This marks the third year we’ve ranked “ghost rosters” at CBS Sports, and the No. 1 spot is finally going to someone other than Texas Tech. Illinois is your 2025-26 ghost roster champion, as the Illini boast college basketball’s strongest contingent of former players.
The Illini’s continent of former players still active elsewhere in Division I is deep and provides a good mix of guard play, wing prowess and size on the interior. North Carolina isn’t far behind. Both Illinois (Morez Johnson) and UNC (Elliot Cadeau) have sent players to Michigan, where they are thriving for one of the top national title contenders.
When evaluating a ghost roster, we take quantity — not just quality — into consideration. As a result, you won’t see teams like Belmont featured. The Bruins have some former stars like Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee), Cade Tyson (Minnesota) and Malik Dia (Ole Miss) doing big things elsewhere now. But the contingent of ex-Bruins gets shallow quickly beyond those three.
The same is true for Oklahoma, which boasts a ghost roster featuring star guards Milos Uzan (Houston), Otega Oweh (Kentucky) and Duke Miles (Vanderbilt). But the Sooners wouldn’t have much of a frontcourt and therefore fail to make the top 10.
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So, in summary, we are ranking the programs that could field the most competitive teams consisting exclusively of their former players who are still playing college basketball. A special congrats to Kevin Overton of Auburn and Desmond Claude of Washington who appear on multiple ghost rosters this year.
1. Illinois
Illinois is doing just fine without these guys, and these guys are doing just fine without Illinois. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn has transformed from a Big Ten role player into one of the Mountain West’s most productive guards at UNLV. Tre White is having the best year of his winding career at Kansas following a one-year stint in Champaign. Morez Johnson is now a key cog in Michigan’s machine after a promising freshman season at Illinois. Sometimes a breakup works out great for both parties, and Illinois’ ghost roster is a good example.
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn | UNLV | 6-1 | PG
17.6 PPG | 2.8 APG | 35.5% 3PT
Skyy Clark | UCLA | 6-3 | PG
13.5 PG | 2.3 APG | 1.3 SPG
Tre White | Kansas | 6-7 | SF
14.9 PPG | 7.3 RPG | 43.0% 3PT
Morez Johnson | Michigan | 6-9 | PF
13.7 PPG | 6.9 RPG | 68.7% FG
Amani Hansberry | Virginia Tech | 6-8 | C
15.3 PPG | 8.6 RPG | 2.8 APG
Jayden Epps | Mississippi State | 6-2 | SG
15.2 PPG | 2.6 RPG | 41.8% FG
Adam Miller | Gonzaga | 6-3 | SG
7.3 PPG | 33.3% 3PT | 0.8 APG
Carey Booth | Colorado State | 6-10 | PF
10.9 PPG | 6.3 RPG | 56.7% FG
Niccolo Moretti | FAU | 6-1 | PG
4.0 PPG | 3.0 APG | 1.6 RPG
2. North Carolina
If North Carolina fans are shocked watching Cade Tyson morph into one of the nation’s premier shooting forwards, you can’t blame them. His one-year experiment with the Tar Heels was a disaster. All it took was another change of scenery for the former Belmont star to discover the sort of high-major acumen that UNC was seeking from him last season.
Elliot Cadeau has also blossomed since leaving Chapel Hill and is facilitating the offense for a juggernaut Michigan squad. Tyler Nickel and Ven-Allen Lubin are long gone, but they are putting together nice seasons for projected NCAA Tournament teams. This team would be a little short on guard depth, but it’s strong.
Elliot Cadeau | Michigan | 6-1 | PG
10.3 PPG | 5.2 APG | 41.6% 3PT
Ian Jackson | St. John’s | 6-4 | PG
10.8 PPG | 36.4% 3PT | 1.3 APG
Cade Tyson | Minnesota | 6-7 | SF
20.1 PPG | 40.0% 3PT | 5.5 RPG
Tyler Nickel | Vanderbilt | 6-7 | PF
14.7 PPG | 46.3% 3PT | 3.3 RPG
Ven-Allen Lubin | NC State | 6-8 | C
13.4 PPG | 6.9 RPG | 66.9% FG
Jalen Washington | Vanderbilt | 6-10 | C
9.6 PPG | 5.4 RPG | 1.4 BPG
James Okonkwo | Utah | 6-8 | C
2.6 PPG | 5.4 RPG | 56.3% FG
3. Drake
When you have three coaches in three years, chances are you’ll end up with a decent ghost roster. Such is the case for Drake, which lost 2025 Missouri Valley Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz and a handful of other key players to Iowa when the Hawkeyes hired Ben McCollum. They also lost two-time MVC POTY Tucker DeVries to West Virginia (and now Indiana) when coach Darian DeVries left in 2024. If this ghost roster were an actual team, it would be a little short on interior heft. But it’s a strong collection of talent and production.
