The top of every player ranking we've done this season has been littered with freshmen. But as we descend on Indianapolis for the Final Four, our final edition of the season features plenty of veterans and former transfers.
Of the 20 starters ranked below, only six are freshmen, and half of them play for one of the four teams (Arizona). Half were projected lottery picks in ESPN's latest NBA mock draft, released before the NCAA tournament tipped. The rest are seniors (six) and former transfers (nine).
Like the matchups themselves -- Arizona vs. Michigan and Illinois vs. UConn -- it's a balanced group from a personnel classification perspective.
We should note that you won't find the likes of Illinois' Andrej Stojakovic, Arizona's Tobe Awaka or Anthony Dell'Orso, or Michigan's Trey McKenney or Roddy Gayle Jr. on the following list. Although Stojakovic and Awaka would certainly make an expanded ranking of the best players in the Final Four, as would McKenney as one of the most talented two-way freshmen in the country, we've focused only on the projected starters.
Now let's dive into how ESPN college basketball writers Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf rank the 20.
The first-team All-American and best transfer in the country has been incredible in the NCAA tournament, earning Most Outstanding Player honors in the Midwest Region. Over his past three games -- wins over Saint Louis, Alabama and Tennessee -- Lendeborg is averaging 25.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists, shooting 61.4% from the field and 52.6% from 3-point range. And he has done all that while continuing to be one of the best defensive players in the country. His size and versatility -- he often played center at UAB before becoming a small forward at Michigan -- make him a matchup nightmare at both ends of the floor. -- Borzello
Wagler has the ability to score in traffic and create space for himself in iso situations. The 6-foot-5 guard has done his best work this season with his back against the wall. In the first two games after Kylan Boswell suffered a hand injury that sidelined him between mid-January and mid-February, Wagler scored 46 points in a win at Purdue, then 28 a week later in another road victory at Nebraska. A double-double against Houston in the Sweet 16 and a 25-point effort against Iowa in the Elite Eight helped seal Illinois' first trip to the Final Four in 21 years. -- Medcalf
Reed has been an absolute force in the NCAA tournament and has a case for the most dominant performance throughout the entirety of the Big Dance. He opened with 31 points and 27 rebounds against Furman, becoming just the third player since 1960 with 30 points and 25 boards in an NCAA tournament game -- while outrebounding Furman on his own. He single-handedly kept UConn in the Elite Eight comeback against Duke with 26 points. He has averaged 21.8 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in the tournament to earn Most Outstanding Player of the East Region. -- Borzello
The 6-foot-4 freshman has been as steady and consistent as any young guard in America. He also has proved he can step up on big stages. In a December win over Alabama and projected lottery pick Labaron Philon Jr., Burries racked up a game-high 28 points. In a January loss to BYU and AJ Dybantsa, Burries bested the potential No. 1 pick's 24 points with 29 of his own. And in a late February victory against Kansas, Burries couldn't match Darryn Peterson in scoring (24 vs. 20 points), but Peterson couldn't match Burries' 12 rebounds and five assists that night, either. -- Medcalf
Peat is arguably playing his best basketball since the season opener against Florida, when he announced his arrival in college with 30 points in a win over the Gators. He had a double-double against Utah State in the second round, went for 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting against Arkansas in the Sweet 16, then finished with 20 points and seven rebounds in the comeback win over Purdue in the Elite Eight. The future first-round pick won Most Outstanding Player in the West Region. -- Borzello
The Big 12 Player of the Year didn't have the gaudy numbers that players with top conference honors typically produce at the high-major level, but he was the maestro of an Arizona team with depth, an abundance of playmakers and defensive pressure few teams could match. The Wildcats needed a captain. Bradley accepted that role. During their current 13-game winning streak, Bradley has recorded 58 assists and 24 turnovers, better than a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He has also made 81% of his free throw attempts for a team that ranked third in the nation at 26.8 per game. -- Medcalf
How many players do we trust more than Karaban to make a big shot in a national semifinal game? Not that many -- because we've seen Karaban do it before. The winningest player in UConn history has two national championships under his belt to go with three Final Four appearances. Prior to his struggles against Duke (and he still hit a massive 3 in the final minute), Karaban had been fantastic in the NCAA tournament: 22 points vs. Furman, 27 vs. UCLA and 17 vs. Michigan State. -- Borzello
Dusty May clearly has a type. The 7-foot-3 Mara is the latest big man to thrive in the Michigan head coach's system, following the 2024-25 pairing of Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin. Mara is unique, though, because most players his size can't cover the ground that he does. Michigan has the best defense in America in part because Mara is a capable defender anywhere on the floor. Opposing players have made just 38% of their shots around the rim against him and only 28% of their 3-point attempts when he has guarded them on the perimeter, according to Synergy Sports data. -- Medcalf
A healthy Demary might have ranked a couple of spots higher. The version of Demary we have seen since he sustained a high ankle sprain in the Big East tournament might be a couple of spots lower. So, we'll split the difference. Demary was one of the best transfers in the country this season, transforming the Huskies at both ends of the floor. But his injury forced him to miss the first-round game against Furman and limited him to two points against both UCLA and Michigan State. Still, he had 11 points in 23 minutes against Duke in the Elite Eight, and a week off could help. -- Borzello
