Jeff BorzelloCloseJeff BorzelloESPN Staff Writer Basketball recruiting insider. Joined ESPN in 2014. Graduate of University of Delaware.Follow on X and Myron MedcalfCloseMyron MedcalfESPN Staff Writer Covers college basketball Joined ESPN.com in 2011 Graduate of Minnesota State University, MankatoFollow on XMultiple AuthorsMar 18, 2026, 06:45 AM ET
How far can Cam Boozer carry Duke? (1:13)Seth Greenberg discusses how far Cameron Boozer can lead 1-seed Duke in the NCAA tournament. (1:13)
Superstars can carry their teams to a national championship the way Carmelo Anthony did for Syracuse in 2003 and Kemba Walker did for UConn in 2011. NBA draft prospects can raise their stock the way Walter Clayton Jr. did last season, boosting his projection from the second round to the first round after leading Florida to the title.
That’s why we’ve ranked the top 50 players to watch this March Madness not just by who is the most talented. The best of the best — the All-Americans and the future lottery picks — are still at the top. But players’ expected impact on their teams’ trajectory in the tournament also is factored in, meaning talented players who are unlikely to survive more than a game or two were given lower rankings (or left out) in favor of others we expect to make deeper runs.
We also made a point to feature potential first-weekend Cinderella breakout stars on mid-major teams with double-digit seeding who could enter the national spotlight by the end of the week.
Five teams had three players make the cut: Arizona, Florida, Iowa State, Michigan and UConn. And another six teams had two players make the cut: Duke, BYU, Arkansas, Kansas, Tennessee and Louisville.
Davis started his career with stops at Iona then St. John’s, but he didn’t truly find his footing until transferring to Hofstra to play for coach Speedy Claxton. Davis has established himself as one of the premier mid-major scorers in the country, averaging 20.2 points this season while shooting nearly 40% from 3 on 6.0 attempts per game. He is capable of eruption performances, as evidenced by averaging 29.0 points in wins at Pitt and Syracuse in December. — Jeff Borzello
If you’re looking for a player to score 30 or 40 points in a 4-13 matchup, Daniels is your guy. He is fifth in the country in scoring at 23.2 points per game. He put up 41 points in the WAC semifinals and hit the winning shot in the conference title game. He also had 47 points against regular-season league champ Utah Valley earlier this season and put up 31 against Utah in December. Daniels is an absolute bucket-getter. — Borzello
Billy Armstrong captured the Southland tournament title in his first season at the helm — a year after former coach Will Wade achieved the same feat — with the help of Johnson. The redshirt freshman who transferred from Creighton averaged 17.5 points for a Cowboys team that has a similar profile as last season’s squad that reached the second round of the tournament. — Medcalf
Nelson followed coach Bryan Hodgson from Arkansas State to South Florida and became arguably the best mid-major big man in the country. The American Conference player of the year is averaging 15.7 points and 9.6 rebounds while shooting better than 56% from the field. And he hasn’t just racked those numbers up against inferior competition: He registered 25 points and 12 boards at Alabama, 16 points and 12 boards against VCU, and another double-double versus Utah State. — Borzello
Dennis Gates turned to Mitchell throughout Missouri’s campaign in securing another NCAA tournament berth. When his team’s dreams of going dancing needed a boost, Mitchell scored 23 points in a win over Tennessee in February. He had 35 combined points in back-to-back wins over Kentucky and Florida in January too. He has delivered when the Tigers have needed him to. — Medcalf
With Darius Acuff Jr. struggling in the SEC tournament semifinals (7-for-21 shooting), Thomas stepped up to finish with 29 points in the overtime win against Ole Miss. Thomas has had similar performances throughout the season, including 30 points in the regular-season finale at Missouri among his eight games with 20 or more points this season. He also led the SEC with 49% shooting from beyond the arc in conference play. — Medcalf
The Wildcats’ star freshman announced his arrival with a tremendous effort — 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists — in a season-opening win over reigning champion Florida. The 6-foot-8 NBA prospect went on to have an up-and-down season while contending with a lower leg injury and typical freshman growing pains. But since Jan. 1, he has scored 20 or more points in five games, including in his 21-point, six-rebound effort in the Big 12 tournament championship win over Houston. — Medcalf
Dan Hurley has made no secret that Reed’s play could determine UConn’s ceiling. The 6-foot-11 center is averaging career highs in scoring (13.7) and rebounding (8.1), punctuated by huge performances: He had 20 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks against St. John’s; 21 points and nine rebounds against Seton Hall; and 21 points and eight rebounds against BYU. Reed also had four double-doubles over his final six regular-season games. — Borzello
