Ten Players To Watch During March Madness

March Madness is officially underway as arguably the best three weeks of basketball take over your television. With at least three players who can potentially hear their name called as the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, several impact players, and a handful of Cinderella heroes looking to bust your bracket before the weekend comes to an end, here are ten names that you should know heading into the Big Dance. 

1. Cameron Boozer - Duke Blue Devils (Freshman, Forward)

A contender for not only the Naismith Player of the Year award but also top pick in June’s NBA draft, the ACC Player of the Year puts up 22.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, making Boozer arguably the most complete freshman in college basketball history. The son of a former Duke and NBA All-Star, Boozer is near unstoppable in the post, and more than capable and comfortable taking his game outside. 

2. AJ Dybantsa - BYU Cougars (Freshman, Forward)

Dropping 25.3 points per game, Dybantsa is college basketball's leading scorer and only the third freshman ever to lead all of Division I in scoring. A three-level scoring threat, Dybantsa used this season as a preview for why he should be considered for the first overall pick in the NBA Draft. With star teammate Richie Saunders out with a season-ending ACL tear, Dybantsa has carried an even heavier load for the Cougars. After a strong start to the season, BYU has fallen into a bit of an underdog role entering the tournament and will need an impressive performance from Dybantsa if they are to go on a run. 

3. Yaxel Lendeborg - Michigan Wolverines (Graduate Senior, Forward)

The focal point for a team that some consider to be the best Michigan team in history,  Lendeborg is a First Team All-American who makes Dusty May's Wolverines a success. Michigan enters the tournament with a 31-3 record. As part of one of the more impressive front lines in college basketball alongside Aday Mara and Morez Johnson, Lendeborg is a Swiss Army knife for May’s playbook. If the Wolverines are cutting down the nets in Atlanta, Lendeborg will be the reason why.

4. Darryn Peterson - Kansas Jayhawks (Freshman, Guard)

Yet another name in what analysts call the most hyped freshman draft class since 2007, Peterson rounds out the Boozer–Dybantsa–Peterson trio that will arguably define this year's draft. One of the most talented scorers in the college game, Peterson averaged 19.8 points for the Jayhawks. The biggest issue Kansas has heading into the tournament is whether Peterson will show up, and if so, for how long, as he spent a good chunk of his freshman season sitting on the sidelines with cramping issues and injuries. 

5. Darius Acuff Jr. - Arkansas Razorbacks (Freshman, Guard)

One of the most dynamic guards in the country, Acuff won SEC Player of the Year by doing everything: scoring over 22 points a night, dishing six assists, and grabbing three boards, leading the Razorbacks to a 28-5 record. A dark-horse top-three pick heading into the NBA Draft, Acuff Jr. makes Arkansas a dangerous team over the next three weeks because they have a true star who can take over a game with a combination of playmaking and scoring. 

6. Milan Momcilovic - Iowa State Cyclones (Junior, Forward)

He’s not as well known as others on this list, but Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic is shooting nearly 50% (49.6) from three-point range, a mark only 15 players since 1992 have achieved while taking at least 2.5 threes a game. With six games in which he has shot ten or more threes this season, if Momcilovic goes on one of his shooting streaks, Iowa State becomes genuinely terrifying to defend.

7. Braden Smith - Purdue Boilermakers (Junior, Guard)

Smith enters the tournament one assist shy of tying the all-time career assists record in college basketball history. This record will almost certainly be broken within the first few minutes of Purdue’s game against Queens NC. After a three-game slide at the end of January, Smith helped guide the Boilermakers to the Big Ten Tournament championship over the heavily favored Michigan Wolverines. Falling one game short of the National title in 2024, Smith will be the conductor for the Boilermakers' tournament run. 

8. Alex Karaban -  UConn Huskies (Senior, Forward)

Not since the UCLA dynasty of the 1970s has a team won three NCAA titles in four years; the Huskies are looking to become that team. Karaban is the only member of the Huskies roster outside of the coaching staff who was on the 2023 and 2024 championship teams. Averaging 12.6 points and 5.2 rebounds, Karaban is the team’s third leading scorer and second in rebounds. While he isn’t a statistical leader, the senior big man is the veteran who holds the team together on and off the court. 

9. Brayden Burries - Arizona Wildcats (Freshman, Guard)

Arizona matched Duke's 32-2 record and earned a No. 1 seed in the West, and their freshman is the driving force behind the team’s success. A five-star recruit, Burries is averaging 15.9 points while also grabbing 4.7 rebounds and running offense, handing out 2.5 assists a night. With Arizona a top-five threat on both ends of the floor, Burries gives the Wildcats a superstar capable of carrying them to Indianapolis.

10. Jeremy Fears Jr. - Michigan State Spartans (Junior, Guard)

Smith might soon be the all-time assist leader, but it is Fears who led the nation with 9.2 assists per game. Tom Izzo's Spartans have made 28 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, and Fears, who also leads the team with 15.7 points, is the driving force for Michigan State. His ability to set teammates up and control tempo gives Michigan State a chance to advance deep into the tournament.