If he had entered the portal, Krivas might have been the centerpiece for a team with national championship aspirations. Instead, he stayed at Arizona, where he has been one of coach Tommy Lloyd's best supporting actors on a certified contender. Krivas is on a Wildcats team that features multiple projected lottery picks and the Big 12 Player of the Year. He's also on one of the deepest rosters. Yet, he has emerged as the most impactful player that Arizona -- a top-five offensive and defensive team nationally -- has: The Wildcats are 15.8 points per 100 possessions better when he's on the court, per EvanMiya. -- Medcalf
Johnson has arguably had the most difficult role on Michigan's roster. He's playing next to Lendeborg and Mara, both of whom should hear their names called early in the NBA draft. But the Wolverines have the best defense in the country because Johnson -- listed as a "very good" defender, per Synergy Sports -- is an agile, 6-foot-9 big man who can guard smaller defenders when necessary. Michigan already has a lot of size, but opposing teams can't exploit that with smaller, quicker lineups thanks to Johnson's presence and versatility. -- Medcalf
We know what you're thinking: Could we really have the Elite Eight hero any lower? The Indiana kid who sent UConn to Indianapolis, as Karaban said? Mullins entered college with a reputation as one of the elite long-range shooters in the 2025 high school class, and although he has gone through inconsistencies as a shooter this season, coach Dan Hurley still trusts Mullins implicitly to make shots when it matters. Mullins has scored in double figures in three of four NCAA tournament games despite going 5-for-24 from 3. -- Borzello
The 6-foot-9 freshman from Montenegro is arguably the most important player on Illinois' roster after Wagler -- Mirkovic is second to Wagler in individual defensive impact, per EvanMiya. Over the past month, Illinois has become a top-25 defensive team, and Mirkovic's 6-foot-9 frame has been a major factor in coach Brad Underwood's zone, which stifled Houston in the Sweet 16 and Iowa in the Elite Eight. Mirkovic has also connected on 38% of his 3-point attempts. A 6-foot-9 threat on the perimeter? That has boosted Illinois, which has owned the best offense in America all season. His effectiveness as a shooter creates mismatches for opposing teams. -- Medcalf
The third freshman in Arizona's starting lineup, Kharchenkov has been the surprise of the Wildcats' roster. He has established himself as one of the best perimeter defenders in the country -- with a matchup against Lendeborg lined up for Saturday -- and has been fantastic in the postseason. The Germany native had 17 points against Iowa State in the Big 12 semifinals, 12 points and seven rebounds in the Big 12 title game against Houston, and is averaging 14.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in the NCAA tournament. -- Borzello
Cadeau has made massive strides in all facets of his game since transferring from North Carolina last spring. He's a much-improved shooter, a better decision-maker and is capable defensively. Moreover, since the injury to reserve guard L.J. Cason, Cadeau is one of the few reliable ball handlers on the roster. He has been terrific in the NCAA tournament, averaging 10.5 points, 8.3 assists (to just 1.8 turnovers) and shooting 40% from 3. -- Borzello
As Illinois fought back to take the lead in its come-from-behind win over Iowa in the Elite Eight, the team turned to Ivisic multiple times. His finishes in the lane helped Illinois bounce back and earn a trip to the Final Four for the first time in 21 years. The 7-foot-1 star will have his hands full against the plethora of elite big men who will join him in Indianapolis. Based on his recent run, however, Ivisic will also be a tough matchup. During the NCAA tournament, Ivisic has connected on 83% of his shots around the rim, per Synergy Sports. He has been virtually unstoppable in the post. -- Medcalf
Before the season, Ball looked poised for a second straight breakout campaign, one that would launch him into the All-American conversation. After shooting 41.4% from 3 last season, though, he's down to 29.2% and is just 3-for-21 from deep in the NCAA tournament. If UConn is going to win a title, Ball -- along with Mullins and Karaban -- has to make shots from the perimeter. -- Borzello
You couldn't write this script. Boswell is from Champaign, Illinois. When he was a kid, he heard a lot about the 2005 Illinois squad that fell short in the national championship against North Carolina. Twenty-one years later, he's a starter for the first Illinois team to reach the Final Four since. He's also a meaningful player for this program. Since his return from a hand injury, the Illini have been a top-25 defensive squad and committed turnovers on just 11% of their possessions, a top-five mark per BartTorvik. Boswell has committed only three turnovers in the NCAA tournament. -- Medcalf
Burnett has been a solid cog in the Michigan machine all season, starting all 38 games despite averaging fewer minutes than reserve Roddy Gayle. He's the consummate role player, shooting 38.1% from 3 and capable at both ends of the floor. Burnett has scored in double figures in three of four NCAA tournament games -- and has previously shown he can go off if needed, scoring 31 points against Penn State in early February. -- Borzello
Last but not least, Davis will have an opportunity to pursue a national title just 30 minutes from his hometown of McCordsville, Indiana. The 6-foot-6 small forward has the lowest usage rate among Illinois' rotation players, but he's also the most efficient player -- not just at Illinois, but in the entire country. That's not a typo. Among all players, Davis has the highest offensive rating (146.8) in America, per KenPom. He doesn't have the same responsibilities as the stars in the game, but he has made 64% of his shots inside the arc and 41% of his attempts from 3 this season, a rare combination. -- Medcalf