Amid the uncertainty surrounding Darryn Peterson’s freshman season, Bidunga gave Kansas the stability it needed. The Jayhawks were a top-10 defensive team throughout because of Bidunga, one of the most imposing players in the nation at 6-foot-10. The Jayhawks are 19.5 points per 100 possessions better when the sophomore is on the court, per advanced analytics site EvanMiya. He’s averaging 13.5 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. — Medcalf
After Lipsey led Iowa State to a 15-0 start, head coach T.J. Otzelberger declared the Cyclones had the “best point guard in the country.” Lipsey spent the bulk of last season not feeling like himself because of a variety of ailments. Now at 100%, he established career highs in points (13.3) and assists (5.0) this season. He’s also rated as a “very good” defender by Synergy Sports. — Medcalf
As injuries mounted in Lexington, Oweh’s outsized role in the Wildcats’ offense grew until he became the clear alpha in SEC play. He’s averaging 18.2 points on the season, but that increased to more than 21 in SEC play. His downhill driving style is nearly impossible to stop in transition, making him a factor in late-game situations. He has become more dangerous from the perimeter this season, too, averaging 3.6 attempts on 33.6% shooting from 3. — Borzello
Jon Scheyer turned to his bench instead of the portal as he prepared Duke for the departures of Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel. The growth of Evans — from 6.8 to 14.9 points per game with a 39% 3-point shooting rate in ACC play — allowed the Blue Devils to return to the top of college basketball’s hierarchy despite losing two players who are currently competing for NBA Rookie of the Year. — Medcalf
At Indiana, the 6-foot-9 forward had a promising junior season under former head coach Mike Woodson. Now under Jai Lucas at Miami, Reneau has played to his full potential averaging 18.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 59% shooting inside the arc. A string of strong performances from Reneau — 24 points against Louisville, 26 against NC State, 16 against North Carolina — were critical to the Hurricanes earning their first NCAA tournament berth since 2023. — Medcalf
UConn entered last offseason in desperate need of a point guard and landed Demary, who has transformed the Huskies at both ends of the court and made them a Final Four contender again. He’s among the best perimeter defenders in the Big East and has emerged as an excellent distributor, ranking near the top 20 nationally in assists (6.2). His demeanor and improving 3-point shot are true assets against the stiffer defenses of March. — Borzello
Johnson had to find a role with the strongest frontcourt in America, anchored by Mara and Yaxel Lendeborg. That’s no easy task, but the Illinois transfer managed to pull it off. He has made 67% of his shots around the rim and has held opposing players to a 46% clip on the same field goal attempts. That two-way excellence has been a cornerstone for a Michigan team that enters the NCAA tournament with the nation’s best defense. — Medcalf
Conwell is at his fourth school in four years, but he’s finishing his senior season with the best scoring numbers of his career. The Indianapolis native is averaging 18.7 points and really filled up the stat sheet with Mikel Brown Jr. sidelined for the final four games of the season, scoring at least 22 points in three of those four games. If Brown is healthy, Pat Kelsey will have one of the elite offensive backcourts in the country. — Borzello
After Caleb Wilson suffered a left hand fracture that preceded a season-ending injury on his right thumb, Veesaar became the leader of a North Carolina squad that needed one. He has averaged 18.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in the past six games. The Tar Heels have been top 35 in adjusted offensive efficiency in those games, too — far from a collapse with their best player sidelined. — Medcalf
A year ago, Sandfort scored double figures in Iowa’s win over Nebraska in Big Ten tournament. This season, he joined the Cornhuskers, who opened 2025-26 on a 20-0 run. He has started every game of the season for Fred Hoiberg’s squad, making 62% of his shots inside the arc and 40% of his 3-point attempts. His 32-point effort in a Dec. 13 win over Illinois forced any doubters to take Nebraska seriously. — Medcalf
Gillespie moved into a starring role as a senior, and he responded with career highs in scoring (18.0) and assists (5.5) to establish himself as one of the best guards in the SEC. He had a shooting slump from the perimeter late in the season but had 21 points with three 3-pointers in the Vols’ SEC semifinal loss to Vanderbilt, so we’re banking on him finding form in the tournament. — -Borzello
Stirtz’s production hasn’t missed a beat since following coach Ben McCollum from Drake to Iowa. Stirtz is still the same high-usage, uber-productive playmaker he always has been, averaging 20.0 points and 4.5 assists while shooting nearly 38% from 3-point range. He really hit his stride in Big Ten play, scoring 30 points three times over a four-game stretch, and ranking third in scoring during the conference schedule at 22.2 points on 50% shooting from the field. — Borzello