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Who is the best Freshman College Basketball Player?

The final few regular season games of the 2024-2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball season have arrived. With the regular season end in sight, the start of conference tournaments and the tip off of the men’s National Championship tournament is just about to tip off March Madness. As you start to look around at the exciting action filled regular season many of the top freshmen around the country turned into strong first seasons while delivering hope for the future for their respective teams as well as at the next level. One of those freshmen players is Cooper Flagg of the Duke Blue Devils who entered the season as the top incoming recruit and remains atop the Top 10 Men’s College Freshmen Basketball Players 2024-2025 Rankings list.

Flagg, who many expect to be the top overall pick taken during the 2025 NBA Draft has been as advertised for the Blue Devils for most of the season after making national headlines with a strong summer performance against Team USA. The talented freshmen are averaging 31 minutes played per game over his first 30 games of the season while averaging just below 20 points scored per game (19.6).

Joining Flagg among the top freshmen in college basketball include Tre Johnson of the Texas Longhorns, Blake Howard from the Howard Bison, Dylan Harper from the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, and Derik Queen of the Maryland Terps.

Here is a look at the Top 10 Men’s Freshman College Basketball Rankings 2024-2025:

Honorable Mention

Asa Newell

School: Georgia Bulldogs

Position: Forward

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Just missing the Top 10 Men’s College Freshmen Basketball Players 2024-2025 Rankings list is the Georgia Bulldogs freshmen Asa Newell. Newell, who is from Destin, Florida has been strong all season for a Bulldogs team looking to reach the 20 win mark over their final few regular season games of the season.

The Bulldogs forward, like a few of the other top performing freshmen, entered the season ranked among the top 20 recruits in the country (19^th) and has not disappointed. Over 30 games played this season Newell is averaging 15.1 points per game to go along with 6.6 rebounds with one blocked shot and 1.1 steals per contest.

The strong presence within the Bulldogs roster has been strong of late while helping the team win three straight games including a big 88-83 upset win over the third ranked Florida Gators.

Thomas Sorber

School: Georgetown Hoyas

Position: Center

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Another talented freshman just missing the Top 10 list of the best freshmen in college basketball is Thomas Sorber of the Georgetown Hoyas.

While Sorber will miss the end of the season with a foot injury, it is hard to look past his success over his first 24 games of the season including his last game before leaving with the foot injury.

In that contest, Sorber had posted 10 points and three rebounds in just 12 minutes of action. Overall, the Hoyas center finishes up the season averaging 14.5 points per game to go along with 2.4 assists and 8.5 rebounds.

On the defensive end of the floor Sorber ranked among the best freshmen defenders in the country while averaging two blocked shots and 1.5 steals per game.

Top 10 Freshman College Basketball Player Rankings

10. Liam McNeeley

School: UConn Huskies

Position: Forward

Previous Ranking: 10

Sliding in at number 10 on the Top 10 Men’s College Freshmen Basketball Players 2024-2025 Rankings list is the UConn Huskies freshmen forward Liam McNeeley. After repeating as back-to-back National Champions expectations were set high despite the loss of multiple key assets of those teams leaving for the NBA.

One of those new additions expected to contribute at a high level is freshman forward McNeeley who has put together a strong freshmen season. The six-foot seven-inch forward is averaging 15.1 points per game to go along with 6.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

Over 22 games played this season the Huskies freshman is shooting 35.3 percent from behind the three-point line and 40.1 from the field.

9. Kasparas Jakucionis

School: Illinois Fighting Illini

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Over the years the Illinois Fighting Illini have produced many great players at the guard position and one of those new young freshmen looking to fill that void is Kasparas Jakucionis.

Jakucionis has been stellar in his first season with the Fighting Illini shooting 33.3 percent from behind the three-point line and 46 percent from the floor while averaging 15.4 points per game.

In addition to the strong shooting Jakucionis has been one of the top ball handling freshmen in the country averaging 4.8 assists per game over 28 games played. In addition, the six foot six guard has been strong on the glass all season while averaging 5.6 rebounds per game.

8. Jeremiah Fears

School: Oklahoma Sooners

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: Unranked

When you are looking at the talented group of freshmen in Men’s College Basketball, it is hard to look past the Oklahoma Sooners guard Jeremiah Fears. Fears is a tremendous all-around player who has excelled on both ends of the floor.

Through 30 games this season Fears is shooting 84.8 percent from the free throw line while also shooting 44.4 percent from the field.

