Three Underrated UCF Players To Watch In 2025-26

The UCF Men's Basketball team is set to tip off its first road game 2025-26 season on Friday night at 8 p.m. against Texas A&M.

With one three-game home stand, plus two exhibition games, under its belt, the main starters of coach Johnny Dawkins' squad have shown themselves. So, who among the Knights' 13 new players could fans be potentially overlooking?

Here are three players that are set to have underrated impacts this season:

1. John Bol

For a player who has started all three of the Knights' games so far this season, Ole Miss transfer John Bol has not gotten much playing time, averaging 11.6 minutes per game. That's less than guard Carmelo Pacheco, who's come off the bench in all three games.

Bol is the tallest player on the team at 7 feet 2 inches, so he provides an advantage for the Knights at tip-off. However, height cannot replace experience, and the South Sudan native is still just a sophomore.

"He's not a full-grown dog yet, he's a puppy, and saying that, you know, he still has a lot of experience to gain during the season," Dawkins said following the Knights' loss to Vanderbilt. "I don't think he played very much last year as a freshman, and so all these minutes that he's getting are invaluable right now for him, and he's going to cherish them, because he'll look back at the minutes he's gotten over time and realize how much it helped him. So I'm excited for who we can become as a player."

Any increase in Bol's playing time beyond just after tip-off relies on the progress of his development. However, if he progresses quickly, his length could be invaluable at the board and in the paint.

2. Carmelo Pacheco

While not as hot from beyond the arc as fellow guard Riley Kugel, Carmelo Pacheco is the only other Knight to shoot from three-point land more than 10 times. The Mount St. Mary's transfer has gone 7-13 from the floor so far this season and 6-11 from distance.

Pacheco's hot hand against Florida A&M, where he went 5-7 from the three-point line, showcased what he could do given the space. Dawkins said he was "in line" with some of his past shooters at UCF, such as Matt Williams, the program's all-time three-point record holder, and his own son, Aubrey.

"We had guys that were capable shooters, and so [Pacheco's] in line with some guys that, you know, we felt were very good shooters and really helped our program, and we feel that Carmelo can be one of those guys for us as well."

3. Chris Johnson

Despite not seeing the court in the Knights' season-opener, Chris Johnson has made the most of his minutes across the two games he has played from off the bench.

Thanks in part to the Stephen F. Austin transfer catching a hot hand in the second half against Vanderbilt, when he went 5-7 from the floor and 3-4 from three, the Knights were able to eat into what became a 27-point deficit and make it a competitive game late.

Aside from his shooting, Johnson is the only one other than starting point guard Themus Fulks to tally double-digit assists so far this season. Johnson's five assists per game average, with only 27.5 minutes of playing time, is right behind Fulks' six assists per game average, with 73 minutes of playing time.

While Kugel has recorded nine assists, with his status as a go-to shooter, Johnson's facilitating abilities point to him as the guard to watch should Fulks ever be injured or need rest. His spark-providing shooting capabilities are just the icing on the cake.

Catch up on more UCF news below:

Three Key Takeaways From UCF's Blowout Of Florida A&M

Three UCF Basketball Players To Watch In 2025-26

UCF Knights Uplift Freshman Quarterback After Game-Deciding Interception