March Madness top players: These 10 hope to deliver Final Four dreams

While college basketball’s coaching old heads are having a generational reckoning in the Sweet 16, the sport’s stars on the court for the next round of the Men’s NCAA Tournament are a peppered mix of veterans and projected one-and-done phenoms.

Arkansas coach John Calipari, 67, is youngest among the quintet of Calipari, Tennessee’s Rick Barnes (71), Michigan State’s Tom Izzo (71), Houston’s Kelvin Sampson and St. John’s Rick Pitino (73).

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Duke’s Cameron Boozer, a consensus top-five projected NBA lottery pick this summer, won’t turn 19 until July 18.

Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg and UConn’s Alex Karaban both turn 24 this fall.

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Men’s Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness

How sweet it is. Sixteen teams remain in the March Madness 2026 tournament. Here are some top players and matchups to watch.
No. 11 Texas vs. No. 2 Purdue Texas: Matas Vokietaitis

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Men’s Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness

How sweet it is. Sixteen teams remain in the March Madness 2026 tournament. Here are some top players and matchups to watch.
No. 11 Texas vs. No. 2 Purdue Texas: Matas Vokietaitis

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Men’s Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness

No. 11 Texas vs. No. 2
Purdue Purdue: Braden Smith

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Men’s Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness

No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 4 Nebraska
Iowa: Bennett Stirtz

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Men’s Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness

No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 4 Nebraska
Nebraska: Pryce Sandfort

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Men’s Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness

No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 1 Arizona
Arkansas: Darius Acuff Jr.

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Men’s Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness

No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 1 Arizona
Arizona: Brayden Burries

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Men’s Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness

No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 2 Houston
Illinois: Keaton Wagler

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Men’s Sweet 16 players to watch during March Madness

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Publish date : 2026-03-25 08:12:00

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