Top 10 players of Final Four, ranked: Who is the best in March Madness?

Stars are made in March Madness, and even more so in the biggest games of each NCAA Tournament.

When Michigan, Arizona, UConn and Illinois meet in the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, there will be plenty of star power on the hardwood. A championship is on the line, along with status and NBA draft stock, after all.

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REQUIRED READING: Final Four predictions: Who will advance to 2026 National Championship?

All four teams have starting lineups built with transfers. First-team All-American Yaxel Lendeborg from Michigan, a sixth-year senior, is a first-year transfer from UAB and has proved he belongs since moving from the mid-major level to the Wolverines.

There’s also Illinois true freshman Keaton Wagler, who has risen from a non-elite high school prospect to being a surefire lottery pick in his first collegiate season.

Here’s a look at our rankings for the best players of the Final Four in 2026:

Best players of Final Four, ranked

1. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

The only first-team All-American on this list, Lendeborg was the top-available transfer last season and has backed up that honor and then some in his lone season at Michigan. The 6-foot-9, do-it-all forward is averaging 15.2 points with 7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game this season, and has stepped it up a notch in the NCAA Tournament, scoring 27, 23 and 25, respectively, in Michigan’s last three wins over Tennessee, Alabama and Saint Louis.

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Lendeborg is also shooting 50% from 3-point range in March Madness, and 59.2% from the field. The experienced forward has also shown an ability to take over games in the clutch, giving the Wolverines a huge advantage in that aspect.

2. Keaton Wagler, Illinois

Wagler came out of nowhere in 2025-26, as he was a three-star recruit in 2025, per 247Sports’ Composite. The 6-foot-6 guard has shades of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with long arms, impressive finishing ability and shooting.

Wagler is averaging 17.9 points with five rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season on 44.5% shooting and is coming off a 25-point showing against Iowa in the Elite Eight. He has done nothing but helm one of the…

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Publish date : 2026-03-31 10:04:00

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