Photo: Wilson Basketball/X

Quick college basketball notes before the season starts in early November.

  • If you asked me to name three NCAA guards who can really lead a team/control games, I’d immediately say the Big Ten’s Braden Smith (Purdue), Bennett Stirtz (Iowa), and Donovan Dent (UCLA). Expect high-level reads on offense and plenty of steals defensively if you watch them play this season.
  • The 2026 NBA Draft will have a crazy amount of talent, and it starts at the top with star freshmen Darryn Peterson (Kansas), AJ Dybantsa (BYU), and Cameron Boozer (Duke). I honestly can’t choose a #1 player at the moment, as all three are truly spectacular prospects.
  • It’ll be interesting to see if Texas Tech can be even better than last year or takes a step back (made the Elite Eight). JT Toppin, Christian Anderson, and Leon Horner return plus Marial Akuentok will make his college debut as a redshirt freshman, but Elijah Hawkins, Chance McMillian, and Kerwin Walton graduated/Darrion Williams, Kevin Overton, and Federiko Federiko transferred. New Red Raiders Donovan Atwell (UNC Greensboro), LeJuan Watts (Washington State), Tyeree Bryan (Santa Clara), Luke Bamgboye (VCU), Josiah Moseley (Villanova), Nolan Groves (freshman), Jaylen Petty (freshman), and Jazz Henderson (freshman) will need to step up.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR