ESPN Top 100 Players on CU's 2026-27 Hoops Schedule

If there was any doubt about just how tough the Big 12 will be this season, ESPN’s preseason Top 100 player rankings should put that to rest. By my count, Colorado could face nearly a quarter of the players on that list, including some of the biggest names in college basketball.

The good news for CU fans is that plenty of that talent will be coming to Boulder, with Iowa State, Houston, Texas Tech and BYU all visiting the Events Center.

Here’s a look at who the Buffs could face, when and where they’ll see them, and the eligibility issues that might keep a few of those players off the court.

Every ESPN Top 100 player on CU’s schedule

Date	Opponent	Where	ESPN Top 100 players
Nov. 14	at Providence	Providence, R.I.	#74 Miles Byrd
Nov. 25	Saint Louis (potential)	Palm Desert	#42 Robbie Avila
Nov. 25	Grand Canyon (potential)	Palm Desert	None ranked
Jan. 5	Iowa State	Boulder	#12 Tamin Lipsey, #87 Killyan Toure
Jan. 9	West Virginia	Boulder	#100 Miles Sadler
Jan. 13	at Kansas	Lawrence	#4 Tyran Stokes, #35 Trey Kaufman-Renn, #86 Melvin Council Jr., #90 Tre White
Jan. 16	Houston	Boulder	#39 Joseph Tugler, #60 Dedan Thomas Jr.
Jan. 23	Cincinnati	Boulder	#85 MJ Collins Jr.
Jan. 27	at Baylor	Waco	#94 Kayden Mingo
Jan. 30	at TCU	Fort Worth	#59 Xavier Edmonds
Feb. 2	Texas Tech	Boulder	#7 JT Toppin, #43 Darrion Williams, #88 Donovan Atwell
Feb. 13	Baylor	Boulder	#94 Kayden Mingo
Feb. 17	BYU	Boulder	#17 Robert Wright III, #57 Jaxon Kohler, #58 Bruce Branch III
Feb. 24	at Houston	Houston	#39 Joseph Tugler, #60 Dedan Thomas Jr.
Feb. 27	Arizona State	Boulder	#52 Paulius Murauskas
Mar. 3	at Arizona	Tucson	#5 Motiejus Krivas, #14 Caleb Holt, #24 Ivan Kharchenkov

That is 24 different players out of ESPN’s 100, and 14 of them are coming to the CU Events Center.

[Editor’s note: We checked ESPN’s full Top 100 against all 30 games on Colorado’s schedule. No other CU opponent has a ranked player, including Purdue, whom the Buffs meet at the Indy Classic on Dec. 19.]

Nov. 14: at Providence

#74 Miles Byrd. The former San Diego State guard brings length, athleticism and a reputation as a terrific defender to Providence. He’s the kind of player who can make a difference without scoring much, although his offensive game has improved.

[Editor’s note: A week before CU sees Byrd, it plays his old team. Colorado faces San Diego State in San Diego on Nov. 7. Byrd led the Mountain West in steal percentage in each of his last two seasons as an Aztec, and ranked third in the league in block percentage last season.]

Nov. 25: Saint Louis or Grand Canyon, Acrisure Series

#42 Robbie Avila, Saint Louis. If you’re not familiar with “Cream Abdul-Jabbar,” you should be. The 6-foot-10, rec-spec-wearing big man is one of the more unusual players in college basketball, essentially running the offense from the center position with outstanding passing ability and a soft shooting touch. He’s back with the Billikens after a brief stint with the Lakers’ Summer League squad, although his eligibility remains in question.

Grand Canyon, no ranked players. The Acrisure Series is loaded with talent, but perhaps no mid-major has more talent than GCU (Go Lopes!). They are my pick to be this year’s Miami (OH) and are well positioned to make a run deep into March Madness thanks to Jaden Henley, Dan Skillings Jr. and Tre Holloman. Henley was one of the best players in the Mountain West last season, while Skillings and Holloman are proven power-conference producers. If the Buffs draw GCU, it would be a great Thanksgiving watch for hoops fans.

Jan. 5: Iowa State, in Boulder

#12 Tamin Lipsey. Lipsey is one of the best defensive guards in college basketball and the guy who makes Iowa State go. Tough, experienced and an absolute pest defensively. He won’t necessarily overwhelm you with scoring, but he’ll make your point guard earn every inch of the floor.

#87 Killyan Toure. Toure is a long, athletic French guard who fits right into Iowa State’s defensive philosophy. His offensive game is still developing, but his length and ability to guard multiple positions make the Cyclones that much more difficult to play against.

Jan. 9: West Virginia, in Boulder

#100 Miles Sadler. Sadler is a quick, undersized point guard who can get into the paint and create offense. Think Hargress, but with speed to burn. He’ll be an interesting test for CU’s perimeter defense, particularly when West Virginia gets out in transition.

Jan. 13: at Kansas

#4 Tyran Stokes. Stokes arrives in Lawrence as one of the most celebrated recruits in the country and a legitimate candidate to be among the first players selected in the NBA Draft. He’s a powerful, explosive wing who can score just about anywhere on the floor. Good luck with that.