Bennett Stirtz | Iowa | 6-4 | PG
18.3 PPG | 5.0 APG | 1.4 SPG
Kevin Overton | Auburn | 6-5 | SG
12.1 PPG | 3.4 RPG | 1.6 SPG
Tucker DeVries | Indiana | 6-7 | SF
14.6 PPG | 5.0 RPG | 3.0 APG
Tavion Banks | Iowa | 6-7 | SF
10.6 PPG | 4.4 RPG | 56.0% FG
Cam Manyawu | Iowa | 6-9 | C
7.4 PPG | 4.5 RPG | 64.0% FG
Colby Garland | San Jose State | 6-1 | PG
18.4 PPG | 4.2 APG | 1.1 SPG
Isaia Howard | Iowa | 6-6 | SG
6.6 PPG | 3.1 RPG | 1.2 SPG
Kael Combs | Iowa | 6-4 | PG
6.3 PPG | 2.7 APG | 51.2% FG
Conor Enright | Indiana | 6-0 | PG
4.5 PPG | 4.1 APG | 3.3 RPG
4. Alabama
Perhaps if Alabama had worked to retain some of the heft on its ghost roster, its real roster would be in better shape. Instead, the Crimson Tide had to hit up G Leaguer Charles Bediako nearly three years after he turned pro. Jarin Stevenson, Derrion Reid and Mo Dioubate all departed after last season. Any of them would have been useful for Nate Oats this season.
The top three guards on this list are all major contributors to good teams. Jaden Bradley has been particularly great for an unbeaten Arizona team.
Jaden Bradley | Arizona | 6-3 | PG
14.0 PPG | 4.4 APG | 1.9 SPG
Nimari Burnett | Michigan | 6-4 | SG
8.6 PPG | 39.2% 3PT | 1.4 APG
Rylan Griffen | Texas A&M | 6-5 | SG
11.6 PPG | 44.6% 3PT | 1.8 SPG
Mo Dioubate | Kentucky | 6-7 | PF
9.4 PPG | 5.6 RPG | 55.9% FG
Jarin Stevenson | North Carolina | 6-11 | PF
7.0 PPG | 3.6 RPG | 0.6 BPG
Derrion Reid | Oklahoma | 6-8 | PF
11.8 PPG | 4.7 RPG | 50.0% FG
Nick Pringle | Arkansas | 6-9 | PF
5.4 PPG | 4.5 RPG | 66.7% FG
Mo Wague | Oklahoma | 6-10 | C
6.7 PPG | 6.6 RPG | 1.5 BPG
Jusaun Holt | Utah Tech | 6-6 | SG
10.6 PPG | 3.8 RPG | 45.3% 3PT
Sam Walters | SMU | 6-10 | PF
2.6 PPG | 1.1 RPG | 33.3% 3PT
5. Xavier
Xavier’s ghost roster is headlined by high-producing performers at big-time brands like Louisville (Ryan Conwell) and Texas (Dailyn Swain). But it’s lowkey got some pop throughout the college basketball landscape. Trey Green has been an integral part of Saint Louis’ great start, and Cam’Ron Fletcher has rediscovered himself as part of a good High Point team. The list goes on for the Musketeers, who might lose to their ghost roster in a real game if they played tomorrow.
