March Madness: The Best Small Forwards In College Basketball

Joel Piton
Mar 10
7 min read

Headlined by AJ Dybantsa, the 2026 NBA Draft is projected to have a handful of wings fall somewhere within the first two rounds. As we know, March Madness will continue to be the biggest proving ground for college basketball’s brightest stars, and this year’s group of small forwards is loaded with talent looking to seize the spotlight. With size and athleticism, these versatile players are the modern blueprint for NBA teams: long, skilled, and capable of impacting the game on both ends of the floor. Whether it’s scoring in isolation, defending multiple positions, or stepping up in the biggest moments of the tournament, these small forwards carry the potential to both elevate their programs deep into March and showcase the kind of tools that translate to the next level.

Let's see who's poised to carry the torch throughout the March Madness tourney, and eventually to an NBA team.

AJ Dybantsa — BYU (Fr.)

Height: 6'9"

Age: 19

Player Comp: Jayson Tatum

Draft Projection: Top 3

2025-26 Stats: 24.8 PPG · 6.7 RPG · 3.8 APG · 52.1% FG

A guy that could very easily secure the #1 overall pick, Dybantsa is a heavyweight contender to be the top prospect in this year's upcoming draft. A 6'9" jumbo-wing who can do no wrong on the offensive end, Dybantsa's general scoring gravity headline the NCAA scoring charts as he sits first overall while leading a Brigham-Young to a 21-10 record. With elite physical tools, the athleticism to play above the rim, and the functionality of a three-level scorer, Dybantsa might just be the most fun player to watch right now. Dybantsa's size will be a problem for anyone to challenge at the NBA level. Blow-by's mid-range pull ups, you name it—Dybantsa can do it. He's still a bit slender and might need to bulk up a bit, but once he does that, it's pretty much over. Dybantsa has Hall-of-Fame upside, and I think most people can see it too.

Dailyn Swain — Texas (Jr.)

Height: 6'8"

Age: 20

Player Comp: Herbert Jones

Draft Projection: Late 1st Round

2025-26 Stats: 17.7 PPG · 7.5 RPG · 3.2 APG · 55.2% FG

A defensive monster, Dailyn Swain is a "Swiss Army Knife" who I think is a first-round lock. Swain looked like an NBA-ready defender at Xavier, but upon transferring to Texas, he's become two-way standout capable of putting efficient scoring numbers on the board. With his length and lateral quickness, he legitimately guards 1 through 5 and is the modern prototype for defense that teams want. Swain gets his buckets at the rim and the percentages drop largely the further out he gets—adding a consistent jumpshot is the only missing link. If he does that, I can see him being a nightmare for opposing teams in the near future.

Darrion Williams — NC State (Sr.)

Height: 6'6"

Age: 22

Player Comp: Dillon Brooks

Draft Projection: 2nd Round

2025-26 Stats: 14.4 PPG · 4.8 RPG · 2.8 APG · 41.8% FG

Despite being a bit undersized at the three, Williams is extremely physical on both the offensive and defense ends and is just someone you'd really rather play alongside than against. This kid will stuff the stat sheets in every way possible, boards, blocks, steals, and of course, points. While he isn't a high volume scorer, his contributions on the offensive end have already helped NC State secure a much better record than last-year's. With four years of college basketball down, Williams will be 23 on draft night and the boards have him as a low ceiling, high floor prospect who should be able to plug-and-play immediately. But I don't know if this assessment is true, the hustle and grit I see in this guy suggest a longer playing career.

Isaiah Evans — Duke (So.)

Height: 6'6"

Age: 20

Player Comp: R.J. Barrett

Draft Projection: Late 1st Round

2025-26 Stats: 14.6 PPG · 2.9 RPG · 1.3 APG · 43.2% FG

Duke star Isaiah Evans has risen up to an elevated role with Cooper Flagg gone, and has been given the keys to showcase his ability. An insane three-point shooter who just looks NBA ready from deep, Evans is a catch and shoot nightmare who has to be on NBA radars at this point. A microwave scorer who can get red-hot in a nanosecond, Evans' offensive ceiling is looking to be wicked high, and so is his jumpshot—the guy gets insane lift on his jumper and it's hard to contest. Duke is 29-2 and could very much win it all next month, and it's looking like Evans will be a huge contributor. My only criticism would be he is shot IQ—he isn't exactly Darryn Peterson and some of the shots he takes are questionable, but Duke relies on him to score and he may find better shot selection at the NBA level.

Keyshawn Hall — Auburn (Sr.)

Height: 6'7"

Age: 22

Player Comp: Peyton Watson

Draft Projection: Late 2nd Round

2025-26 Stats: 20.6 PPG · 6.9 RPG · 2.8 APG · 45.2% FG

Keyshawn has been around the block, playing for four different collegiate teams throughout his four year college career. While for most players this would hurt their draft stock, Keyshawn has grown tremendously each year and has adapted to every squad. He's led the Big 12 in scoring, is averaging 20+ points a night and scores in every way possible. At 6'7" he uses bully-ball to score on the interior, can pull up from mid-range in a Kawhi-like manner, and also has the physical tools to be an elite rebounder at the three. Unlike most wings, Hall loves to make the extra pass as well and has shown incredible passing vision as a forward. The Tigers have been mediocre this season, but it's not because of Keyshawn.

