The 20 Starters Who'll Decide It All in Indianapolis: Here's How ESPN Ranks Them

The Final Four is here, and ESPN's got their definitive player rankings locked in. And yeah, this group looks different than what we saw all season long.

For months, the top of every ranking ESPN dropped was flooded with freshmen. But now that we're rolling into Indianapolis, the story shifts. Of the 20 projected starters across all four teams, only six are freshmen. Half of those freshmen? All playing for Arizona. The rest? A mix of battle-tested seniors (six total), veterans, and former transfers (nine). It's a balanced squad across the board, and that mirrors the matchups themselves: Arizona versus Michigan, Illinois versus UConn.

Freshmen Take a Backseat to Experience

Here's what jumps out. Half of these 20 starters are projected lottery picks in ESPN's latest NBA mock draft, released before the tournament even started. The other half are either seasoned seniors or guys who transferred in and made an immediate impact. It's not the freshman-dominated landscape we've gotten used to this season.

Worth noting: some serious talent didn't make the cut here. Illinois' Andrej Stojakovic, Arizona's Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell'Orso, Michigan's Trey McKenney and Roddy Gayle Jr. are all capable of competing at this level. Stojakovic and Awaka would absolutely crack an expanded ranking of the best players in the Final Four. McKenney is one of the most talented two-way freshmen in the country. But ESPN's focus here is strictly on the projected starters, so those guys fall outside the scope.

Meet the Number One Player

According to ESPN's college basketball writers Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf, Yaxel Lendeborg of Michigan sits at the top of the heap. He's a senior forward and the best transfer in the country, earning All-American honors and Most Outstanding Player in the Midwest Region.

The numbers tell the story. Over his last three games, wins over Saint Louis, Alabama, and Tennessee, Lendeborg averaged 25.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. He shot 61.4% from the field and 52.6% from behind the arc. All while playing elite defense. His size and versatility, honed at UAB where he played center before switching to small forward at Michigan, make him a nightmare matchup on both ends of the floor.

The other 19 starters are ranked right behind him, but one thing's clear: these Final Four teams are built on a foundation of experience and talent that's ready for the biggest stage.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.