Selection Sunday has come and gone, so the NCAA Tournament field is officially set. March Madness is when players become stars, and every year, big-name players step up at the biggest moments while little-known players become national treasures with great but often surprising performances. Predicting a player to break out in March is hard. For example, nobody knew much about Jack Gohlke before he became a March Madness darling last year. Still, there are some known commodities who are expected to thrive in the Big Dance this year, so we are going to list 25 players who will define the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Cooper Flagg, Duke
The biggest question mark in March is the health of Cooper Flagg. The freshman and future number-one overall pick was the best player in the nation all season long, but he sprained his ankle in the ACC Tournament. Reports indicate that Flagg won’t miss any action in the Big Dance, but you have to assume that the injury might limit the talented player some. If Flagg is at full strength, though, he is the type of player who can lead his team to championship glory despite his status as a freshman.
Kyler Filewich, Wofford
The 2025 NCAA Tournament will feature a Granny-style shooter. Kyler Filewich of Wofford shoots his free throws underhanded, and he is sure to become a March Madness darling because of it. The big man still doesn’t shoot effectively from the charity stripe (31.8%), but he is pretty darn good everywhere else.
Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga
Ryan Nembhard leads the nation in assists per game. He dishes out 9.8 assists on average for a Gonzaga team that is always a threat in March. Nembhard has a number of passing records to his name, including the single-season WCC and Gonzaga assists records.
Braden Smith, Purdue
Another master of the assist, Braden Smith, trails only Nembhard in NCAA-DI assists per game (8.7). Purdue made the national championship game with Smith as their second best player last season. They aren’t quite the same team without Zach Edey, but Smith has kept the team afloat.
Johni Broome, Auburn
Cooper Flagg spent most of the year as the Wooden Award favorite, but Johni Broome still has a chance to be named the most outstanding player in college basketball. Broome leads an Auburn team that spent more time than any other team as the top-ranked squad in college basketball. Broome is arguably the best rebounder and shot-blocker in the nation.
Mark Sears, Alabama
Alabama has the top-scoring offense in the nation. Mark Sears is the player who leads the way in that regard. While he has been less efficient than normal, he is still an 18.7 point-per-game scorer. Sears’ recent game-winner in the Iron Bowl demonstrates just how deadly he is as a scorer.
Walter Clayton, Florida
Walter Clayton fires up shots from beyond the arc and hits them at an efficient rate. Clayton scored 33 points and nearly had a game-winner in Florida’s NCAA Tournament loss last season. He is the type of dynamic scorer who should thrive in March.
RJ Luis Jr., St. John’s
Rick Pitino is back leading a team in March Madness. With elite defensive play but suspect shooting, his St. John’s squad is eerily similar to the Final Four Louisville teams that Pitino coached to the Final Four. RJ Luis Jr. is the team’s best player. He carries the scoring burden as an 18.4 point-per-game scorer.
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
Dalton Knecht became one of the best players in the nation after transferring to Tennessee last year. The Volunteers again struck gold in the transfer portal. Chaz Lanier spent his first four seasons at North Florida, but he has been a beast in Knoxville this season. Lanier is one of the best three-point shooters in college basketball.
V.J. Edgecombe, Baylor
With Rutgers not making the NCAA Tournament, and Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper’s seasons ending because of it, V.J. Edgecomb is arguably the best draft prospect other than Flagg who will be playing in the Big Dance. The number two pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is up for grabs, and Edgecombe will have a chance to earn that draft slot in March.
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
This has been somewhat of a disappointing season for Hunter Dickinson and Kansas. That doesn’t mean that the center isn’t still one of the best players in the nation, though. The multi-time All-American is a double-double machine. Kansas was the number-one team in the nation before the season started. Dickinson could lead the Jayhawks on a run that allows the team to live up to those early-season expectations.
Bennett Stirtz, Drake
Bennett Stirtz does everything for Drake, and he doesn’t come out of the game. Stirtz played 39.3 minutes per game for the team, and he led the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring (19.1) and steals (2.2). His 5.7 assists per game were the second most in the conference, too. Obviously, he was named the player of the year in the conference.