Malik Reneau — Miami (Sr.)

Height: 6'9"

Age: 22

Player Comp: Julius Randle

Draft Projection: 2nd Round

2025-26 Stats: 19.0 PPG · 6.6 RPG · 2.1 APG · 55.9% FG

Malik Reneau has taken significant strides to improve his game from where it was in Indiana. Before, he didn't look like much of a true scorer, simply using his body and size to act as a traditional post-scorer, which is a tough skill to translate over to the NBA level. However, we've seen some serious development in floor spacing upon transferring to Miami. Reneau's shooting 36% from three and is making defenses pay, improving his draft stock, and showcase his versatility all at the same time. He can also be a nightmare rebounder when he wants to and has posted multiple double-double games. However, for his size, Reneau doesn't prioritize defense as much as he should, and I think he needs to grow in that department.

Mark Mitchell — Missouri (Sr.)

Height: 6'9"

Age: 22

Player Comp: Miles Bridges

Draft Projection: Late 2nd Round

2025-26 Stats: 17.4 PPG · 5.2 RPG · 3.6 APG · 54.7% FG

Mark Mitchell has undergone a significant transformation since his days at Duke, evolving from a "glue guy" into a primary two-way engine for Mizzou. At 6'9" with an insane 7'2" wingspan, Mitchell is a disrupter of all sorts. With his mobility and athleticism, he can effectively guard positions 1-5 and the energy he brings onto the basketball court hint at him being a leader at the next level. This guy is just about as deadly of a finisher you can find at the NCAA level, forcing his way to the basket at will and converting tough and-ones and contested layups in similarity to Caleb Wilson. However, I have yet to see a reliable jumpshot out of Mitchell, and I think that's keeping him from climbing any further than his current draft projection.

Milan Momcilovic — Iowa State (Jr.)

Height: 6'8"

Age: 21

Player Comp: Sam Hauser

Draft Projection: Late 2nd Round

2025-26 Stats: 17.0 PPG · 3.1 RPG · .9 APG · 51.8% FG

Milan Momcilovic won't wow you with his athleticism, but he's as efficient a scorer as they come. With a textbook shooting form propelling his percentages north of 50%, Momcilovic is a catch and shoot nightmare who can make you pay from beyond three-point range or mid-range, and can only be described in one way—sniper. With a Dirk Nowitzki-esque one legged fadeaway, the IQ to score on and off the ball, and the size and strength (6'8", 225 lbs) to finish at the rim, I see Momcilovic as too valuable of a player for the NBA draft to pass up on. He can create his own shot, rebound or defend and could grow into a really reliable player.

Nate Ament — Tennessee (Fr.)

Height: 6'10"

Age: 19

Player Comp: Jonathan Bender

Draft Projection: Top 10

2025-26 Stats: 17.4 PPG · 6.4 RPG · 2.4 APG · 41.4% FG

An oversized forward capable of playing the three and four, Ament is an offensive nightmare who uses his size to score at will. With a quick-trigger release and a smooth shooting stroke, Ament manages to draw comparisons to the likes of Paolo Banchero and Zaccharie Risacher for his shooting prowess, as well as former Tennessee star Grant Williams. However, Ament's ceiling is wicked high. He's a three-level scoring wing with tremendous upside and I think he can be pivotal on the offensive end for a rebuilding team. I got him going in the Top 10, and as matter of fact, so do most of the draft boards.

Tounde Yessoufou (Fr.)

Height: 6'5"

Age: 19

Player Comp: Cedric Coward

Draft Projection: Late 1st Round

2025-26 Stats: 17.7 PPG · 5.5 RPG · 1.9 APG · 46.7% FG

One of the greatest high-school prospects California has ever seen, Tounde Yessoufou looks and plays like a grown man. At 6'5", the kid can force his way to the rim virtually over anyone and loves to finish with authority. Taking over for V.J. Edgecombe on a stacked Baylor squad, the Bears won't be making much noise in the March Madness tourney but Yessoufou has made this a fun squad to watch. I'd just like to see his three point numbers go up a bit, but I see him being a plug-and-play starting forward at the next level.

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As expected, AJ Dybantsa leads wings as the frontman to watch and a favorite to go number one overall in this year's draft. But March Madness has a way of changing your perspective. So the question now becomes: what school will it be this year? Which of these wings will step into the spotlight, carry their program through the chaos of March, and turn a solid draft resume into something unforgettable?

Let us know what you think. Which of these small forwards could surprise us all this March? Which player would you love to hear called on draft night? And which teams are you rooting?

Get ready for it, NCAA March Madness tips off Sunday, March 15th at 1 PM (ET) 🚨 Can't keep up with the games? Be sure to stay tuned into Sportz Nation for your sports updates on all things basketball.

Thanks for reading!

-Joel Piton

(@jpiton7)