Trey Green | Saint Louis | 6-0 | PG
11.2 PPG | 45.5% 3PT | 1.9 APG
Ryan Conwell | Louisville | 6-4 | SG
19.4 PPG | 5.0 RPG | 2.5 APG
Cam’Ron Fletcher | High Point | 6-6 | SF
16.5 PPG | 7.8 RPG | 57.1% FG
Dailyn Swain | Texas | 6-7 | PF
16.9 PPG | 7.1 RPG | 57.6% FG
Lazar Djokovic | VCU | 6-10 | C
13.7 PPG | 5.6 RPG | 57.2% FG
John Hugley | Duquesne | 6-9 | C
12.6 PPG | 4.9 RPG | 1.9 APG
Kachi Nzeh | Little Rock | 6-8 | C
11.9 PPG | 4.5 RPG | 1.2 BPG
Elijah Tucker | Longwood | 6-7| PF
12.7 PPG | 6.3 RPG | 63.4% FG
Sasa Ciani | Penn State | 6-9 | C
2.6 PPG | 2.3 RPG | 38.8% FG
*Desmond Claude | Washington | 6-5 | SG
13.3 PPG | 2.4 RPG | 1.9 APG
*Out for the season after 12 games
6. USC
Nobody turns over a roster quite like Eric Musselman, who was working the portal before it was popular. As a result – and because of the natural attrition associated with the coaching transition from Andy Enfield to Musselman after the 2023-24 season – the Trojans have a solid ghost roster. Malik Thomas is one of the ACC’s top snipers at Virginia, Rashaun Agee is bringing toughness and production to Texas A&M and Oziyah Sellers is a mainstay in the lineup for a St. John’s team that is one of the best in the Big East. The list goes on with numerous former USC players contributing across the landscape.
Malik Thomas | Virginia | 6-4 | SG
13.5 PPG | 4.3 RPG | 36.1% 3PT
Wesley Yates | Washington | 6-4 | SG
12.7 PPG | 3.4 RPG | 1.5 SPG
Oziyah Sellers | St. John’s | 6-5 | SG
11.1 PPG | 3.0 RPG | 38.6% 3PT
Rashaun Agee | Texas A&M | 6-7 | PF
13.7 PPG | 8.7 RPG | 2.1 APG
Arrinten Page | Northwestern | 6-11 | C
12.1 PPG | 5.3 RPG | 1.2 BPG
Isaiah Elohim | FAU | 6-5 | SG
11.9 PPG | 3.7 RPG | 39.7% 3PT
Jalen Shelley | Loyola Marymount | 6-8 | PF
12.9 PPG | 6.8 RPG | 2.4 APG
Vince Iwuchukwu | Georgetown | 6-11 | C
10.2 PPG | 5.3 RPG | 1.5 BPG
Brandon Gardner | Sacramento State | 6-8 | PF
4.1 PPG | 2.8 RPG | 1.0 BPG
Iaroslav Niagu | Jacksonville State | 7-0 | C
3.1 PPG | 3.7 RPG | 1.3 BPG
*Desmond Claude | Washington | 6-5 | SG
13.3 PPG | 2.4 RPG | 1.9 APG
*Out for the season after 12 games
7. New Mexico
New Mexico’s ghost roster isn’t the deepest, but it’s got starpower at the top. Toppin is a potential first-team All-American, and Donovan Dent is starting to find a rhythm at UCLA after ranking as the No. 4 transfer in the 2025 cycle at 247Sports. Filip Borovicanin and Jovan Milicevic followed coach Richard Pitino to Xavier and are playing big roles for the Musketeers. Meanwhile, Tru Washington is proving to be a steady contributor for a better-than-expected Miami team led by first-year coach Jai Lucas.
Donovan Dent | UCLA | 6-2 | PG
12.9 PPG | 6.7 APG | 1.5 SPG
Tru Washington | Miami | 6-4 | SG
11.8 PPG | 3.9 RPG | 1.8 SPG
Filip Borovicanin | Xavier | 6-9 | PF
10.1 PPG | 8.1 RPG | 4.7 APG
JT Toppin | Texas Tech | 6-9 | C
22.1 PPG | 10.9 RPG | 56.2% FG
Jovan Milicevic | Xavier | 6-11 | C
11.5 PPG | 4.0 RPG | 42.6% 3PT
Kayde Dotson | Loyola Chicago | 6-2 | SG
10.4 PPG | 37.0% 3PT | 2.7 RPG
Braden Appelhans | Drake | 6-7 | SG
5.9 PPG | 1.3 RPG | 41.9% 3PT
8. UCF
A complete roster overhaul appears to have been exactly what UCF needed, as the Knights are on track for their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2019. Still, it’s hard not to raise an eyebrow at the production coming from the ex-UCF contingent. It took transferring down a level, but former highly touted prospects Mikey Williams and Dior Johnson are putting up big numbers. Sellers and Hall are also the leading scorers for their teams.
