After a week or two of college basketball, players are beginning to make their cases for the eventual 2026 NBA Draft. Early season basketball can be challenging to parse because of shaky competition levels and tiny sample sizes, but there’s still information to glean about the class. And at the moment, the 2026 NBA Draft looks even stronger than it did before the season.
Let’s discuss four players who have boosted their stock through their play at the beginning of this college basketball season. All of these players are increasing their value and prospect status in the early phase of the draft cycle (Virginia Tech freshman Neoklis Avdalas would make the list, but I wrote about him in depth here).
Kingston Flemings┃Point Guard┃Houston┃Freshman
Despite entering the season as the least heralded of Houston’s three star newcomers, Flemings is playing like the future best NBA player of the group. He and Mikel Brown Jr. are the only two high major freshmen so far to average at least 17 points and 5 assists per game and Flemings has done such on sparkling efficiency (76.4% true shooting).
Flemings’s elite first step, vertical explosiveness and passing vision on the move intersect to produce star-caliber offensive impact. He lives at the basket and has been efficient with his playmaking (2.6 assist-to-turnover ratio), drawing in defenses with paint touches before punishing rotations with passes. Playing under more control will further improve his ability to crack defenses, as the blinding Flemings understandably slashes a bit recklessly at times.
was good to see kingston flemings flash his star traits, his blend of burst and vision on the move are good for breakout potential
minutes/usage this season will be his only major obstacle pic.twitter.com/6Qg9LCZtYH
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) November 4, 2025
Outside shooting was a notable concern entering the year for Flemings, but he’s attempting a solid 5.2 threes per 100 possessions and is scorching hot on non-rim twos (9-13). He elevates effortlessly over defenders for pull-up jumpers in the intermediate, suggesting potential for off-dribble 3-point shooting development, which would vault Flemings closer to true primary initiator territory. And he’s already earned Kelvin Sampson’s trust something most Houston freshmen can’t claim this early on.
Aday Mara┃Center┃Michigan┃Junior
Mara entered the season facing similar questions to many talented players without much high-minute experience — will his smaller sample flashes translate to play-to-play impact? If his performance against Wake Forest was any indication, dominating on both sides throughout his career-high 37 minutes of play, he looks ready to take on more consistent responsibility.
He’s an impenetrable wall on the defensive end, shutting down the basket to the tune of a 14.2% block rate through three games. Mara moves more fluidly in drop coverage now than ever, able to backpedal and defend closer to the level of the screen without losing containment. For a 7’3 giant, his agility looks excellent and he’s deterring countless shots at the basket with his sheer presence.
impressive aday mara sequence early on vs wake, catching up high and finishing, blocking a shot in drop with his left and deflecting the inbounds pass
he was everywhere in this one, his size, length and feel so palpable pic.twitter.com/Wn4P9pFeku
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) November 12, 2025
Limited physicality and strength curtail Mara’s offensive impact at this stage and he’s a turnover machine right now (26.1% turnover rate), but Mara clearly brings extremely rare ball skills and passing vision for a player of his size. He still has plenty to prove before cementing himself as a first-round pick, but his elite size and unique blend of playmaking and paint protection are worth investing in.
Cameron Carr┃Wing┃Baylor┃Sophomore
After appearing in just 18 games across two seasons at Tennessee, Carr is fully healthy and breaking out for his new Baylor squad. Carr ranks seventh among all high major players in scoring (23.7 points per game on 79.9% true shooting) through his first three games and has blocked six shots in those contests. He’s a stellar off-ball shooter, currently attempting just under 10 threes per 100 possessions.
cameron carr anticipates and deflects the pass and lifts way beyond the arc for a crazy deep catch and shoot three. awesome player pic.twitter.com/rdZJ6Wc5Ok
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) November 10, 2025
His early season 3-point efficiency (52.9%) isn’t a particularly important number, but his range extends well beyond the college line and he’s comfortable sprinting into those deep shots from movement, both qualities indicative of elite shooting potential. Carr needs seasoning on the ball, but his ball-handling gains have allowed him to unlock his athleticism on drives more than ever.
Carr weaponizes his explosive vertical athleticism and speed to protect the rim at a high level for a wing, often flying down to the basket for blocks and contests. He’s the kind of two-way wing that could develop into a valuable complementary piece on great teams with potential to outpace that ceiling if he continues to boost his capacity for on-ball creation and offensive load.
Alvaro Folgueiras┃Big┃Iowa┃Junior
Iowa superimposed Drake’s 2024-25 roster and staff onto their program this season, but their second-most impressive prospect is Folgueiras, an under-discussed transfer from Robert Morris. He’s playing stellar basketball to begin his Hawkeyes career, scoring on exceptional efficiency (78.7% true shooting) and creating events on defense (4.2% block rate, 5.2% steal rate). He currently leads the country in Box Plus-Minus, if you’re into that kind of thing.
The 6’10 Spaniard boasts the floor spacing, feel for the game and ball skills modern NBA teams covet in frontcourt players. He’s an ideal fit next to a surgical point guard like Bennett Stirtz, who sets Folgueiras up on pick-and-pops and spot-ups, attacking scrambling defenses to score without excellent athleticism. While his efficiency and total lack of turnovers aren’t sustainable, he’s clearly an intelligent, skilled player.
While Folguerias isn’t the most fluid moving and changing directions in space, his quick reflexes and awareness result in deflections and constant defensive disruption. He still must prove his effectiveness in a higher minute and usage (16.4% usage rate) role, but it’s easy to imagine a gigantic player with perimeter skills like him thriving in the NBA one day.
