as the top candidate for national player of the year.
Otega Oweh, SF, Kentucky
Last year’s stats: 16.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.6 spg,.492 FG
Why he’s here: Oweh’s return to play his senior season at Kentucky is one of the biggest reasons the Wildcats are Final Four contenders. They needed someone around whom to build an offense, and while it will be a challenge to become a 20-point scorer, he has the ability and temperament to handle the step up to No. 1 option. He knows what it’s like to lead Kentucky in shots, but that was at 11.5 per game in a very balanced attack. This team will thrive if he can manage 13 to 15 attempts per game with the same efficiency he delivered for last season’s Sweet 16 team.
Darryn Peterson, PG, Kansas
Last year’s stats: 30.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 7.4 apg*
Why he’s here: You will find Peterson’s name across the top of many 2026 NBA mock drafts, if you’re inclined to search for such things. He played a highly competitive high school schedule at Prolific Prep in California and demonstrated his ability to contribute everything expected of a playmaking guard: passing, shot-making, defense. He does not have elite vision, but he makes the ideal pass and performs unselfishly Perhaps the most consistent element of Bill Self’s player development has been the success of the point guard: Mario Chalmers, Frank Mason, Devonte’ Graham. He knows what to do when he’s got a guy like this: Give him the ball, give him proper instruction, let him do his thing.
AJ Dybantsa, SF, BYU
Last year’s stats: 21.5 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 3.2 apg*
Why he’s here: Dybantsa is so good that even when he’s not at the very pinnacle of his game, he still looks like the best player on the floor. At the U19 Worlds, for instance, he did not lead the U.S. Squad in scoring, rebounding or assists. He did not lead in plus/minus. He ranked only third on the team in shot attempts. And still he was chosen as tournament MVP, because when he was on the floor, opponents mostly were overwhelmed. Dybantsa needs to show he can make 3-pointers to truly reach greatness, but his dynamism and versatility are unmatched among this season’s player pool. BYU is a threat to reach its first-ever Final Four because he agreed to join the Cougars.
AllSportsPeople Preseason Second-Team All-Americans
Yaxel Lendeborg, PF, Michigan
Last year’s stats: 17.7 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 1.8 bpg,.522 FG
Why he’s here: Given his presence on this list – at this level of this list – it’s fair to say Lendeborg was the biggest prize available in the NCAA transfer portal. His decision to leave UAB was logical; there was more money and a bigger platform available at Michigan than there had been at UAB. He is a versatile power player who dominates as a rebounder and, along with 7-3 center Aday Mara, will make getting a clean shot inside against the Wolverines absurdly difficult. He’s also an effective jumpshooter who hit 25 times from 3-point range last season, which will make designing an offense to accommodate the two big men more plausible.
Donovan Dent, PG, UCLA
Last year’s stats: 20.4 ppg, 6.4 apg,.409 3-PT
Why he’s here: Transferring in from New Mexico, Dent gives the Bruins the playmaker they’ve lacked for the past two seasons. He ranked in the top 25 in offensive rating at KenPom.com last season and was responsible for a minimum of 43 percent of the Lobos points as they won 27 games and the regular-season Mountain West championship. He’s a dynamic point guard who drove it well enough to earn 227 free throws and shoot.502 on 2-point attempts. To become truly great, he’ll need to trust himself more as a 3-point shooter; he made only 27 last season, despite his outstanding percentage.
Milos Uzan, PG, Houston
Last year’s stats: 11.4 ppg, 4.3 apg,.428 3-PT
Why he’s here: Transferring from Oklahoma gave Uzan the opportunity to compete on college basketball’s biggest stage: the Final Four. Returning to Houston rather than heading to the NBA provides the chance to earn All-America honors and perhaps to win one more game than a year ago. Uzan will be counted on even more for his offense than a year ago, with the frontcourt significantly younger (although much more talented) and his experience a valuable asset. He made 62 threes last season, but only one in UH’s last three games. There’s still better basketball in him.
Cameron Boozer, PF, Duke
Last year’s stats: 21.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 3.5 apg*
Why he’s here: Boozer frequently is referenced as the most accomplished high school player, ever, which tells us he is an amazing prospect and also that Lew Alcindor (later to become Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) came along before there was a Gatorade Player of the Year, a McDonald’s All-America game, a Nike Hoop Summit, a FIBA U17 World Cup or Chipotle Nationals. Boozer won all those awards and tournaments. He’s a polished prospect who’ll contribute in all phases for the Blue Devils. If he’s not on the SN All-America second team at the end of the season, it’ll most likely be because he’s a first-teamer.
Mikel Brown, PG, Louisville
Last year’s stats: 29.6 ppg, 2.7 apg*
Why he’s here: Brown was the true most valuable player for the United States at the FIBA U19 World Cup, showing off audacious shooting range and the opportunity to involve his talented teammates with 6.1 assists per game. He has, at 6-5, ideal size for the modern point guard. He’ll need to show he can compete physically with older, stronger guards. That’s why colleges have weight rooms.
AllSportsPeople Preseason Third-Team All-Americans
Zuby Ejiofor, C, St. John’s
Last year’s stats: 14.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.4 bpg,.577 FG
Trey Kaufman-Renn, PF, Purdue
Last year’s stats: 20.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg,.595 FG
Tahaad Pettiford, PG, Auburn
Last year’s stats: 11.6 ppg, 3.0 apg
Alex Karaban, PF, Connecticut
Last year’s stats: 12.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg,.375 3-PT
Graham Ike, PF, Gonzaga
Last year’s stats: 17.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg,.598 FG,.805 FT