What initially looked like one of the best freshman classes in the history of college basketball is living up to the hype, with first-year players continuing to star in the biggest games after a hot start to the season.
One freshman you won't find in these rankings is Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. ESPN's projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft opened his college career with back-to-back 20-point games, against Green Bay and North Carolina, before missing the next seven contests with a hamstring injury. Jayhawks coach Bill Self said Peterson is "very close" to a return, but in order to be eligible for this list, a player needs to suit up in 50% or more of his team's games.