Dior Johnson | Tarleton State | 6-3 | SG
23.6 PPG | 54.7% FG | 56.4% 3PT
Mikey Williams | Sacramento State | 6-3 | PG
16.8 PPG | 4.5 APG | 1.2 SPG
Jaylin Sellers | Providence | 6-4 | SG
16.0 PPG | 3.8 RPG | 1.9 APG
Keyshawn Hall | Auburn | 6-7 | SF
20.3 PGG | 7.6 RPG | 2.9 APG
Moustapha Thiam | Cincinnati | 7-2 | C
11.1 PPG | 6.2 RPG | 1.6 BPG
Nils Machowski | Wofford | 6-3 | SG
16.5 PPG | 2.6 APG | 39.6% 3PT
Tyler Hendricks | Utah Valley | 6-5 | SG
11.9 PPG | 4.3 RPG | 45.9% 3PT
Rokas Jocius | Loyola Marymount | 6-10 | C
4.1 PPG | 3.4 RPG | 57.8% FG
Comeh Emuobor | New Hampshire | 6-5 | SG
9.1 PPG | 4.3 RPG | 0.8 APG
9. Texas Tech
Texas Tech won the Ghost Roster national championship each of the past two seasons, and the Red Raiders are still in the mix this year. When you’re paying to keep Christian Anderson and JT Toppin, it’s tough to find the money and the touches for players like Darrion Williams and Kevin Overton. But compared to past years, the group of ex-Red Raiders still populating college basketball rosters isn’t particularly deep.
Lamar Washington | Georgia Tech | 6-4 | PG
11.7 PPG | 6.1 APG | 1.7 SPG
Pop Isaacs | Texas A&M | 6-2 | PG
10.4 PPG | 38.8% 3PT | 2.6 APG
Kevin Overton | Auburn | 6-5 | SG
12.1 PPG | 3.4 RPG | 1.6 SPG
Darrion Williams | NC State | 6-6 | PF
13.9 PPG | 5.5 RPG | 3.3 APG
Eemeli Yalaho | Washington State | 6-8 | PF
10.0 PPG | 5.5 RPG | 41.8% 3PT
KyeRon Lindsay | UAB | 6-7 | PF
11.3 PPG | 6.8 RPG | 53.7% FG
Elijah Fisher | Seton Hall | 6-6 | PF
7.3 PPG | 3.0 RPG | 1.0 SPG
Devan Cambridge | UCF | 6-6 | SG
6.5 PPG | 4.3 RPG | 1.2 APG
Federiko Federiko | Texas A&M | 6-11 | C
2.8 PPG | 2.3 RPG | 63.3% FG
10. Cal
Jeremiah Wilkinson is flourishing as a sophomore at Georgia after earning ACC Sixth Man of the Year and all-rookie honors for the Bears last season. Andrej Stojakovic is scoring less than he did for Cal last season, but he remains a dynamic offensive threat who is raising the ceiling of a talented Illinois team. But even after losing their two stars from last season to the portal, the Bears improved dramatically.
Jeremiah Wilkinson | Georgia | 6-1 | G
17.7 PPG | 37.4% 3PT | 1.8 SPG
Devin Askew | Villanova | 6-3 | SG
10.0 PPG | 44.3% 3PT | 1.9 APG
Andrej Stojakovic | Illinois | 6-7 | SF
13.9 PPG | 50% FG | 4.7 RPG
Grant Newell | Western Kentucky | 6-8 | PF
11.1 PPG | 4.4 RPG | 34% 3PT
ND Okafor | Washington State | 6-9 | PF
10.5 PPG | 5.6 RPG | 1.4 BPG
Rodney Brown | Loyola Marymount | 6-6 | SF
14.1 PPG | 39.5% 3PT | 1.7 APG
Joshua Ola-Joseph | Loyola Chicago | 6-7 | PF
7.4 PPG | 3.8 RPG | 37.9% FG
Gus Larson | Queens | 6-10 | PF
3.4 PPG | 2.6 RPG | 0.8 APG
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