The Sooner guard has used his strong shooting to average 16.4 points per game to go along with 4.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. On the opposite end of the floor Fears has produced 1.6 steals per game.

7. Adrian Wooley

School: Kennesaw State Owls

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Another talented freshman who entered the season with little to no expectations set among the top freshmen is the Kennesaw State Owls guard Adrian Wooley.

Wooley, who is from Tuscaloosa, Alabama has elevated his play to the front of the group of talented freshmen while increasing his potential to transfer in the transfer portal after the season.

For now, however, Wooley is ranked among the leading scorers in the freshmen class while averaging 18.6 points per game. To go along with the strong scoring performance the talented guard is averaging 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Meanwhile the Owls guard has also been strong on the defensive end of the floor limiting opposing guards while forcing 1.4 steals per game.

6. Ace Bailey

School: Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Position: Forward

Previous Ranking: 2

One half of the talented freshmen tandem for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Ace Bailey has been as advertised after arriving on campus as the second best recruit in the nation according to 247 sports.

The six foot ten-inch center is currently averaging 18 points per game while also adding 7.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. While he is shooting 46.3 percent from the floor, the talented big man has also shot 35.4 percent from behind the three-point line.

Meanwhile on the defensive end of the court Bailey has averaged 1.2 blocked shots while dominating the post downlow as one of the top young defensive defenders in the country.

5. Derik Queen

School: Maryland Terps

Position: Center

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Rounding Top 10 Men’s College Freshmen Basketball Players 2024-2025 Rankings list is the Maryland Terps center Derik Queen. Queen, who is also another intriguing prospect for NBA teams, has been stellar on a Terps team moving up the rankings board as March Madness approaches.

Derik Queen, who was ranked as the 12^th overall freshmen among the incoming class has averaged 15.9 points per game to go along with 9.1 rebounds.

The Terps six-foot ten-inch center currently leads the freshmen class in rebounds per game as well as in double doubles (12) including six over his last seven games

4. Dylan Harper

School: Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: 5

Entering the 2024-2025 Men’s College Basketball season a ton of hype was built around the Rutgers Scarlett Knights incoming freshmen class that featured both Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey.

The tandem has not disappointed as both have lived up to the hype while also moving them up the potential draft ranking board for the 2025 NBA Draft. Through 27 games played Harper is averaging 19.1 points per game while posting 15 games over that stretch with at least 20 points scored.

In addition to the scoring Harper has been stellar with the ball in his hands running the team’s offense while averaging 4.0 rebounds. On the glass the Scarlet Knights guard has averaged 4.4 rebounds while adding 1.4 steals on the defensive end of the floor.

3. Blake Harper

School: Howard Bison

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: Unranked

One freshmen men’s basketball player making noise over the first few months of the college basketball season is the Howard Bison guard Blake Harper. Harper who wasn’t on the radar of entering the season is now making big time noise while also becoming one of the hottest potential names to hit the transfer portal after the current season.

Using his solid size at six foot eight inches, Harper is solid on both ends of the hardwood while ranking among the top scoring threats in the country.

Over 30 games played the Bison guard is averaging 19.3 points per game while also adding 6.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. On the defensive end of the floor, Harper is also contributing one steal per game while also adding four double double performances.

2. Tre Johnson

School: Texas Longhorns

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: Honorable Mention

Another talented freshman putting together a strong performance during the 2024-2025 Men’s College Basketball season is the Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson.

Johnson, who arrived on campus as the sixth best overall recruit according to 247 sports, has not disappointed to start the season. Through 28 games played Johnson currently ranks 10^th in the nation in scoring while leading all freshmen while averaging 20.6 points per game.

In addition, the freshmen guard has averaged 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 40.3 percent from behind the three-point line on the season.

1. Cooper Flagg

School: Duke Blue Devils

Position: Forward

Previous Ranking: 1

When it comes to the top ranked freshman landing on the Top 10 Men’s College Freshmen Basketball Players 2024-2025 Rankings list it is hard to look past the Duke Blue Devils freshmen Cooper Flagg.

Despite all the national media attention from his final year in high school basketball to the current season, Flagg has played at a high level while averaging 19.6 points per game to go along with 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

To go along with his offensive play, Flagg has also been solid on the defensive end of the floor posting 1.2 blocked shots and 1.6 steals per contest.

How would you rank these college basketball freshmen so far into the 2024-2025 season as we enter March Madness? Rank below to be added in the NCAA Power Rankings.

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