Perhaps it was fitting that a historically great freshman class -- one compared favorably to those that arrived in college basketball in 1979 and 1995 and 2007 – came along just before the NCAA and its membership decided to make this sport officially an old man’s game.
It’ll be harder each year in the future for freshmen to make an impact, because there will be more fifth-year players and fewer opportunities.
In June, the NCAA announced that in all future athletic seasons, starting with the group that entered college in 2023 and now would be academic seniors, players would be allowed to compete for five years. That led to the group that entered in 2022 heading to court to gain their own opportunities to play five seasons.
So there’s only one freshman on this year’s Sporting News Preseason All-America team, which is the product of greater competition and a less promising crop of newcomers. Last year, there were six players among the 15 on the final SN All-America squad, three of them on the first team.
There are two fifth-year players on the three teams, and there are a number of fourth-year seniors who would have been NBA Draft entrants if they’d come along a decade ago. They’ll make the college game better. (And tougher on the kids.)
MORE: SN's college basketball Top 25 rankings
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Sporting News Preseason College Basketball All-America Team
First team
John Blackwell, SG, Duke
Last year’s stats: 19.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, .389 3-PT
Why he’s here: If we were to rank the Blue Devils roster in terms of raw talent, Blackwell would be fortunate to crack the top three. But this is not an NBA mock draft. Teams need those NBA guys to win the NCAA Championship, which no doubt is Duke’s ultimate goal in this (or any) season, but we’ve seen such college stars as Miles Simon (Arizona, 1997), Russ Smith (Louisville, 2013) and Joel Berry (North Carolina, 2017) carry their teams to the trophy. Blackwell should be the most reliable offensive asset for a deep and gifted Devils squad. And his versatility and confidence will empower those Duke players who’ve either not yet experienced Division I or not yet been presented with substantial responsibility.
Jeremy Fears, PG, Michigan State
Last year’s stats: 15.2 ppg, 9.4 apg, 1.3 spg
Why he’s here: Fears was so productive as a passer last season, he reduced the most prolific passer in the history of college basketball to second in his league and, of course, all of NCAA Division I. Fears’ assist average was 7 percent better than Purdue’s Braden Smith, even though Smith ended the season (and his time with the Boilers) ahead of Chris Corchiani, Ed Cota and Bobby Hurley as the NCAA’s career leader in total assists. And Fears didn’t even have a Trey Kaufman-Renn or Zach Edey as a target; Fears was nearly three points ahead of the next highest-scoring Spartan. That’s how important he is to the Spartans’ success. He should have more offensive help this season, as wing Jordan Scott progresses and Coen Carr works to become more than college basketball’s best dunker. Although his outside shooting still needs to be improved, Fears already has established himself as a worthy member of the great line of Tom Izzo point guards, starting with Mateen Cleaves and continuing with Kalin Lucas and Cassius Winston. All of them reached the Final Four at least once, though. That’s another frontier for Fears to conquer.
Thomas Haugh, SF, Florida
Last year’s stats: 17.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, .460 FG
Why he’s here: When Florida’s frontcourt tandem of Rueben Chinyelu and Alex Condon chose to return for the 2025-26 season, there was only one path for Haugh to enter the starting lineup: a fulltime shift to the small forward position. That ran counter to the trend in the sport, but his success last year was a huge part of launching a new approach: Bigger can be better. Haugh made some of the biggest plays in the Gators’ 2025 championship run, but as a starter he delivered consistently, including five games of 20 or more points in the 10-game winning streak that closed UF’s SEC regular season. The next step is becoming a more efficient 3-point shooter.
Milan Momcilovic, SF, Kentucky
Last year’s stats: 16.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, .506 FG, .487 3-PT
Why he’s here: It’s tempting to suggest Momcilovic is the best-shooting big man to play Division I basketball, but that might be too limiting. His 3-point percentage for 2025-26 ranks No. 33 among all players through the four decades of college hoops’ 3-point era – but none of those ahead of him hit as many deep shots as Momcilovic’s 136. The closest was All-American guard Salim Stoudamire of Arizona, who shot .504 on 120 makes in 2004-05. As Kentucky continues to incorporate all Momcilovic can do as an offensive player – guarding him off a properly established ball screen sometimes appears impossible – he could become a favorite of the Rupp Arena crowd.
