It’s been over twenty years since the NBA introduced an age limit, as part of the 2005 Collective Bargaining Agreement. The new rule stipulated that incoming players must be at least 19 years old and one year removed from high school before entering the NBA Draft. And just like that, jumping straight from high school to the pros ceased to be an option for elite prospects such as Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. Now, they’d have to make a pit stop first.
Since then, 18 and 19-year-old freshmen have turned NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball into their own extended auditions for all 30 NBA teams. The 2025-26 season has been no different with freshmen A.J. Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, and Darryn Peterson dominating opponents. But which one of these five-star recruits was the best? It comes down to a combination of stats, hype, personal and team accomplishments, and impact. These are the 20 Best One-And-Done Freshman in NCAA history.
20.Andrew Wiggins, Kansas, 2013-14
Stats: 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 1 block
44.8% Field Goal Percentage, 34% 3-Point Field Goal Percentage, 77.5% Free Throw Percentage
Upon arriving in Lawrence, Kansas, Andrew Wiggins had unrealistic expectations foisted upon him. Though he didn’t live up to the hype as The Next LeBron James, Wiggins was still one of the best freshman hoopers in recent history. Flaunting twitchy, omni-directional athleticism and a developing jumper, Wiggins averaged 17 points, while leading the Jayhawks to a 25-10 record. After a slow start, he’d done enough to justify a No. 1 selection in the 2014 NBA Draft.
19.De'Aaron Fox, Kentucky, 2016-17
Stats: 16.7 points, 4.6 assists, 4 rebounds, 1.5 steals
47.9%/24.6%/73.6%
De'Aaron Fox wasn’t the most efficient floor general, but he was probably the fastest. Holding down point guard duties at Kentucky, he helped make the Wildcats a problem with his coast-to-coast aggression and penchant for creating buckets and assists out of nothing. He did it all for the Wildcats. Bonus points for shutting Lonzo Ball down during the NCAA tourney.
18.Malik Monk, Kentucky, 2016-17
Stats: 19.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists
45%/39.7%/82%
While DeAaron Fox turned into a better pro, Malik Monk was the better college player; his smooth jumper and springy athleticism helped the 2016-2017 Kentucky squad make it all the way to the Elite 8. He averaged 19.8 points, while turning the ball over less than once per game, and he could get a bucket in transition and the halfcourt. For his efforts, he won SEC Freshman of the Year and SEC Player of the Year.
17.Jabari Parker, Duke, 2013-14
Stats: 19.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 1.2 blocks
47.3/35.8/74.8
Years after Simeon Career Academy produced Derrick Rose, Jabari Parker came through the NCAA with a freshman season rivaling that of his predecessor. With deceptive athleticism and a solid jumper, Parker led Duke to the Sweet 16 averaging over 19 points per game, earning him a selection to the 1st Team All-American, and the USBWA National Freshman of the Year.
16.DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky, 2009-10
Stats: 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1 steal, 1.8 blocks
55.8/16.7/60.4
It’s hard to believe that a college team had John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe on its roster but the 2009-10 Kentucky Wildcats did, along with future first-round picks Daniel Orton and Patrick Patterson. They were nearly good enough to win a national title and Cousins was a major reason why. His strong season in Lexington was a prelude to his brief stint as one of the NBA’s most dominant interior forces.
15.John Wall, Kentucky, 2009-10
Stats: 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.8 steals, .5 blocks
46.1/32.5/75.4
Back before he was struggling with injuries, there was Dougie John Wall, who blended Allen Iverson athleticism with strong court vision and a penchant for theatrics during a dominant year at Kentucky. He racked up the buckets and assists with efficiency, and, along with DeMarcus Cousins, was a major reason the Wildcats made the Elite 8. Wall was the top overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.
14.Ben Simmons, LSU, 2015-16
Stats: 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals
56/33/67%
Like Andrew Wiggins, Ben Simmons was also compared to LeBron James coming into this freshman year. Though Simmons wasn’t an athlete like LeBron, he did possess an unbelievable basketball IQ and an ability to control a game even without a sturdy jumper. In a way, Simmons didn’t disappoint. He stuffed the stat sheet like LeBron—his size, speed, and court vision were a problem. But he didn’t win like LeBron; LSU didn’t make the NCAA tournament in Simmons’ sole season in Baton Rouge. He also reportedly didn’t go to class much but that’s between him and his professors.
13.Lonzo Ball, UCLA, 2016-17
Stats: 14.6 points, 6 rebounds, 7.6 assists
55.1/41.2/73.2
With a psychic’s vision, a reliable three-ball and the LaVar Ball marketing machine behind him, Lonzo Ball was the best show in college basketball during his one season in Westwood; his speed and playmaking instincts gave him the appearance of a more efficient Jason Kidd. Though he took an L to DeAaron Fox and a stacked Kentucky Wildcats team in the Sweet 16, he still turned in one of the most dominant freshman seasons in Pac-12 history.
12.Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga, 2021-22
Stats: 14.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.7 blocks, .8 steals
60.7/39/71.7
Through 32 college games, Chet Holmgren proved to be one of the best combinations of long-term upside and immediate functionality. As a freshman on a loaded Gonzaga squad, he was the ultimate stretch big: a venus flytrap around the rim who could step out onto the perimeter and knock down three-pointers; his overall efficiency was staggering as he maintained a 69 true shooting percentage. While Gonzaga was upset by Arkansas in the Sweet 16, Chet’s two-way dominance was unassailable.
