Ranking Top 10 best players in East Region of 2025 NCAA Tournament

As the 2025 NCAA Tournament gets under way there are plenty storylines waiting to emerge. Plenty players across the bracket will look to join the elite group of players who have attached their name to March Madness forever with magical runs through the field.

Each region is loaded with talent, but not every player with great stats is necessarily a household name entering March. This is the opportunity for players to show their skillset in front of the world.

Listed below are the Top 10 players in the East Region of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, plus five honorable mentions who were just too good to leave off completely. The list is not complete, with plenty of cuts made which could prove valuable in March Madness, but still offers a glimpse at who to watch.

1 Cooper Flagg (Duke)

2024-25 stats: 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists

Cooper Flagg is not only in a close race for National Player of the Year honors, he is also the runaway favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft. He has established himself as one of the most versatile and impactful players in college basketball, stepping up in the biggest moments down the stretch. The only issue for Flagg is health, as he nurses an ankle injury through the early stages of March Madness.

2 Mark Sears (Alabama)

2024-25 stats: 18.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.9 assists

Mark Sears returned to Alabama with All-American honors already under his belt, looking to further grow his game and lead the Crimson Tide to big success. He has lived up to nearly all those goals, even with a few ups and downs along the way. Sears is among the best point guards in the game with plenty track record delivering in big moments.

3 John Tonje (Wisconsin)

2024-25 stats: 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists

John Tonje has found the perfect home at Wisconsin, becoming one of the top scorers in college basketball this season in the radically changed offensive scheme. The Badgers have leaned on his ability to create baskets for himself all season with great results. Now, Tonje has the chance to build draft stock and write his name in the history books with a big March Madness run.

4 Caleb Love (Arizona)

2024-25 stats: 16.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists

Caleb Love has been a staple of college basketball postseasons through recent memory, continually getting the ball in the biggest moments with a mixed bad of results. However, through that, he has cemented his legacy with the highlights of the run. In his final NCAA Tournament run, how many big moments he can produce remains to be seen.

5 Kon Knueppel (Duke)

2024-25 stats: 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists

Kon Knueppel has stepped into the secondary scoring role at Duke better than anyone could have anticipated entering the year. Willing to compete on defense and an excellent floor spacer, he is the perfect complement that the Blue Devils need. With multiple teammates battling injuries, March Madness could be his chance to reach yet another level.

6 Labaron Philon (Alabama)

2024-25 stats: 10.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists

Labaron Philon arrived at Alabama and immediately let it be known that he was ready to make an impact. Throughout the season, he has shown his toughness and athleticism perfectly complement the veterans in the Crimson Tide lineup while showing bursts of star power.

7 Richie Saunders (BYU)

2024-25 stats: 16.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists

Richie Saunders has become the stable force which drives BYU through their strong close to the season. He knocks down perimeter shots at a high level and showcases a consistency on the offensive end which places a high floor on his team’s result.

8 VJ Edgecombe (Baylor)

2024-25 stats: 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists

VJ Edgecombe continues to emerge as a high-level NBA Draft prospect in his freshman season, showcasing scoring ability from the wing. The consistency across multiple games will determine how much his March Madness legacy can grow.

9 Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State)

2024-25 stats: 18.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists

Josh Hubbard is one of the best scoring guards in college basketball this season, creating shots for himself as an undersized point guard in the SEC. His exciting style will certainly draw in fans catching him play for the first time in the NCAA Tournament.

10 Max Shulga (VCU)

2024-25 stats: 15.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists

Max Shulga has quietly been one of the best players in college basketball all season, performing well in the Atlantic 10 for VCU. Now on college basketball’s biggest stage, he gets the opportunity to showcase his skills on both ends of the floor to a bigger audience.

Honorable Mentions: Nate Bittle, Egor Demin, John Blackwell, Augustas Marciulionis, Tyrese Proctor.