The top 25 players in the 2025 NCAA Tournament

The NCAA Tournament is finally here and the madness is about to begin. As teams are chartering their busses and flights to head to their first-round locations, let’s dive into the top 25 men’s college basketball players in the field of 68.

Auburn’s Johni Broome has been at the top of this list all season. Duke’s Cooper Flagg, who started the year around the top ten, caught fire as the calendar flipped to 2025 and has only gotten better since. As March arrives, these two players are currently in a tier of their own.

However, there are plenty of other players across the NCAA Tournament landscape who are playing at a high level. So let’s break it down – who are the top 25 players in the NCAA Tournament field?

1. F Johni Broome, Auburn

Height/Weight: 6-10/240
Class: Senior
2024-25 Stats: 18.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.3 blocks, 51.3% FG

Auburn got the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and Johni Broome has been the Tigers’ best player all season. The SEC Player of the Year led the league in blocks and rebounds while finishing second in points per game.

2. F Cooper Flagg, Duke

Height/Weight: 6-9/205
Class: Freshman
2024-25 Stats: 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.3 blocks, 1.5 steals, 48.8% FG, 36.8% 3P

Duke flew through the ACC with a 19-1 regular season record and Cooper Flagg played his best basketball in conference play. He scored 20.2 points and shot 42.3 percent from three in conference play. Flagg is leading Duke currently in all five major counting stats. Flagg missed the final two games of the ACC Tournament with an ankle injury.

3. G Walter Clayton, Florida

Height/Weight: 6-3/195
Class: Senior
2024-25 Stats: 17.5 points, 3.8 rebounds. 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 37.7% 3P

It is Walter Clayton’s steady hand at the point of attack that had Florida crowned SEC Tournament champions with the Gators winning 11 of their last 12. Clayton averaged 20.7 and 4.7 assists while shooting 13-26 from three. Florida is playing as well as any team in the country heading into the NCAA Tournament and Clayton is the catalyst.

4. G PJ Haggerty, Memphis

Height/Weight: 6-3/195
Class: Sophomore
2024-25 Stats: 21.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.8 steals, 48.4% FG. 38.4% 3P

PJ Haggerty’s 21.8 points per game is third this season in NCAA D-I basketball. Against NCAA Tournament teams this season, the AAC Player of the Year had 25 against Missouri, 22 against UConn, 16 against Michigan State, 27 against Auburn, 12 against Clemson, 27 against Mississippi State, and 17 against Ole Miss. Behind Haggerty, Memphis finished 16-2 in league play.

5. G Braden Smith, Purdue

Height/Weight: 6-0/180
Class: Junior
2024-25 Stats: 16.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 2.2 steals, 38.4% 3P

Braden Smith has started 107 games at Purdue and has a career 85-22 record including going 5-2 in the NCAA Tournament. This season was year one post-Zach Edey, and Smith did all he could to fill the void. The Big Ten Player of the Year led the league in assists and finished second in steals. He recorded nine double-doubles on the season.

6. G Tre Johnson, Texas

Height/Weight: 6-6/’190
Class: Freshman
2024-25 Stats: 19.8 points, 3.0 rebounds. 2.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 39.2% 3P

The SEC Rookie of the Year also finished 2nd-Team All-SEC this season after leading the conference in scoring. Tre Johnson is a long-armed iso-scorer, able to self-create space in the half-court, scoring at each level. He led the conference in minutes per game and the 6-foot-6 freshman finished third in points produced.

7. F JT Toppin, Texas Tech

Height/Weight: 6-9/225
Class: Sophomore
2024-25 Stats: 18.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.3 blocks, 54.8% FG

JT Toppin earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors after leading the league in rebounds and finishing third in points per game. The 6-foot-9 transfer from New Mexico is playing his best basketball heading into the NCAA Tournament, averaging 22.6 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks over his last five games. The lefty forward led the conference in usage, player efficiency, and win shares per 40 this season.

8. C Hunter Dickinson, Kansas

Height/Weight: 7-1/265
Class: Senior
2024-25 Stats: 17.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 blocks, 53.2% FG

Hunter Dickinson earned 1st-Team All-Big 12 honors for the second consecutive season. He heads into the 2025 NCAA Tournament with 2,789 career points scored, 22nd on the men’s D-I college basketball all-time list. He led the Big 12 in rebounds per game and field goals made this season. Despite Kansas not having the season they wanted, Dickinson has been a stalwart on the block for the Jayhawks.

9. G Chaz Lanier, Tennessee

Height/Weight: 6-4/200
Class: Senior
2024-25 Stats: 17.7 points, 3.8 rebounds. 1.0 assists, 40.0% 3P

When Chaz Lanier has been good this year, he has been really good. When he has been bad, he has still been good. Lanier is a three-point marksman, averaging 8.8 attempts per game from beyond the arc. He led the SEC in threes made this season and it is the gravity that he pulls in the half-court that opens up the Tennessee offense.

10. G Bennett Stirtz, Drake

Height/Weight: 6-4/180
Class: Junior
2024-25 Stats: 19.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 2.2 steals, 49.3% Fg, 38.6% 3P

Bennett Stirtz transferred to Drake from D-II Northwest Missouri State. He went on to win Missouri Valley Player of the Year honors after leading the league in scoring and steals and finishing second in assists. the 6-foot-4 point guard led D-I in minutes played and win shares. He led the Missouri Valley Conference in box plus/minus, points produced, and offensive rating. His game this season has been a cross-section of analytics, counting stats, and wins.

Top players in the NCAA Tournament: 11-25

11. G Kam Jones, Marquette

6-5 | 200 | Senior
2024-25 Stats: 19.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists. 1.4 steals, 48.4% FG

12. G RJ Luis, St. John’s

6-7 | 215 | Junior
2024-25 Stats: 18.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.4 steals, 44.4% FG

13. G John Tonje, Wisconsin

6-5 | 220 | Senior
2024-25 Stats: 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 38.8% 3P

14. G Mark Sears, Alabama

6-1 | 190 | Senior
2024-25 Stats: 18.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 0.9 steals, 40.3% FG

15. G Chucky Hepburn, Louisville

6-2 | 190 | Senior
2024-25 Stats: 16.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2.5 steals, 43.5% FG

16. C Danny Wolf, Michigan

7-0 | 250 | Junior
2024-25 Stats: 13.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 blocks, 50.3% FG

17. F Otega Oweh, Kentucky

6-4 | 215 | Junior
2024-25 Stats: 16.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 48.9% FG

18. C Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton

7-1 | 270 | Senior
2024-25 Stats: 19.45 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.7 blocks, 65.5% FG

19. F Derik Queen, Maryland

6-9 | 250 | Freshman
2024-25 Stats: 16.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 blocks, 52.9% FG

20. G RJ Davis, UNC

6-0 | 180 | Senior
2024-25 Stats: 17.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, 34.5% 3P

21. G Donovan Dent, New Mexico

6-2 | 185 | Junior
2024-25 Stats: 20.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.5 steals, 49.7% FG

22. G LJ Cryer, Houston

6-1 | 200 | Senior
2024-25 Stats: 15.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.9 steals, 42.2% 3P

23. F Nique Clifford, Colorado State

6-6 | 200 | Senior
2024-25 Stats: 19.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 50.7% FG, 39.8% 3P

24. G Jase Richardson, Michigan State

6-2 | 185 | Freshman
2024-25 Stats: 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 51.2% FG, 41.2% 3P

25. G Richie Saunders, BYU

6-5 | 200 | Junior
2024-25 Stats: 16.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.2 steals, 50.9% FG, 43.3% 3P