10 freshmen in NCAA tourney that could save your NBA team

March always brings madness to the college basketball world, but this year, the chaos has infiltrated the NBA through tanking.

While the strategy isn't a new phenomenon in the professional ranks, tanking has reached unprecedented levels in 2026, with many teams seemingly hell-bent on losing as many games as possible.

You can argue the ethics of tanking until you're blue in the face, but devoted college basketball fans will tell you that it would be malpractice not to tank this year. The 2026 NBA Draft class is that damn good.

The field of 68 is littered with elite freshmen in perhaps the best first-year class we've ever seen. Here are 10 freshmen to watch, whether you are a college diehard, someone heavily interested in the bracket, or a devoted fan of a terrible NBA team and wondering who can save you.

*North Carolina's Caleb Wilson would be high on this list, but he won't play in the NCAA Tournament due to injury

Cam Boozer, Duke

Cam is the son of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, but you probably already guessed that, given there aren't many with that surname. The 6-foot-9, 250-pounder was the third-ranked player in his recruiting class and has been an all-around menace on the court in his first season at Duke. He sits eighth in the nation in scoring at 22.8 points per game and 13th in rebounds at 10.3 while leading the Blue Devils with 4.1 assists. If Duke is going to score, it's likely because the young Boozer had a hand in it.

AJ Dybantsa, BYU

We could go deep into Dybantsa's profile, but it's probably just easier to say that he broke Kevin Durant's all-time scoring record in the Big 12 Tournament with an outrageous 93 points across three games. Dybantsa is a certified bucket-getter and might be the most unstoppable perimeter player in the country. He leads the nation in scoring at 25.3 points per contest and has produced eight games of at least 35 points this season. With BYU one of the more defensively-challenged teams in the NCAA Tournament, Dybantsa will need to don the cape nightly and turn in a superhero effort for the Cougars to make a deep run. Don't doubt his ability to do so.

Darryn Peterson, Kansas

Peterson is a breathtaking scorer ... when he plays. The electric Kansas wing has battled a hamstring strain, sprained ankle, and cramping issues throughout the season, causing him to miss 11 games and play limited minutes in others. His highlight reel includes a 26-point performance in just 23 minutes against Baylor, as well as a 27-point outing in 29 minutes versus Kansas State to open the Big 12 tourney. However, Peterson's inconsistency raises concerns, as evidenced by a disappointing 3-for-11 shooting performance in Friday's loss to Houston. If Peterson's locked in and healthy, Kansas can make a deep run through the bracket. If his injuries flare up, an early exit likely awaits.

Kingston Flemings, Houston

Flemings burst onto the national basketball scene on Jan. 24 with an absurd 42-point showing in a narrow road loss to Texas Tech. He became just the fifth freshman in Big 12 history to top 40 points on the road while also breaking Houston's freshman scoring record. At 6-foot-2 and just 169 lbs., Flemings doesn't stand out physically, but his quickness at getting to the hoop is a problem for defenders. Combine that with his 40% shooting from beyond the arc, and it's easy to see why he's the focal point of Houston's offense.

Keaton Wagler, Illinois

The previous names on this list were all highly touted high school recruits, so their immediate success didn't really surprise those who had been paying attention. However, Wagler doesn't fit that mold. While the Illinois star was no slouch coming out of high school, he was the 40th-ranked shooting guard in his class, according to ESPN. And though he didn't receive the same fanfare, Wagler used the same January night that Flemings did to launch his national spotlight. Wagler even one-upped his counterpart, delivering an electric 46-point showing in a win at Purdue. Since then, he's added games of 34 and 28 points and has maintained his 40% mark from deep despite launching at a high volume. Wagler's streaky, rapid-fire scoring outbursts could be helpful during March Madness.

Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Dybantsa leads the nation in scoring, but Acuff might be the hottest player in the country at the moment. The Arkansas guard is averaging 28 points per game over his last 10 outings, which includes performances of 49 and 37 points. Acuff's essentially an unguardable talent even at this early stage of his career, blending an elite off-the-dribble attack with deadeye shooting. He's connecting on 44% of his triples this season and ranks eighth nationally with 6.3 assists per game. John Calipari has coached a long line of elite point guards in his career, and Acuff ranks up there with the best of them.

Brayden Burries and Koa Peat, Arizona

Arizona having two elite freshmen could be the main reason the Wildcats nabbed one of the top seeds for March Madness. Burries is the shooter and wing scorer, while Peat's energy and athleticism make him a nightmare to cover. The duo combined for 42 of Arizona's 79 points in the Big 12 Tournament final win over Houston.

Nate Ament, Tennessee

The 6-foot-10, 207-pound forward showcased his full potential during last week's SEC tourney win over Auburn. Ament poured in 27 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out four assists, and blocked three shots. Oh, and he also drilled four of his six triples and turned the ball over just once in 32 minutes of action. Good luck guarding that type of size and versatility. Ament can sometimes be inconsistent - evident in his 1-for-13 shooting last time out versus Vanderbilt - but his ceiling is good enough to take Tennessee deep into March Madness.

Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville

Brown's offensive arsenal is as good as anyone's on this list, with a lethal mix of an electric first step and deep shooting range making him nearly unguardable. That dominance was on display during a three-game run in late February, when he averaged a mind-blowing 34.3 points per contest. Brown's been banged up lately and missed the ACC Tournament, which might be the only thing that can cool him off. The freshman was making an astonishing 48% of his triples in the six games before his injury.