Tyler Tanner, PG, Vanderbilt
Last year’s stats: 19.5 ppg, 5.1 apg, 2.4 spg, .485 FG
Why he’s here: Tanner was ranked only No. 158 by 247 Sports as a prospect in the class of 2024, but his offensive excellence as a sophomore elevated Vanderbilt to heights it hadn’t experienced in more than 15 years. The Commodores defeated regular-season champ Florida in the SEC Tournament and approached the school record for victories set in 1993. For someone listed at only 6-0, 170 pounds, he was a tough rebounder (3.6 per game) and an amazing finisher (.547 on 2-pointers). He averaged 26.5 points in the team’s two NCAA Tournament games. He’s got a younger team around him now, so Tanner might need to do even more for Vandy in 2026-27.
Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
Second team
Mo Krivas, C, Arizona
Last year’s stats: 10.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.9 bpg, .569 FG
Why he’s here: A year ago, Krivas was among Arizona’s most indispensable players, but his scoring opportunities were limited because of the abundance of talent surrounding him. Now, the Wildcats will need greater contributions from him around the rim, and the question they’ll face is whether they have the ideal players to get him the ball. Point guard Jaden Bradley was Big 12 Player of the Year in 2025-26 for a reason; is there a replacement available to feed Krivas on a regular basis? Because he’ll do good things with it if his teammates get him the ball.
David Mirkovic, PF, Illinois
Last year’s stats: 13.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.6 apg, .569 FG, .375 3-PT
Why he’s here: Mirkovic ought to have enjoyed the heck out of the offseason. He didn’t have to fight for his eligibility because he has played only one season for the Illini. He was coming off a Final Four season. But then came foot surgery and a recovery process that seemed in no hurry to end, followed by an emergency appendectomy on Halloween that was no treat. In the past, such players as Jacque Vaughn, Mateen Cleaves and Greg Oden missed large portions of seasons in which they still managed to achieve All-America honors; but none was a first-teamer, and all likely would have been if they played the whole year.
Braylon Mullins, G, Connecticut
Last year’s stats: 12.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.0 spg, .889 FT
Why he’s here: The Huskies have a number of terrific players, but if they’re to be as good as they wish to be – as good as they usually are under Dan Hurley – their most talented player is going to have to be more than a one-hit wonder. No UConn fan ever will forget that miraculous shot Mullins made to launch his team beyond No. 1 seed Duke and into the Final Four. But now there needs to be a consistency to his availability and his performances. He’s an elite offensive talent. Time to show that on a regular basis.
Pryce Sandfort, SG, Nebraska
Last year’s stats: 18.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.0 apg, .479 FG, .416 3-PT
Why he’s here: Maybe it was the overwhelming competition that kept Sandfort off last season’s All-America teams. Or maybe his performance was so underrated because so many struggled to believe Nebraska could be this good at basketball. The Huskers eventually forced everyone to believe with their 28 wins, runner-up finish in the Big Ten and run to the Sweet 16. And Sandfort was the biggest reason for all that, nailing 129 3-pointers (the No. 2 total in Big Ten history) and hitting the 20-point mark 15 times. No one in college basketball has a quicker release on his jumpshot, which makes closing out to challenge his attempts a chore for even the best defenders.
Tyran Stokes, SF, Kansas
Last year’s stats: 31.0 ppg, 13.0 rpg, 6.0 apg* (High School)
Why he’s here: In a freshman class that is no match for the historically great group that stormed through the college game last winter, Stokes feels like the one can’t-miss prospect to arrive this winter. One of the most appealing elements of his resume was his willingness to function as a role player on the USA Basketball team that won the 2025 FIBA U-19 World Cup. He was one of the youngest players on the roster and, though a true wing, he got most of his minutes as a power forward and performed admirably. Stokes is a sensational rebounder, but also a gifted passer. He need only to prove himself as a shooter to become one of the most coveted NBA Draft prospects.
Third team
Robert Wright III, PG, BYU
Last year’s stats: 18.1 ppg, 4.6 apg, 1.2 spg, .467 FG, .410 3-PT
Flory Bidunga, C, Louisville
Last year’s stats: 13.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.6 bpg, .640 FG
PG Haggerty, SG, Texas A&M
Last year’s stats: 23.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.8 apg, .489 FG
Malik Reneau, PF, Miami
Last year’s stats: 18.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, .540 FG
Markus Burton, PG, Indiana
Last year’s stats: 18.5 ppg, 3.7 apg, 1.2 spg, .489 FG, .917 FT
