A new NCAA Tournament brings a new field of stars set to dominate the biggest stage of the season. The best players in all of college basketball drive their teams’ success. Basketball is a team game above all, but teams need superstars to consistently win in March.
Last season, we saw elite college players like Zach Edey, Tristen Newton, Terrence Shannon Jr., Dalton Knecht and Mark Sears lead their teams to deep tournament runs. Who will be the biggest stars of the 2025 tournament? Let’s break down the five best overall players in the tournament field who will bear responsibility for their team’s success (or failure).
5. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Kalkbrenner has been one of the best players in college basketball for years now and will star in March for his final tournament run. He averages 19.4 points and 9 rebounds per game on a scorching 69.3% true shooting percentage this season while placing third in the country in Box Plus-Minus (12.1).
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He’s expanded his offensive repertoire as his career has progressed, adding more to his interior scoring toolkit. Kalkbrenner steps out to shoot threes more than ever, hitting 34% of his triples this season. Few players as tall as the towering, 7-foot-1 Kalkbrenner space the floor like he can, rendering him a dangerous offensive weapon.
Creighton’s defense relies on Kalkbrenner’s anchoring in the middle. He’s a phenomenal shot blocker who rarely fouls on his contests. Teams without size will struggle to contain Kalkbrenner on both ends of the floor, making Creighton a potential matchup nightmare for certain programs. His team will need him on the floor for as many minutes as possible for his two-way excellence, hoping to make another deep NCAA tournament run.
4. Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
Clayton Jr. is no stranger to tournament dominance. Fans will remember his near-game winner against Colorado in the tournament last season, a game where Clayton Jr. poured in 33 points on only 17 shots. This is the third straight year a Clayton Jr.-led team will appear in the tournament, making it last year with Florida and the year prior at Iona.
Dynamic shooters like Clayton Jr. often thrive in March. He averages 17.7 points per game on 57.7% true shooting, relying on his outside shooting as his main offense source. A career 37.8% 3-point shooter has the skill and pedigree to find his shot against great defenses regardless of the situation.
Beyond his shooting, Clayton Jr. is a sturdy driver, efficient playmaker and stout defender. Clayton Jr. will do what he can to make it past the first round of the tournament for the first time in his college career. He’s the offensive focal point of an excellent Florida team who will need his scoring and playmaking punch to make a deep tournament run.
3. Kam Jones, Marquette
March Madness brings a perfect environment for consummate guard initiators like Jones to win their team games. Players who can create shots out of thin air carry incredible value in scrappy tournament games and Jones should be no different. Marquette’s senior guard has been a phenomenal scorer, driver and passer throughout his career.
He averaged 18.9 points and 6.1 assists this season for Marquette as their primary creator. Despite his high offensive load, Jones makes excellent decisions (3.4 assist-to-turnover ratio), rarely coughing the ball up even with his passing volume. Players who can dribble in traffic and operate pick and rolls like Jones generate consistent offense that can help combat the inherent volatility of a single elimination tournament.
Jones has shot uncharacteristically poorly from three this season, converting just 30.6% of his 3-pointers in total and 17% on off-dribble threes. Marquette will need Jones to bounce back as a shooter, but his strong track record of shotmaking over multiple years inspires some confidence that he’ll step up on the biggest stage.
2. Johni Broome, Auburn
Broome and our first place player have battled throughout the season as the nation’s top two players. The leader of an elite Auburn team anchors the Tigers on offense and defense, averaging 18.6 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists this season while placing second in the country in Box Plus-Minus (13.8).
Few college players exhibit the versatility Broome has. He’s one of two players this season (Yaxel Lendeborg) to average above 15 points, 10 rebounds and three assists per game. Broome helps Auburn shut down the paint on defense and pops out to the perimeter to defend as well.
When the game inevitably slows down in the biggest moments, Auburn will rely on Broome’s scoring and playmaking. He can toggle to a slower, post-up-oriented playstyle, which is nearly impossible to guard because of his touch, size, and passing acumen. If Auburn makes a deep run as expected, Broome’s fingerprints will be all over it.
1. Cooper Flagg, Duke
There’s no brighter star in college basketball than the odds on favorite to win Player of the Year. Cooper Flagg has been everything and more for the Blue Devils, dominating on both ends of the floor throughout the season. He’s incredibly productive, averaging an efficient 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists while leading the nation in Box Plus-Minus (15.5).
Though Flagg is Duke’s leading scorer, he’ll thrive on defense even when his shots aren’t falling. He’s a special defensive player, capable of switching onto multiple positions and wrecking plays off-ball as a helper. Duke’s elite defense runs through Flagg, who will have at least a few eye-popping blocks in the tournament.
Flagg’s experience as a high-usage primary initiator, sporting an enormous 30.4% usage this season, has prepared him for the tournament. He’s had clutch moments late in games, notably against Clemson, and Flagg’s early season struggles were his trial by fire. Expect a deep tournament run from Duke with Flagg’s two-way brilliance at the forefront.
Honorable Mentions: Braden Smith, Chaz Lanier, Mark Sears, PJ Haggerty, John Tonje, Ryan Nembhard
All stats via Bart Torvik and Synergy