PJ Haggerty, Memphis
Tyrese Hunter might be unavailable for the NCAA Tournament. That will make PJ Haggerty all the more important for Memphis. The former Tulsa star is more than capable of carrying his team to victory if his backcourt running mate is unable to go.
Kameron Jones, Marquette
Kameron Jones took on more primary ball-handling duties this year, and the transition has paid off for Marquette. Jones improved his assist numbers from 2.4 to 5.9 this season, all while improving as a scorer, too (19.3 points per game). Jones boxes, he is known for fashion, and he does podcasting, but he certainly thrives most on the hardwood.
LJ Cryer, Houston
LJ Cryer has plenty of March Madness experience. He won the title as a freshman at Baylor, and he led Houston to being a one-seed last year. Houston is again a one-seed, but they will hope to make it further than the Sweet 16 round in which they were eliminated last season. Cryer averaged about 15 points per game while leading his conference in three-point percentage for the third straight season.
Money Williams, Montana
Money Williams has dealt with tragedy during his college basketball career, but he has persevered nonetheless. His father passed away while he was playing a game in 2023, and Williams was forced to take a leave of absence when his mother died in 2024. That forced him into becoming the primary caregiver for his younger siblings. On the court, Williams is an absolute bucket-getter who can put up a monster stat line at any given time. He has a standout name to boot.
Tre Johnson, Texas
Texas will have to play in the First Four before making the field of 64. Tre Johnson is one of the best freshmen in the nation and can certainly lead the team to some NCAA Tournament victories, though. The future lottery pick is averaging 19.8 points per game for the Longhorns.
JT Toppin, Texas Tech
JT Toppin might not be the household name that Flagg, Broome, or Dickinson are, but he belongs in any conversation with those players as one of the best hoopers in the nation. The former Mountain West Freshman of the Year has taken his game to new heights for Texas Tech.
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M
Wade Taylor IV has not been as dominant as a scorer as he was last season. He is down to 15.7 points per game from 19.1 last year. Still, he can get hot at any given time, evidenced by his 29-point performance in Texas A&M’s lone SEC Tournament game.
Richie Saunders, BYU
BYU burst onto the scene late this year with Richie Saunders leading the way. The Cougars might be best known right now for landing projected 2026 first-overall pick AJ Dybantsa, but they can make a run during March Madness this year before they officially bring in the top-ranked recruit.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Ryan Kalkbrenner was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year not once, not twice, not three times, but in four seasons. He ties Patrick Ewing for that feat in that respected basketball conference. The big man is an elite shot blocker, but he has scored at an impressive rate this season, too (19.4 points per game).
Nique Clifford, CSU
Nique Clifford and his Colorado State Rams got hot at the right time. Clifford averaged 25 points per game in the Mountain West Tournament en route to clinching an automatic bid, and his team has won 10 straight. Their championship game against Boise State was likely an elimination game for making the Big Dance, and Clifford proved that his team belongs. CSU is only a 12 seed, but if Clifford’s hot streak continues, then CSU could pull of an upset or two.
John Tonje, Wisconsin
In his sixth season and on his third team, John Tonje has really burst onto the scene with Wisconsin this year. Tonje is averaging 19.5 points per game.
Caleb Love, Arizona
A fifth-year senior who started his career at UNC, Caleb Love has one more chance to bring home the gold. Love is a volume scorer who has made it to the national championship game before. The guard is averaging 16.6 points per game. Love’s numbers and efficiency are down this year, but he can certainly step up when the lights are bright.
Alex Karaban, UConn
All Alex Karaban knows is winning. He won the national championship in both of the last two seasons with UConn. UCLA, in the ’60s/’70s, is the only team that has ever three-peated before (they won seven championships in a row), but UConn knows how to win in the postseason. Karaban is certainly one of the best players in March Madness this year.
Khaman Maluach, Duke
If Cooper Flagg is not healthy for the NCAA Tournament, then it will be Khaman Maluach’s time to shine. The 7’2 big man is somewhat raw, but he is still a freak of nature and has flashed star potential. He could be too physically dominant for his opponents in March.
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