Ranking the Top 20 Men's NCAA Tournament Players in the Sweet 16
Surviving and advancing to the Final Four is rarely a reflection of one terrific player, but star power absolutely helps the pursuit of a national title.
The first week of the men's 2026 NCAA tournament has ended, and some of the nation's top standouts are gone. BYU's AJ Dybantsa, Florida's Thomas Haugh, Gonzaga's Graham Ike, Texas Tech's Christian Anderson, and Vanderbilt's Tyler Tanner all exited as their respective teams lost.
But there is a whole lot of individual excellence left in the field.
Among the remaining teams, we still have National Player of the Year front-runner Cameron Boozer and a slew of AP All-Americans.
20-16. Ament, Jefferson, Gillespie, Sandfort, and Momcilovic
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20. Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
Joshua Jefferson is easily a top-10 player in the tournament when healthy. But in the opening game, he exited with an ankle injury. Jefferson spent the second-round win over Kentucky in a walking boot and using a scooter to move around. Until he's ruled out, though, Jefferson merits a mention.
19. Nate Ament, Tennessee
At full strength, Nate Ament also deserves a higher position. The freshman forward put up 17.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game until an ankle injury in late February complicated his rest-of-season outlook. Ament is fighting through it, following a scoreless first-round day against Miami (Ohio) with a solid 16 points and four boards in the victory over Virginia.
18. Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee
Ament's injury has shoved Ja'Kobi Gillespie into an even greater role, yet he's responded well to the challenge. Gillespie piled up 29 points, nine assists, and three steals when UT bounced Miami, then notched 21 points and six assists opposite UVA.
17. Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska
Troy had no answer for Pryce Sandfort's lightning-fast release in the first round. While burying 7-of-12 threes, he scored 23 points to spark a historic win for Nebraska. Sandfort hit three triples with 15 points to help the Huskers outlast Vanderbilt and earn the program's first-ever Sweet 16 appearance.
16. Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State
Jefferson and Tamin Lipsey tend to attract the most attention, but Milan Momcilovic is the Cyclones' top scorer. He netted 17 and 20 points, respectively, in their wins against Tennessee State and Kentucky. Momcilovic leads the country with a sizzling 49.3 three-point percentage while hoisting 7.6 triples per night.
15-11. Lipsey, Stirtz, Burries, Mara, and Karaban
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15. Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
As with Ament and Gillespie at UT, Jefferson's injury has cranked up the pressure on Tamin Lipsey. He only played 18 minutes in the opening game but rose to the moment against Kentucky, racking up 26 points, 10 assists, and five steals in his best performance of the season. The backcourt clash between Gillespie and Lipsey will likely determine which program moves to the Elite Eight.
14. Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
Given how heavily the Hawkeyes leaned on Bennett Stirtz this season, the fact that they're in the Sweet 16 is particularly impressive. He's just 3-of-19 from the perimeter and 9-of-33 overall in the tourney so far. Stirtz, nevertheless, has collected 29 points and dished the game-winning assist in the upset of top-seeded Florida.
13. Brayden Burries, Arizona
A freshman guard, Brayden Burries has been nearly perfect in a couple of straightforward wins. He drilled 4-of-5 threes with a game-best 18 points and five rebounds against Long Island, then knocked down all three triples, scored 16 points and snared nine rebounds in the victory over Utah State. The importance of Burries' range should only increase in the second weekend.
12. Aday Mara, Michigan
Burries is the first of two Arizona players, and Aday Mara is the same for Michigan. The UCLA transfer was a feared rim-protecting presence in the regular season, and that only begins to describe his impact in March Madness. While he totaled seven blocks in wins against Howard and Saint Louis, Mara has contributed at least 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists in both games.
11. Alex Karaban, Connecticut
Alex Karaban dealt with a wildly inconsistent year, but UConn's senior wing has flourished in this familiar spotlight. He finished exactly 9-of-16 and nailed four triples against both Furman and UCLA, scoring 22 and 27 points, respectively.
10-6. Ejiofor, Philon, Bradley, Smith, and Flemings
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10. Zuby Ejiofor, St. John's
St. John's is a relentless team, and that style is exemplified in Zuby Ejiofor. The senior makes a difference in literally every category. In victories over Northern Iowa and Kansas, he registered 32 points, 20 rebounds, six assists, five blocks, and two steals. Ejiofor's impact as a rebounder and defender will be essential opposite Cameron Boozer and top-seeded Duke in the Sweet 16.
9. Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama
After key guard Aden Holloway was arrested last week, Labaron Philon Jr. became even more important for Alabama. So far, so good. Philon gathered 29 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals in a win over Hofstra. Texas Tech limited him to nine points, yet he dished a career-high 12 assists and added six rebounds as the Crimson Tide cruised to a blowout win.
8. Jaden Bradley, Arizona
Arizona's depth is a key part of its championship upside, but Jaden Bradley's reliability is essential. He tallied seven points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals in limited time against LIU. Then, he scored a game-high 18 points when the Cats bounced Utah State. Bradley can always make a difference with his passing and defense.
7. Braden Smith, Purdue
While dishing out eight assists in both victories, Braden Smith has dealt with polar opposite games as a shooter. He went 10-of-15 against Queens—including a 4-of-6 three-point mark—for 26 points yet struggled to a 3-of-12 finish opposite Miami, misfiring on his four threes. Most notably, though, Smith set the NCAA record for career assists in the rout of Queens.
6. Kingston Flemings, Houston
Houston has avoided any serious drama, hammering Idaho and Texas A&M by 31 points in each matchup. Kingston Flemings has been a steady hand in the backcourt, totaling 27 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists with a modest three turnovers. Houston will require more production from Flemings as the competition level rises, but the freshman is off to a good start.
5-1. Fears, Wagler, Acuff, Lendeborg, and Boozer
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5. Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
The bad news is Jeremy Fears Jr. has struggled to score, making 2-of-6 threes and just 5-of-19 overall for a 26.3 percent rate. The positive side is that Fears has dazzled as a passer, racking up 27 assists in two contests. Fears set a program record for an NCAA tournament game with 16 assists in the triumph over Louisville.
4. Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Illinois has cruised to wins over Penn and VCU thanks to a strong supporting cast around Keaton Wagler. He's still been plenty productive anyway. Wagler tallied 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in the opener and followed with 14 points to help the Illini make the Sweet 16.
3. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
As if the freshman guard needed to prove anything more, Darius Acuff Jr. has been on a heater since the start of the SEC tournament. Acuff averaged 30.3 points to help Arkansas win a conference crown, and he's opened March Madness with two excellent games. Hawaii saw Acuff go for 24 points and seven assists, and High Point could not contain him in a 36-point, six-assist performance.
2. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Yaxel Lendeborg saved his best for Saturday. After providing nine points, four rebounds, and four assists in a victory over No. 16 Howard, the versatile forward lifted the Wolverines past Saint Louis. He netted a game-high 25 points on a 9-of-13 mark, adding six rebounds and a block.
1. Cameron Boozer, Duke
Duke struggled to survive 16th-seeded Siena in the opening round, but Cameron Boozer stepped up with 22 points and 13 rebounds. TCU stuck with the Blue Devils until the star freshman owned the second half, scoring 17 of his 19 points after the break and adding 11 rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
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