The countdown to the college basketball season is on, and Sports Illustrated is getting you ready for the new season by ranking the best players at every position heading into 2026–27. From top freshmen to breakout returners and elite transfers, consider this your guide to the best of the best in college hoops this season.
The series continues today with the shooting guards. We also ranked point guards earlier this week.
1. John Blackwell, Duke
Blackwell scored 1,500 points in three years at Wisconsin and blossomed into an elite shooter as a junior, knocking down nearly 100 threes at 39% in 2025–26. The Wisconsin offense has been particularly kind to guards in recent years, but there’s no reason he can’t have another big season as one of the featured weapons at Duke. He figures to be the Blue Devils’ leading scorer in 2026–27 and a big reason why Duke could make another push toward a national title.
2. Braylon Mullins, UConn
Dan Hurley believes he might have the best backcourt in college basketball this season, and Mullins is a major part of that after spurning the NBA for a second season with the Huskies. He shot only 34% from deep as a freshman coming off a fall ankle injury, but out of high school Mullins was considered perhaps the best shooter in his class. Expect his percentages to tick up significantly this season and him to blossom into one of the sport’s best players.
3. P.J. Haggerty, Texas A&M
Haggerty is on school No. 5 in five years, but his final act at Texas A&M could be electric. He has averaged at least 21 points per game in each of the last three seasons and has an outside shot at 3,000 career points with another dynamite season. His aggressive downhill style should fit well in Bucky McMillan’s up-tempo attack, and this should be the best roster he’s surrounded by in his college career to date.
4. Caleb Holt, Arizona
This is a down 2026 high school class, but Holt is a phenomenal prospect with tons of upside who should have a key role for Arizona as a freshman. He’s capable of putting up major scoring numbers, but his game also scales down well into being a high-level role player. That may be necessary at times on a team with tons of talent around him, including a loaded frontcourt headlined by Motiejus Krivas.
5. Mason Falslev, Utah State
Falslev may be the best story in college basketball, showing remarkable loyalty to Utah State despite going through three coaching changes. He’s back for his senior year to play for Ben Jacobson, the longtime Northern Iowa head man who managed to convince Falslev to linger in Logan despite interest from some of the biggest programs in the sport. Falslev is a hyper-efficient offensive player and the ultimate winner; he has taken Utah State to the NCAA tournament in each of the last three seasons.
6. Matt Able, North Carolina
Able looked like a potential one-and-done at times last season, but elected to return to school to solidify his draft stock and transfer from NC State to North Carolina. He’s clearly a high-level talent, with natural scoring instincts that were on full display during the NBA combine scrimmages. Bet on him to be Carolina’s leading scorer and best player in Year 1 under Michael Malone.
7. Trey McKenney, Michigan
McKenney had some incredibly bright moments throughout his freshman season in Ann Arbor, including scoring in double figures four times in six NCAA tournament wins to help the Wolverines lift the trophy in April. He has all the tools to be an elite wing scorer and shot the ball extremely well as a freshman, knocking down a team-high 68 threes coming off the bench. If Michigan wants a real chance to repeat, it will need a monster year from McKenney.
8. John Mobley Jr., Ohio State
Mobley has thrived as Bruce Thornton’s sidekick in Columbus the last two seasons, but now steps into a featured role in the Buckeyes’ backcourt. He’s a dynamic shooter off the catch and the dribble, knocking down 174 threes at 40% over his first two college seasons. And while the Buckeyes did add Cal transfer Justin Pippen to share the backcourt with him, don’t be surprised if Mobley gets more on-ball opportunities and thrives in that role in 2026–27.
9. Miles Byrd, Providence
Byrd is arguably the best pickup of Bryan Hodgson’s first portal class at Providence. He may well be the best perimeter defender in the country, a legitimate weapon who can guard up and down the lineup. His offense hasn’t taken the next step, but we’ve seen others in the past take leaps forward on that end after leaving San Diego State. Buzz out of Providence is his shooting has made real strides, a key swing skill for him on that end.
10. Killyan Toure, Iowa State
Toure emerged as an essential piece on a veteran Iowa State team a season ago, in part because of his elite on-ball defense. With the Cyclones’ top three scorers departing, there’s plenty of opportunity there for Toure to have a breakout sophomore campaign. More consistency from three would help him be more effective off the ball; he struggled at times in 2025–26 when teams neglected to guard him from three.
10 more to watch
- Braden Frager, Nebraska
- C.J. Cox, Purdue
- Trent Perry, UCLA
- Collin Chandler, BYU
- Denzel Aberdeen, Florida
- Jeremiah Wilkinson, Arkansas
- Finley Bizjack, West Virginia
- Quentin Coleman, Illinois
- Tyler Perkins, Villanova
- Cruz Davis, Texas Tech
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