11.Derrick Rose, Memphis, 2007-08
Stats: 14.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists
47.7/33.7/71.2
After an inconsistent start to his one season at Memphis, Derrick Rose transformed into the nigh-unstoppable force that would eventually, briefly, take over the NBA, averaging 20.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists down the stretch. The production surge led to the NCAA championship game against Kansas, where the Tigers took an L in overtime. Unfortunately, subsequent reports that Rose had someone else take the SAT for him to meet eligibility requirements, as well as had his brother travel with the team for free, led the NCAA to retroactively deem Rose ineligible and vacate the team’s whole 2007-2008 season. But for that one season—and the subsequent 2008 NBA Draft—Rose won big.
10.Michael Beasley, Kansas State, 2007-08
Stats: 26.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 1.6 blocks
53.2/37.9/77.4
Hindsight is 20/20 but Michael Beasley was so dominant in college that it actually made sense when the Miami Heat drafted him above Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love. He was an elite three-level scorer who rebounded like that kid who matured faster than his middle school peers. While at Kansas State, he used those tools to break Carmelo Anthony’s record for most consecutive freshman double-doubles.
9.Kevin Love, UCLA, 2007-08
Stats: 17.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, .7 steals
55.9/35.4/76.7
During his one season at UCLA, Kevin Love was unstoppable with his back to the basket, flipped Wes Unseld-esque full-court passes, and showed flashes of the solid three-point range he’d weaponize in the NBA. Oh, and he led his Bruins squad to the Final Four.
8.Trae Young, Oklahoma, 2017-18
Stats: 27.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 8.7 assists
42.2/36/86.1
If ever there was an NCAA player who looked like they were experimenting during games—and succeeding at it!—it was Trae Young. Over the course of his short time in Norman, Young became the first player in NCAA history to lead Division I in points and assists. And he did so in electrifying fashion, throwing no-look dishes and hitting off-the-dribble 30-footers that would make Steph Curry blush.
7.Jahlil Okafor, Duke, 2014-15
Stats: 17.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, .8 steals, 1.4 blocks
66.4/0/51
During his time at Duke, Jahlil Okafor was a Back to the Basket Final Boss, punishing helpless college defenses in the paint. While his strictly post game style went the way of flip phones, his lack of three-point range didn’t stop him as a freshman; big men don’t need a reliable jumper when they shoot 66 percent from inside the arc. In the end, Okafor would lead Duke to the 2015 National Championship.
6.Greg Oden, Ohio State, 2006-07
Stats: 15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.3 blocks
61.6/0/62.8
Greg Oden was a mythically dominant high school star who translated most of that transcendence to college ball before injuries derailed a promising pro career. While a wrist injury kept him out the first several games of the season, once he walked onto the court, he made up for lost time, scoring with elite efficiency and patrolling the paint like Georgetown-era Patrick Ewing. Alongside his homie Mike Conley Jr., he led Ohio State to the championship game, where they lost to Florida despite his 25 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks.
5.Cooper Flagg, Duke, 2024-25
Stats: 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, 1.4 steals
48.1/38.5/84
Over the course of 37 contests at Duke, Cooper Flagg made it clear he was playing a different game than his peers. Using his springy athleticism and an irrepressible motor, he scored efficiently (19.2 points on 59 TS%) and defended relentlessly (1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals) while leading a deep Duke squad to a Final Four appearance. Though they fumbled the bag by not scoring a single field goal in the final 10 minutes of action against Houston, Flagg balled out for 27 points. For his efforts on the season, he became the fourth player in Duke history to win ACC Freshman of the Year and ACC Player of the Year. He’s the only Dukie to add a National Player of the Year to that list.
4.Kevin Durant, Texas, 2006-07
Stats: 25.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.9 blocks
47.3/40.4/81.6
Kevin Durant chose Texas because he wanted to shine at a school that would give him more than enough room to do so. And shine he did, leading the Big 12 in scoring, rebounding, and blocks on his way to becoming the first freshman to win National Player of the Year. Durant scored with efficiency during a time when lanes were often still clogged and as the sole focus of opponents’ defenses. KD was a neon unicorn who screamed “No. 1 pick” but he lost points when his team was upset in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
3.Zion Williamson, Duke, 2018-19
Stats: 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 1.8 blocks
68/33.8/64
With the physical profile of a 300-pound Michael Jordan, Zion Williamson made high school opponents look something less than helpless. Then, somehow, he basically went and did the same thing in college. In his one season at Duke, Zion became one of the biggest superstars in college basketball history: a mainstream media star and juggernaut on the court who ran away with ACC Player of the Year honors. Although Duke bowed out in the Elite Eight, Zion joined Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant as the third player to notch 500 points, 50 steals, and 50 blocks in a season.
2.Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse, 2002-03
Stats: 22.2 points, 10 rebounds, 1.6 steals, .9 blocks
45.3/33.7/70.6
There was a time leading up to the 2003 NBA Draft when some pundits argued that Carmelo Anthony might be a surer bet than LeBron James. But that take was testament to how thoroughly Melo dominated the Big East and the rest of the field during his one season patrolling the Carrier Dome. At a legit 6’6” 230 pounds, Melo had an NBA-ready physique and used it to bully-ball and mid-range his way to huge numbers. Paired with a wicked first step and feathery jumper, Melo was the most dominant player in college basketball. Melo’s one season in orange ended with him cutting down the nets as National Champion.
1.Anthony Davis, Kentucky, 2011-12
Stats: 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 4.7 blocks
62.3/14/70.9
On an individual level, Anthony Davis did nearly all there was to do in college basketball. During his brief stint at the University of Kentucky, he broke the Division 1 record for blocks in a season for a freshman while averaging 14.2 points on 65% true shooting percentage, good enough to win SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and the NCAA Player of the Year. Oh, and as for all that less important “team accomplishment” stuff? He led the Wildcats to the 2012 national championship. Despite only scoring 6 points, he dominated the contest, recording 16 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 assists and 3 steals to secure a W over Kansas—and secure his place as the greatest one-and-done prospect in NCAA men’s college basketball history.