#35 Trey Kaufman-Renn. Kaufman-Renn, the former Purdue big man, brings experience and a YMCA-approved offensive game to Kansas. He’s not going to wow anyone with his athleticism, but he’s physical, has excellent footwork and knows how to score around the basket.

#86 Melvin Council Jr. Council is a tough, aggressive guard who plays with an edge. A cerebral veteran for Bill Self’s squad, and another guy who knows how to win.

#90 Tre White. White gives Kansas size on the wing, rebounding and a legitimate perimeter scoring threat. When he’s the fourth Jayhawk on this list, you get some idea of what CU could be walking into in Lawrence.

Of course, the eligibility questions surrounding Kansas’ veteran transfers could change the picture considerably.

Jan. 16 and Feb. 24: Houston, home and away

#39 Joseph Tugler. Tugler is a long, athletic forward who dominates defensively. He’ll contend for the conference lead in blocked shots, deflections and opponents’ teeth dislodged. Just another typical Kelvin Sampson defender.

#60 Dedan Thomas Jr. Thomas, the former UNLV point guard, gives Sampson a talented floor general to replace Atlanta Hawks rookie Kingston Flemings. He’s a skilled scorer and distributor, and an important addition to a Houston program that never seems to rebuild so much as reload.

Jan. 23: Cincinnati, in Boulder

#85 MJ Collins Jr. Collins is a physical, athletic guard who can score in bunches. Particularly dangerous attacking the basket and in transition, he’ll give the Buffs another difficult perimeter matchup.

Jan. 27 and Feb. 13: Baylor, home and away

#94 Kayden Mingo. Mingo is a talented young guard who can create his own shot and get into the paint. Baylor has made a habit of recruiting dynamic perimeter players, and Mingo looks like another one. The question is how quickly he’ll develop into a consistent offensive threat.

Jan. 30: at TCU

#59 Xavier Edmonds. Edmonds does much of his damage around the basket. He’s a strong rebounder, finishes through contact and gives TCU a player who can make opponents pay for not matching his physicality.

Feb. 2: Texas Tech, in Boulder

#7 JT Toppin. If healthy, Toppin might be the best big man Colorado faces all season. He averaged 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds before suffering a torn ACL last February. He’s an absolute force around the basket and a legitimate national player of the year candidate if he returns to form.

#43 Darrion Williams. Williams is another difficult matchup. He can score inside, operate on the perimeter and pass well enough to make everyone around him better. His eligibility remains a question, but if he’s on the floor, he’s a problem.

#88 Donovan Atwell. Atwell connected on nearly 46% of his three-point attempts last season. That’s not a typo. Leave him open and you’re probably going to regret it.

Feb. 17: BYU, in Boulder

#17 Robert Wright III. Wright is a dynamic offensive player who can create his own shot, break down defenders and run an offense. The former Baylor guard gives BYU a proven Big 12 scorer and should be one of the better point guards CU faces this season.

#57 Jaxon Kohler. Kohler, the former Michigan State big man, is a physical rebounder who has developed into a pretty capable offensive player. He can score inside, step away from the basket and bring the kind of veteran toughness that matters in conference play.

#58 Bruce Branch III. Branch was one of the top recruits in the country before reclassifying into the 2026 class. At 6-foot-7, he has the size, athleticism and offensive upside to attract plenty of attention from NBA scouts.

BYU has assembled some serious talent. Apparently, the Cougars didn’t get the memo that rebuilding is supposed to take a few years.

Feb. 27: Arizona State, in Boulder

#52 Paulius Murauskas. The Lithuanian forward arrives from Saint Mary’s after averaging 18.4 points and 7.6 rebounds. At 6-foot-8, he’s a versatile scorer who can operate inside and out. Not the most explosive athlete, but he’s skilled, experienced and knows how to put the ball in the basket.

Mar. 3: at Arizona

#5 Motiejus Krivas. At 7-foot-2, Krivas is a massive presence in the paint and one of the country’s better rim protectors. His offensive game is improving as well. Colorado will have its hands full dealing with his size, particularly on the glass.

#14 Caleb Holt. Holt is another elite freshman with NBA lottery potential. A powerful, athletic wing who can get downhill, finish through contact and defend multiple positions, he may have the highest ceiling of anyone on Arizona’s roster.

#24 Ivan Kharchenkov. Kharchenkov brings professional experience from Bayern Munich, which isn’t exactly a bad place to learn the game. He’s physical, aggressive and considerably more experienced than your typical college underclassman.

Three players in the Top 25. On the road. In March. Sounds about right.

The eligibility mess

A handful of these players may never take the floor against Colorado, and a few of them may not take the floor at all.

Robbie Avila, Saint Louis. A judge granted Avila temporary permission to return to Saint Louis on October 23. His longer-term eligibility remains uncertain.
Kansas. Kaufman-Renn, Council and White’s eligibility remains legally complicated.
JT Toppin, Texas Tech. Toppin is currently rehabbing from his ACL injury and his status is very much up in the air.
Darrion Williams, Texas Tech. Williams is seeking a fifth year at Texas Tech, but it has not been granted.

ESPN acknowledged the same problem when it published the list, saying it had taken the stance that players who graduated high school in 2022 and were excluded by the NCAA’s new five-in-five rules are still eligible, despite the legal uncertainty. In other words, nobody knows. Including ESPN.

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