Nine out of the 10 top draft picks in the 2026 NBA Draft were One and Done freshmen.
For one season, those elite hoopers flashed their skills in front of college crowds. The moment is fleeting, but these teen stars make the most of it.
So, who will be this season’s AJ Dybantsa? This year’s Cameron Boozer? Morez Johnson Jr.?
Going back further, is there a Carmelo Anthony or an Anthony Davis in this group of freshmen?Is there anyone who will not only put up gaudy statistics, but also lead their team to the promised land in Year 1?
These are the 5 College Hoops Freshmen Set to Dominate the NCAA in 2026-27.
Bruce Branch, BYU
Branch is another potential top 5 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft. His defense is already NBA-ready as he thrives on that end of the floor with a 7-foot-1 wingspan.
Branch fills the shoes at BYU left behind by AJ Dybantsa.
BYU head coach Kevin Young did a tremendous job of building up Dybantsa’s stock last season in Dybantsa’s lone season at BYU. It resulted in Dybantsa leading the nation in scoring at 25.5 points per game and eventually becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
A big part of the reason as to why Branch chose BYU was the belief that Young, a former NBA assistant coach with the 76ers and Suns, could get him NBA-ready and boost his NBA stock.
“Something I love about Bruce is his ability in what it takes to win, and not just shoot the basketball … His ability to affect the game in a lot of different ways really stood out,” BYU head coach Kevin Young said on the BYU Sports podcast, “The Y’s Guys” this past summer.
Branch was a key contributor in BYU’s opening night win over Ohio State on November 2, 2026, finishing with 10 points.
Jordan Smith Jr., Arkansas
Smith Jr. is a projected top 5 NBA pick in 2027. He will build his resume this season under the tutelage of John Calipari, whose Razorbacks are currently ranked No. 12 in the AP Top 25.
Smith Jr. figures to be in the mix for the SEC Freshman of the Year award this season.
Wearing No. 23, Smith Jr. did not disappoint in his Razorbacks debut as he tallied 20 points in 28 minutes against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Smith Jr. is noted for his tremendous defensive abilities, to go along with a sound offensive game.
The 6-foot-2 guard was the 2026 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year and has done a ton of winning in recent years. Calipari says that Smith Jr.’s winning mentality has carried over in his young collegiate career.
“[Smith Jr.] has kind of done what Brandon Knight did when we got him to Kentucky,” Calipari told 247Sports in October. “He started changing the culture of how we would do things. We had good players, but he kind of changed it to make it about everything. [Smith Jr.] brings in a competitive spirit that’s not normal.”
Caleb Holt, Arizona
Tommy Lloyd will look to his freshman guard to fill the backcourt shoes left behind by Brayden Burries. A superb defender with tremendous leaping ability, Holt is poised to make an immediate impact in Tucson.
Holt has drawn comparisons to defensive wizards like Marcus Smart and Jrue Holiday.
The Alabama native is 6-foot-5 with a 6’9.5 wingspan and is a tremendous downhill attacker. He is rugged and plays through contact.
Reporter Chancellor Johnson spoke with Lloyd last month about Holt, asking the Wildcats coach what they were feeding Holt. “Sometimes they come baked like that,” Lloyd joked. “Caleb does a great job. For all the effort and energy he plays with that maybe people recognize, this guy’s a worker. This guy spends time on all aspects [of his game]. I’ve watched him recently figure out his own kind of warm-up routine with stretching, which is really cool for a young guy to do. This guy’s into whatever it takes to get better. And he does have a growth mindset, which is something we really value.”
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, Duke
Duke opens the season ranked No. 1 in college basketball. The Blue Devils’ top player might just be a 17-year-old.
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje is already doing work on the collegiate level, as he finished with 15 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocked shots in his Duke debut, an 84-50 Blue Devils win over Army.
He won’t be eligible to be in the 2027 NBA Draft due to his age, so we could see Boumtje Boumtje dominate NCAA hoops for two seasons. Boumtje Boumtje is noticeable not just for his 7-foot-2, 250-pound build, but also his lefty shooting release. His father is Ruben Boumtje Boumtje, who played at Georgetown from 1997-2001.
Boumtje Boumtje was born in May 2009, which makes him the youngest player in Division 1 college hoops. He moved to Spain at the age of 14 and played for FC Barcelona before landing at Duke.
Boumtje Boumtje’s player comp is most often Karl-Anthony Towns of the Knicks, as Boumtje Boumtje is a fluid big man who can pound it inside and also drain it from deep.
Tyran Stokes, Kansas
At 6-foot-9 inches, 230 pounds, Stokes will look like a man amongst boys on many nights this college hoops season. The Kansas wing is projected as the top overall pick in the 2027 NBA Draft, and Stokes will have many opportunities to showcase his skills on national TV over the next four months, while playing for the high-profile Jayhawks.
Stokes covers a ton of ground whenever he’s on the court, on both the offensive and defensive ends. He has tremendous athleticism for his size and is explosive in the open floor.
Stokes’ collegiate career got off to a strong start when he put up 15 points and 7 rebounds in a 95-65 Jayhawks win over Fordham on November 2. In an October exhibition against Duke, he registered 27 points.
Stokes’ game is often compared to Jayson Tatum’s, as Stokes routinely uses his strength to get to the rim and draw fouls.
