"After years of high school players playing overseas or for the G League or Overtime Elite as they developed their skills for the NBA, college basketball has again emerged with a monopoly on these first-year talents. The numbers prove it: Eighteen freshmen were selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft, and 17 are projected to go in the first round of ESPN's latest 2026 mock draft."
"The conversation about the top NBA prospects will persist, but this ranking aims to answer a different question: Who is the best freshman in America? That answer probably will change throughout the season, and players on the list now might not be on it in a month or two. For now, what follows is the top 10 best freshmen in the country through the first 16 days of the season."
College basketball regained dominance as the primary developmental path for elite freshmen, with 18 freshmen taken in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft and 17 projected as first-rounders in ESPN's 2026 mock draft. The 2025-26 class includes many decorated freshmen with traits of future stars, creating a highly competitive race for top freshman honors. Cooper Flagg emerged early as a top prospect, and anticipated candidates include other high-profile recruits. A Freshman of the Year tracker will update every other Wednesday. Freshmen must play in at least 50% of team games to be considered; injured players are excluded until healthy.
Read at ESPN.com
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