NBA Draft 2026: Players to watch in the Big East

As we inch ever closer to basketball season, it is time to continue forward with our college basketball primers. The Big East is a historic basketball conference, with a past littered with legends both coaching and playing. This proud conference continues to shine, with UConn and Villanova having won titles in recent years and St. John’s having a revival under Rick Pitino. There is no shortage of NBA prospects playing in the conference this season, so let’s run through ten(ish) of the most important players to watch in the Big East.

If you missed our ACC primer, check it out here.

10. All Wright (G, Xavier)

Mr. Wright is more than just alright as a player, despite what the elite name says. Wright scored nearly 16 per contest last year at Valpo as a true freshman. At 40% from three, the sharpshooter should fit nicely into Richard Pitino’s system.

9. Jason Edwards (G, Providence)

Edwards is not a true point, which can provide some issues when your off guard is just 6’1”. However, Edwards is able to get buckets in a way that will help Kim English’s group keep up on the scoreboard. He’s not quite Devin Carter, but he can provide some much needed pop for that group.

8. KJ Lewis and Langston Love (Georgetown)

A couple of Big 12 transfers head east to try and make their own was under Ed Cooley at Georgetown.

KJ Lewis was highly touted headed to Arizona, but he struggled mightily with the shot. At just 18% from three last year, he was more than a liability from out there. However, he can guard and he’s got the size to be a very functional player. Even without the shot last year, Lewis got plenty of burn because he was impactful. If Lewis can find the shot, and there’s reason to believe he can, he’s got something.

Langston Love was a sharpshooter for the Baylor Bears in 2023-24, shooting a red hot 48% from three in 24 games played. Last year, however, Love regressed to a subpar 32.6%. It was a shocking regression for a guy who has plenty of proof as a great shooter. The change of scenery could do him well, although I wonder about the spacing there. I hope for his sake that he can find it again before the draft process.

7. The many St. John’s transfers

The afore mentioned Rick Pitino has revitalized this Johnnie’s program. The talent level on this squad looks like how it should, and it’s a testament to them on how they’ve gotten here. Pitino and his staff brought in a few high-level transfers in the backcourt that should make an impact.

Bryce Hopkins (G, Providence) is a bucket getter and someone who can carry an offense at times. Ian Jackson (G, North Carolina) was getting some NBA buzz last year before deciding to come back. He’s a big guard that if he finds his shot, will not be in college much longer. Finally, Oziyah Sellers (G, Stanford) was a solid player last year, I expect him to level up with his surroundings.

6. The many Creighton transfers

When you think of Creighton basketball, the portal probably isn’t the first thing you think of for talent acquisition. However, that’s what they’ve done this year to backfill the losses of stalwarts Steven Ashworth, Ryan Kalkbrenner and others. They’ve done very well in that, as the pair of Iowa transfers (G Josh Dix and F Owen Freeman) fit what McDermott wants to do. Beyond that, the two lower level guys they picked up are solid, too. Blake Harper scored 20 per game at Howard on 40% from deep as a true freshman, while Nik Graves (G, Charlotte) has been around and knows how to play. It’s a solid group to keep an eye on.

5. Acaden Lewis (G, Villanova)

The highly touted Lewis was being heavily recruited by almost everyone in the country, so for Nova and new coach Kevin Willard, this is a great get. Lewis is a lefty guard that projects to be a much better shooter than his number suggested (just 31% from deep in EYBL play). He’s got great handles, can finish with both hands at the rim and can score in the midrange via a variety of floaters and pull ups. Expect a learning curve to start, but Lewis should be someone who pops this year.

4. UConn’s true freshmen

For this exercise, we’ll focus on Braylon Mullins and Eric Reibe. Mullins is an absolute sharpshooter who made 47% of his 3’s last year on ridiculous volume (he MADE six threes per game this summer). Mullins is also 6’5” and at the two guard, he is more than capable of locking down. This is an elite prospect.

Reibe is a true stretch big, and at seven-feet tall already, he’s going to be an issue. The lefty has solid feel for the game, you can expect him to operate at the top of the key in dribble handoff situations (think Dereck Lively last year) and be a true threat in both the pick and roll and to pop as well. He has room to grow on the rebounding front, but Hurley is the coach who I would trust most to get that out of him.

3. Zuby Ejiofor (F, St. Johns)

Ejiofor has always been a top tier athlete in college basketball. With Pitino, he’s elevated himself into a top line starter, too. Ejiofor is back for his third year in New York City, and this year is his best chance to showcase who he is as a player. He scored 15 points per game last year and shot it at 71% from the foul line. If he can hone the shot in and hit more consistently from deep (22% last year), suddenly we’ve got an NBA guy on our hands.

2. Silas Demary Jr. (G, UConn)

The Georgia transfer comes to Storrs in search of some consistency. Demary has all the talent in the world: He’s 6’5”, shoots the three well (37% last year) and has a good feel for the game. However, turnovers and some questionable jumpers were his downfall last year, as his overall FG% dropped below 40% and he crept above two turnovers per game. Expect many of those things to work themselves out under Dan Hurley, who simply will not stand for those types of things.

1. Solo Ball and Alex Karaban (UConn)

UConn, as you can tell, has a lot of guys on my radar. Ball and Karaban in particular both return trying to get more out of themselves following a disappointing year.

Solo Ball is not a true point guard, yet at times last year he was thrusted into that role due to the Huskies’ lack of ballhandling. Even playing out of position, Ball was able to hit over 41% from three and really grow into a reliable player for the Huskies. This is his make-or-break year, and I expect him to make it.

Karaban, meanwhile, was perhaps the player who was most affected by the lack of point guard play last year. He shot a career worst percentage from the floor and from deep. However, he doubled his assist total from the previous season, and something like that can carry over this year even with UConn much better positioned at point. Karaban should return to his 2023-24 level, and that will be good enough to get him drafted in the Liam McNeely range.

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