All posts tagged: Freshmen

How Koa Peat and Brayden Burries Became the Breakout Freshmen Duo of the NCAA Tournament

How Koa Peat and Brayden Burries Became the Breakout Freshmen Duo of the NCAA Tournament

The Arizona duo will join a bunch of other electric one-and-doners to make up the most exciting set of prospects in over 20 years. Headlined by BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Kansas’s Darryn Peterson, and Duke’s Cameron Boozer, many basketball observers are comparing the 2026 draft class—which could see as many as 20 freshmen selected—to the iconic classes of 1984 (Hakeem, MJ, Barkley, Stockton), 1996 (Iverson, Ray Allen, Kobe, Nash), and 2003 (LeBron, Melo, Bosh, D-Wade). Those drafts were loaded with transformational talents, but never has the NBA seen so many polished 18, 19, and 20-year-olds projected to enter the league in the same year. Most mock drafts predict Burries to be a late lottery selection while Peat is likely to be chosen in the top 20. But before they peace-out of school and devote their attention to the pros, the fabulous freshmen are looking to ace college basketball’s final exam. The duo were a big reason why (aside from their first half against Purdue) Arizona has cruised through the NCAA Tournament. The Cats have won their …